Heat exchanger device and method for heat removal or transfer

• US 8,988,881 B2
• Filed: 08/13/2010
• Issued: 03/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: National Technology & Engineering Solutions Of Sandia LLC (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Sandia Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Inventors: Koplow, Jeffrey P.
• Primary Examiner(s): SMITH, COURTNEY L
• Application Number:
  US12/856,440
• Publication Number:
  US 20110103011A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,684 Days
• Field of Search: 361676-678, 36167946-67954, 361688-722, 361/726, 361/728, 361/732, 361760-761, 361/829, 361/831
• US Class Current: 361/707
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 25/0606 the electric motor being specially adapted for integration in the pump
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 25/0613 the electric motor being of the inside-out type, i.e. the rotor is arranged radially outside a central stator
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 25/066 Linear Motors
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/582 specially adapted for elastic fluid pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/5853 heat insulation or conduction
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 15/0233 the conduits having a particular shape, e.g. non-circular cross-section, annular F28D15/0241, F28D15/0266 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 15/0275 Arrangements for coupling heat-pipes together or with other structures, e.g. with base blocks; Heat pipe cores
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 15/04 with tubes having a capillary structure
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 2021/0029 Heat sinks
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 13/125 by stirring
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 3/02 Elements or assemblies thereof with means for increasing heat-transfer area, e.g. with fins, with recesses, with corrugations F28F3/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/467 by flowing gases, e.g. air H01L23/473 takes 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 7/20163 the components being isolated from air flow, e.g. hollow heat sinks, wind tunnels or funnels

Abstract

Systems and methods for a forced-convection heat exchanger are provided. In one embodiment, heat is transferred to or from a thermal load in thermal contact with a heat conducting structure, across a narrow air gap, to a rotating heat transfer structure immersed in a surrounding medium such as air.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a heat conducting structure thermally coupled to a thermal load, wherein said thermal load is coupled to said heat conducting structure using a polymer solvent weld;

a heat transfer structure immersed in a surrounding medium and rotatably coupled to said heat conducting structure; and

a gas bearing between said heat conducting structure and said heat transfer structure, the gas bearing forming a gap between abutting surfaces of the heat transfer structure and heat conducting structure when the heat transfer structure is rotated at or above a threshold speed relative to the heat conducting structure during operation of the apparatus, the abutting surfaces being in physical contact when the heat transfer structure is stationary.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said heat conducting structure includes a heat pipe.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said heat transfer structure is rotatable about an axis of rotation, and wherein rotation of said heat transfer structure causes said surrounding medium to flow at least partially along the axis of rotation.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein said heat transfer structure includes a heat pipe.

3. An apparatus comprising:

a heat conducting structure thermally coupled to a thermal load, wherein said heat conducting structure defines, at least in part, a hollow cavity, wherein said thermal load is disposed in said hollow cavity;

electrical feed throughs coupled between the thermal load and an exterior surface of the heat conducting structure;

a heat transfer structure immersed in a surrounding medium and rotatably coupled to said heat conducting structure; and

a gas bearing between said heat conducting structure and said heat transfer structure, the gas bearing forming a gap between abutting surfaces of the heat transfer structure and heat conducting structure when the heat transfer structure is rotated at or above a threshold speed relative to the heat conducting structure during operation of the apparatus, the abutting surfaces being in physical contact when the heat transfer structure is stationary.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising a printed circuit board disposed within said hollow cavity and wherein said thermal load is at least partially supported by said printed circuit board.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said heat conducting structure includes a structural element provided to reinforce said hollow cavity.

6. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein at least a portion of a surface defining said hollow cavity includes a surface treatment to reduce super-heating of a working fluid within said hollow cavity.

7. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said thermal load comprises a CPU.

8. An apparatus comprising:

a heat conducting structure for thermally coupling the apparatus to a thermal load; and

a heat transfer structure immersed in a surrounding medium and rotatably coupled to said heat conducting structure; and

a gas bearing between said heat conducting structure and said heat transfer structure, the gas bearing forming a gap between abutting surfaces of the heat transfer structure and heat conducting structure when the heat transfer structure is rotated at or above a threshold speed relative to the heat conducting structure during operation of the apparatus, the abutting surfaces being in physical contact when the heat transfer structure is stationary,

wherein said heat transfer structure is a first heat transfer structure and said gas bearing is a first gas bearing, the apparatus further comprising a second heat transfer structure and a second gas bearing between said heat conducting structure and said second heat transfer structure, the second gas bearing forming a second gap between abutting surfaces of the second heat transfer structure and the heat conducting structure when the second heat transfer structure is rotated relative to the heat conducting structure during operation of the apparatus.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said first heat transfer structure is coupled to a first side of said heat conducting structure and said second heat transfer structure is coupled to a second side of said heat conducting structure, different than the first side of said heat conducting structure.

