Compact two sided cold plate with transfer tubes

• US 8,991,478 B2
• Filed: 03/29/2010
• Issued: 03/31/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Space Systems International Inc (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Space Systems International Inc (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Zaffetti, Mark A., Laurin, Michael B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Flanigan, Allen
• Assistant Examiner(s): THOMPSON, JASON N
• Application Number:
  US12/748,552
• Publication Number:
  US 20110232879A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,828 Days
• Field of Search: 428182-186, 165/170, 165/90.5, 165/168, 165/171, 165/144
• US Class Current: 165/80.4
• 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 7/20254 Cold plates transferring heat from heat source to coolant
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20509 Multiple-component heat spreaders; Multi-component heat-conducting support plates; Multi-component non-closed heat-conducting structures
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49373 Tube joint and tube plate structure

Abstract

A structural cold plate assembly includes cold plates mounted to opposing sides of a panel and in fluid communication through fluid passages that extend through the panel.

Claims

1. A cold plate assembly comprising:

a support structure including a first face sheet and a second face sheet attached to opposite sides of a honeycomb interior structure, the support structure including an insert comprising a solid block between the first face sheet and the second face sheet surrounded by the honeycomb interior structure;

a first cold plate disposed on the first face sheet of the support structure, the first cold plate including a first circuit plate disposed between a first top plate and a first bottom plate and at least one inlet;

a second cold plate disposed on the second face sheet of the support structure, the second cold plate including a second circuit plate disposed between a second top plate and a second bottom plate and at least one outlet; and

a conduit extending through the insert in the support structure for communicating cooling fluid between the first cold plate and the second cold plate, wherein the conduit is sealed to the first bottom plate at a first end and to the second bottom plate at a second end of the first cold plate and the second cold plate.

2. The cold plate assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the conduit comprises a tube extending through the insert in the support structure.

3. The cold plate assembly as recited in claim 2, wherein the seal comprises a weld between the first bottom plate and the first end of the tube and a weld between the second bottom plate and the second end of the tube.

4. The cold plate assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the conduit is joined to the first bottom plate and the second bottom plate of each of the first and second cold plates.

5. The cold plate assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the support structure includes a frame structure disposed between the first face sheet and the second face sheet to provide a solid structure around outer edges of the support structure.

6. The cold plate assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein each of the first and second cold plates comprises a first cooling circuit and a second cooling circuit that is separate from the first cooling circuit.

7. The cold plate assembly as recited in claim 6, wherein the conduit comprises a first conduit that communicates fluid through the support structure between the first cooling circuit in the first cold plate and the first cooling circuit in the second cold plate, and a second conduit communicates fluid through the support structure between the second cooling circuit of the first cooling plate and the second cooling circuit of the second cooling plate.

8. The cold plate assembly as recited in claim 7, including an opening through the first cold and the second cold plate aligned with each other and with a corresponding one of the first and second conduits and a cap disposed over each of the openings for sealing the openings.

9. The cold plate assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the conduit is attached to the insert.

10. A cold plate assembly comprising:

a support structure including a first face sheet and a second face sheet attached to opposite sides of a honeycomb interior structure, the support structure including an insert comprising a solid block between the first face sheet and the second face sheet surrounded by the honeycomb interior structure;

a first cold plate disposed on the first face sheet of the support structure, the first cold plate including a first circuit plate disposed between a first top plate and a first bottom plate and at least one inlet;

a second cold plate disposed on the second face sheet of the support structure, the second cold plate including a second circuit plate disposed between a second top plate and a second bottom plate and at least one outlet; and

a conduit extending through the insert in the support structure for communicating cooling fluid between the first cold plate and the second cold plate, the conduit is joined to the first bottom plate at a first end and to the second bottom plate at a second end of the first cold plate and the second cold plate, wherein each of the first cold plate and the second cold plate includes an opening aligned with the conduit and a cap disposed over each of the openings for sealing the openings.

11. The cold plate assembly as recited in claim 10, wherein a joint between the conduit and each of the first and second bottom plates comprise a weld.

12. The cold plate assembly as recited in claim 10, wherein each of the first and second cold plates comprises a first cooling circuit and a second cooling circuit that is separate from the first cooling circuit.

13. The cold plate assembly as recited in claim 12, wherein each of the first and second circuits are defined by separate circuit plates.

14. The cold plate assembly as recited in claim 12, wherein the conduit comprises a first conduit communicating fluid between the first cooling circuit in each of the first cold plate and the second cold plate and a second conduit communicating fluid between the second cooling circuit in each of the first cold plate and the second cold plate.