High performance liquid cooled heatsink for IGBT modules

• US 8,897,010 B2
• Filed: 08/22/2011
• Issued: 11/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Shepard, Mark Eugene
• Primary Examiner(s): PAPE, ZACHARY
• Application Number:
  US13/214,589
• Publication Number:
  US 20130050944A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,191 Days
• Field of Search: 361/699, 361702-703, 165 804- 805, 165/104.33, 257/714, 257/716, 174/15.1
• US Class Current: 361/699
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/473 by flowing liquids H01L23/4332, H01L23/4338 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20218 using a liquid coolant without phase change in electronic enclosures in cabinets of standardized dimensions H05K7/20536; in server cabinets H05K7/20709; in vehicle electronic casings H05K7/20845; in power control electronics H05K7/2089; in displays H05K7/20954
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20936 Liquid coolant with phase change

Abstract

A heat sink assembly includes a base plate coupled to a first side of an electronic device. A plurality of fins extend from the base plate and are positioned within a housing. The housing includes a first manifold defining a plurality of first passages and a second manifold defining a plurality of second passages in fluid communication with the plurality of first passages. At least one of the plurality of first passages extends between an adjacent pair of the plurality of second passages and is oriented to channel fluid toward at least one of the plurality of fins.

Claims

1. A housing for use with a heat sink including a plurality of fins, said housing comprising:

a first side wall, a second side wall, and a cavity defined therein;

a first manifold defining a plurality of first passages positioned within said cavity and in open fluid communication with said cavity; and

,

a second manifold defining a plurality of second passages positioned within said cavity and in open fluid communication with the plurality of first passages through said cavity, at least one of the plurality of first passages extending between an adjacent pair of the plurality of second passages and oriented to channel fluid toward at least one of the plurality of fins, wherein the plurality of fins are positioned within said cavity.

2. A housing in accordance with claim 1, wherein the plurality of first passages and the plurality of second passages are oriented to provide a plurality of local flow paths within said cavity.

3. A housing in accordance with claim 1, wherein said first manifold is in fluid communication with an inlet and said second manifold is in fluid communication with an outlet such that fluid is channeled from the inlet through the plurality of first passages and is discharged from the plurality of second passages through the outlet.

4. A housing in accordance with claim 1, wherein the plurality of first passages extend from said first side wall toward said second side wall, and the plurality of second passages extend from said second side wall toward said first side wall.

5. A housing in accordance with claim 1, wherein the plurality of first passages are substantially parallel to the plurality of second passages.

6. A heat sink assembly for use with an electronic device, said heat sink assembly comprising:

a base plate coupled to a first side of the electronic device;

a plurality of fins extending from said base plate; and

,

a housing comprising;

a first side wall, a second side wall, and a cavity defined therein;

a first manifold defining a plurality of first passages positioned within said cavity and in open fluid communication with said cavity; and

,

a second manifold defining a plurality of second passages positioned within said cavity and in open fluid communication with the plurality of first passages through said cavity, at least one of the plurality of first passages extending between an adjacent pair of the plurality of second passages and oriented to channel fluid toward at least one of said plurality of fins, wherein said plurality of fins are positioned within said cavity.

7. A heat sink assembly in accordance with claim 6, further comprising a eutectic alloy disposed between said base plate and the first side of the electronic device.

8. A heat sink assembly in accordance with claim 6, wherein said plurality of fins are coupled to said base plate using a solder alloy having a thermal conductivity between approximately 10.0 W/(m·

K) and approximately 100.0 W/(m·

K).

9. A heat sink assembly in accordance with claim 6, wherein at least one of said plurality of fins is substantially solid.

10. A heat sink assembly in accordance with claim 6, wherein at least one of the plurality of first passages and the plurality of second passages are oriented to provide a plurality of local flow paths within said cavity.

11. A heat sink assembly in accordance with claim 6, wherein said first manifold is in fluid communication with an inlet and said second manifold is in fluid communication with an outlet such that fluid is channeled from the inlet through the plurality of first passages and is discharged from the plurality of second passages through the outlet.

12. A heat sink assembly in accordance with claim 6, wherein the plurality of first passages extend from said first side wall toward said second side wall, and the plurality of second passages extend from said second side wall toward said first side wall.

13. A heat sink assembly in accordance with claim 6, wherein the plurality of first passages are substantially parallel to the plurality of second passages.

14. A heat sink assembly in accordance with claim 6, wherein said base plate comprises a plurality of stiffening ribs.

15. A heat sink assembly in accordance with claim 6, further comprising a seal that facilitates retaining fluid within said housing.

16. A method for cooling an electronic device using a heat sink assembly, the heat sink assembly including a base plate and a plurality of fins extending from the base plate, the heat sink assembly further including a housing including a first side wall, a second side wall, and a cavity defined therein, the housing further including a first manifold defining a plurality of first passages positioned within the cavity and in open fluid communication with the cavity, and the housing further including a second manifold defining a plurality of second passages positioned within said cavity and in open fluid communication with the plurality of first passages through the cavity, said method comprising:

positioning the plurality of fins within the housing;

channeling fluid through at least one of the plurality of first passages into the cavity and toward at least one of the plurality of fins; and

,

channeling the fluid from the cavity through at least one of the plurality of second passages.

17. A method in accordance with claim 16, further comprising applying a eutectic alloy between the base plate and the electronic device.

18. A method in accordance with claim 16, wherein channeling fluid through at least one of the plurality of first passages into the cavity further comprises channeling fluid in a plurality of local flow paths within the cavity.

19. A method in accordance with claim 16, wherein channeling fluid further comprises:

channeling fluid from an inlet through the plurality of first passages; and

,

discharging fluid from the plurality of second passages through an outlet.