Heatpipe imbedded coldplate enhancing IGBT heat spreading

• US 9,504,186 B2
• Filed: 11/14/2014
• Issued: 11/22/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: Dixler, Keith Elliot, Husser, Jon, Nakanishi, Todd George
• Primary Examiner(s): Haughton, Anthony
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gafur, Razmeen
• Application Number:
  US14/542,236
• Publication Number:
  US 20160143186A1
• Time in Patent Office: 739 Days
• Field of Search: 361676-678, 36167946-67954, 361688-723, 165 801- 805, 165/104.33, 165/185, 174 151- 153, 174 161- 163, 174/547, 174/548, 257712-722, 257/E23.088, 244/53, 24458-459, 454/184, 312/236
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/367 Cooling facilitated by shape of device H01L23/38, H01L23/40, H01L23/42, H01L23/44, H01L23/46 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/427 Cooling by change of state, e.g. use of heat pipes by liquefied gas H01L23/445
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/467 by flowing gases, e.g. air H01L23/473 takes precedence
• 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 7/20336 Heat pipes, e.g. wicks or capillary pumps
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20963 Heat transfer by conduction from internal heat source to heat radiating structure H05K7/20972 takes precedence

Abstract

A cold plate for a power circuit is disclosed. The power circuit includes a plurality of transistors and each of the plurality of transistors includes a plurality of dies. The cold plate includes a liquid cooling system that includes a plurality of cooling channels and each of the plurality of cooling channels is aligned with at least one die. The liquid cooling system includes a heat sink associated with each of the plurality of cooling channels. The cold plate further includes a plurality of heat pipes, wherein each of the plurality of heat pipes is aligned with at least one of the plurality of cooling channels and at least one die. Each heat pipe includes a wick lining an interior of the heat pipe, a vapor flow area, and a fluid.

Claims

1. A cold plate for a power circuit, the power circuit including a plurality of transistors, each transistor of the plurality of transistors including a plurality of dies, the cold plate comprising:

a liquid cooling system,

the liquid cooling system including a plurality of cooling channels,

each of the plurality of cooling channels being aligned with at least one die of the plurality of dies, and

a heat sink associated with each of the plurality of cooling channels; and

a plurality of heat pipes,

at least one of the plurality of heat pipes being aligned, substantially in parallel, with at least one of the plurality of cooling channels and at least one die of the plurality of dies,

each of the plurality of heat pipes including a wick lining an interior of the heat pipe, a vapor flow area, and a fluid.

2. The cold plate of claim 1, wherein the plurality of transistors are thermally connected to the cold plate and the plurality of heat pipes are in adjacent thermal connection to the plurality of dies.

3. The cold plate of claim 2, wherein the plurality of cooling channels are located directly below the plurality of heat pipes and the plurality of cooling channels and plurality of heat pipes are separated by a volume of materials having a thickness T.

4. The cold plate of claim 3, wherein the thickness T is approximately 2-5millimeters (mm).

5. The cold plate of claim 1, wherein each heat pipe, of the plurality of heat pipes, transfers heat from a first end of the heat pipe to a second end of the heat pipe,

the first end receiving a heat input.

6. The cold plate of claim 5, wherein the fluid includes a vapor portion and a liquid portion, and

wherein the heat pipe transfers heat from the first end to the second end by evaporating the liquid portion of the fluid into the vapor portion at the first end.

7. The cold plate of claim 1, wherein the fluid includes at least one of a methanol-based liquid or a water-based liquid.

8. The cold plate of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of heat pipes are fastened using a thermal adhesive.

9. The cold plate of claim 1, wherein each heat pipe, of the plurality of heat pipes, is arranged substantially parallel to the plurality of cooling channels.

10. A method for cooling a power circuit, the power circuit including at least one transistor, the at least one transistor including at least one die, the method comprising:

transferring heat from the at least one die using at least one heat pipe,

the at least one heat pipe being aligned, substantially in parallel, with the at least one die,

the at least one heat pipe including a wick lining an interior of the at least one heat pipe, a vapor flow area, and a fluid;

transferring heat from the at least one heat pipe to a cooling channel,

the cooling channel being aligned with the at least one heat pipe and the at least one die; and

transferring heat from the cooling channel to a heat sink associated with the cooling channel.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the power circuit is associated with a machine, and

wherein the at least one die is a die producing excess heat due to the machine operating during a stall condition.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the at least one heat pipe transfers heat from a first end of the at least one heat pipe to a second end of the at least one heat pipe,

the first end receiving a heat input from the at least one die.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein transferring heat from the at least one die using the at least one heating pipe includes:

transferring heat from a first end of the at least one heat pipe to a second end of the at least one heat pipe by evaporating a liquid portion of the fluid into a vapor portion at the first end.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the at least one heat pipe is arranged substantially parallel to the cooling channel.

15. A power circuit, comprising:

a plurality of transistors,

each transistor, of the plurality of transistors, including a plurality of dies; and

a cold plate in thermal connection with the plurality of transistors, the cold plate including;

a liquid cooling system,

the liquid cooling system including a plurality of cooling channels,

each cooling channel, of the plurality of cooling channels, being aligned with a respective at least one die of the plurality of dies, and a heat sink associated with each cooling channel of the plurality of cooling channels; and

a plurality of heat pipes,

each heat pipe of the plurality of heat pipes being aligned, substantially in parallel, with at least one of the plurality of cooling channels and the respective at least one die of the plurality of dies,

each heat pipe of the plurality of heat pipes including a wick lining an interior of the heat pipe, a vapor flow area, and a fluid.

16. The power circuit of claim 15, wherein the plurality of transistors are a plurality of insulated-gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs).

17. The power circuit of claim 16, wherein the plurality of dies are a plurality of IGBT silicon dies.

18. The power circuit of claim 15, wherein the plurality of cooling channels are located directly below the plurality of heat pipes, and

wherein the plurality of cooling channels and plurality of heat pipes are separated by a volume of materials having a thickness T.

19. The power circuit of claim 15, wherein each of the plurality of heat pipes transfer heat from a first end of the heat pipe to a second end of the heat pipe,

the first end receiving a heat input.

20. The power circuit of claim 19, wherein the fluid includes a vapor portion and a liquid portion, and

wherein the heat pipe transfers heat from the first end to the second end by evaporating the liquid portion of the fluid into the vapor portion at the first end.