10. The apparatus of claim 8,

wherein said first heat transfer structure is coupled to a first side of said heat conducting structure and said second heat transfer structure is coupled to as second side of said heat conducting structure, different than the first side of said heat conducting structure;

and

wherein said first and second sides of said heat conducting structure are opposite sides of said heat conducting structure.

13. An apparatus comprising:

a heat conducting structure liar thermally coupling the apparatus to a thermal load;

a heat transfer structure immersed in a surrounding medium, said heat transfer structure being coupled to said heat conducting structure using a gas filled gap region which forms between said heat conducting structure and said heat transfer structure during operation of the apparatus, said heat transfer structure being movable relative to said heat conducting structure, and wherein the heat transfer structure is supported by the gas filled gap region during operation of the apparatus, and wherein said heat transfer structure is supported by the gas filled gap region during operation of the apparatus;

wherein said heat transfer structure is rotatable about an axis of rotation, and wherein said heat transfer structure, when rotating, imparts motion to said surrounding medium in a direction substantially parallel to the axis of rotation; and

wherein said surrounding medium comprises air, and said heat transfer structure provided to generate air flow through a duct of an HVAC system.

14. An apparatus comprising:

a heat conducting structure for thermally coupling the apparatus to a thermal load, the heat conducting structure comprising a first cylindrical tube;

a heat transfer structure immersed in a surrounding medium and rotatably coupled to said heat conducting structure, the heat transfer structure comprising a second cylindrical tube surrounding a plurality of interior fins, the second cylindrical tube disposed inside the first cylindrical tube, the heat transfer structure is rotatable about an axis or rotation, and wherein rotation of said heat transfer structure cause said surrounding medium to flow substantially along the axis of rotation;

a gas bearing between said heat conducting structure and said heat transfer structure, the gas bearing comprising a gas-filled gap between abutting surfaces of the heat transfer structure and heat conducting structure when the heat transfer structure is rotated, wherein the heat transfer structure further includes a centrifugal flexure to, at least in part, regulate a dimension of said gas bearing.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said heat transfer structure includes, at least in part, a hollow cavity containing a working fluid, and wherein centrifugal force generated by motion of said heat transfer structure pumps said working fluid in a radially outward direction.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said plurality of interior fins are twisted along a length of the cylindrical tube.

17. An apparatus comprising:

a heat conducting structure;

a heat transfer structure immersed in a surrounding medium, said heat transfer structure being coupled to said heat conducting structure using a as filled gap region which forms between said heat conducting structure and said heat transfer structure during operation of the apparatus, said heat transfer structure being movable relative to said heat conducting structure, and wherein the heat transfer structure is supported by the gas filled gap region during operation of the apparatus;

a threaded end bell coupled to said heat transfer structure;

a motor to move said heat transfer structure relative to said heat conducting structure; and

a threaded spindle coupled to the motor and positioned to thread into and out of said threaded end bell during operation, such that a height of said gas filled gap region is set by a geometry of the threaded end bell and the threaded spindle when the heat transfer structure has substantially low angular momentum.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said threaded end bell at least partially defines an opening to circulate air through at least a portion of said motor.

19. A method of dissipating heat from a thermal load, wherein the thermal load is in thermal contact with a heat conducting structure, the method comprising:

providing a first gas bearing between a first heat transfer structure and the heat conducting structure, the first gas bearing forming a gap between abutting surfaces of the first heat transfer structure and heat conducting structure when the first heat transfer structure is rotated at or above a threshold speed relative the heat conducting structure, the abutting surfaces being in physical contact when the first heat transfer structure is stationary;

transferring heat from the heat conducting structure to the first heat transfer structure across the gap;

maintaining the gap by rotating the first heat transfer structure relative to the heat conducting structure at a speed equal to or above the threshold speed;

providing a second gas bearing between a second heat transfer structure and the heat conducting structure; and

moving the second heat transfer structure through the surrounding medium relative to the heat conducting structure.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the first heat transfer structure is rotated about a common center axis of the heat transfer structure and the heat conducting structure.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the heat transfer structure, when rotated, moves the surrounding medium in a direction substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the heat transfer structure, when rotated, moves the surrounding medium in a direction substantially parallel to the axis of rotation.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein the first heat transfer structure is rotated in a first direction and moving the second heat transfer structure comprises moving the second heat transfer structure in a second, different, direction.

24. The method of claim 19, further comprising circulating a working fluid through a hollow cavity defined, at least in part, by the heat conducting structure.