Integrated cooling system

• US RE40,618 E1
• Filed: 03/04/2005
• Issued: 01/06/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Stovokor Technology LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Stovokor Technology LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Nelson, Richard D., Somadder, Anjan
• Primary Examiner(s): DATSKOVSKIY, MICHAIL V
• Application Number:
  US11/071,898
• Time in Patent Office: 1,404 Days
• Field of Search: 361/688, 361/689, 361690-692, 361698-701, 361/703, 361/705, 361717-720, 361749-751, 361/792, 257/713, 257/714, 257/715, 174/15.1, 174/15.2, 174/16.3, 174/252, 165/46, 165/80.3, 165/80.4, 165/104.19, 165/104.33, 298/900.3, 622/59
• US Class Current: 361/699
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 31/00 Medicinal preparations containing organic active ingredients
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 2250/08 Fluid driving means, e.g. pumps, fans
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/20 Cooling means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/203 for portable computers, e.g. for laptops
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/473 by flowing liquids H01L23/4332, H01L23/4338 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4935 Heat exchanger or boiler making

Abstract

Systems and methods are described for integrated cooling system. A method includes: circulating a liquid inside a flexible multi-layer tape; and transporting heat between a heat source that is coupled to the flexible multi-layer tape and a heat sink that is coupled to the flexible multi-layer tape. A method includes installing a flexible multi-layer tape in an electrical system, wherein the flexible multi-layer tape includes a top layer; an intermediate, layer coupled to the top layer; and a bottom layer coupled to the intermediate layer, the intermediate layer defining a closed loop circuit for a circulating fluid. An apparatus includes a flexible multi-layer tape, including: a top layer; an intermediate layer coupled to the top layer; and a bottom layer coupled to the intermediate layer, wherein the intermediate layer defines a closed loop circuit for a circulating fluid.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

providing a flexible multi-layer tape including, a heat extraction region, a fluid ducting region, a fluid pumping region and a heat rejection region;

circulating a liquid inside the flexible multi-layer tape; and

transporting heat between a heat source that is coupled to the heat extraction region of the flexible multi-layer tape and a heat sink that is coupled to the heat rejection region of the flexible multi-layer tape, wherein transporting heat between the heat source and the heat sink includes flowing the liquid over a plurality of heat exchange devices.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein circulating the liquid inside the flexible multi-layer tape includes circulating the liquid inside the flexible multi-layer tape via a closed loop circuit.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein circulating the liquid inside the flexible multi-layer tape includes pumping the liquid inside the flexible multi-layer tape.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein circulating the liquid inside the flexible multi-layer tape includes circulating the liquid inside the flexible multi-layer tape in a preferred direction around the closed loop circuit via a plurality of valves.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein circulating the liquid includes circulating water.

6. The method of claim 1 A method comprising:

providing a flexible multi-layer tape including, a heat extraction region, a fluid ducting region, a fluid pumping region and a heat rejection region;

circulating a liquid inside the flexible multi-layer tape; and

transporting heat between a heat source that is coupled to the heat extraction region of the flexible multi-layer tape and a heat sink that is coupled to the heat rejection region of the flexible multi-layer tape, wherein exchanging heat between the heat source and the heat sink includes flowing the liquid over a plurality of fins.

7. A method, comprising, :

installing a flexible multi-layer tape in an electrical system, the flexible multi-layer tape including, a top layer;

an intermediate layer coupled to the top layer; and

a bottom layer coupled to the intermediate layer, the intermediate layer defining a closed loop circuit for a circulating fluid, the flexible multi-layer tape having a heat extraction region, a fluid ducting region, a fluid pumping region and a heat rejection region, wherein the circulating fluid is flowed over a plurality of heat exchange devices;

attaching the heat extraction rejection region to an electronic component;

attaching the heat rejection region to a heat sink; and

coupling a pump to the pumping region.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising providing a liquid within the closed loop circuit.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising bending the multi-layer flexible tape.

10. An apparatus, comprising a flexible multi-layer tape, including:

a top layer;

an intermediate layer coupled to the top layer and defining a plurality of internal cavities forming a closed-loop circuit for circulating fluid, the plurality of internal cavities including a plurality of heat exchange devices; and

a bottom layer coupled to the intermediate layer.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the top layer includes a metal layer.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the intermediate layer includes a polymer layer.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the bottom layer includes a metal layer.

14. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the plurality or heat exchange devices include at least one member selected from the group consisting of:

a longitudinal fin, a pin fin, a folded metal fin, and a metal mesh.

15. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the closed loop circuit includes a heat extraction region, a pumping region and a heat rejection region.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising a pump coupled to the pumping region.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the pump includes at least one member selected from the group consisting of:

a bellows pump, a rotary pump, and a micro-mechanical gear pump.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the pump is located in a cavity defined by the intermediate layer.

19. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising a heat source coupled to the flexible multi-layer tape.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the heat source includes a plurality of electronic components.

21. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising a heat sink coupled to the flexible multi-layer tape.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the heat sink includes a heat exchange unit.

23. An apparatus, comprising:

a flexible tape including a heat extraction region, a fluid ducting region, a fluid pumping region and a heat rejection region;

a fluid housed inside the tape; and

a fluid transporting mechanism configured to circulate the fluid between a heat source that is coupled to the heat extraction region of the tape and a heat sink that is coupled to the heat rejection region of the tape, wherein the heat extraction region comprises one or more heat exchange devices.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the fluid is a liquid.

25. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the fluid circulates in the tape in a closed loop circuit.

26. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the fluid transporting mechanism includes a pump that circulates the fluid.

27. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the heat source includes an electrical device.

28. An apparatus, comprising:

a flexible tape having at least one internal cavity and at least two coupling regions separated by a distance, the at least one cavity defining a closed system configured to enable fluid circulation, one of the regions configured to couple thermally to a heat-generating component, another of the regions configured to couple thermally to a heat sinking element, wherein the internal cavity contains a plurality of heat exchange devices.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the flexible tape is formed in a plurality of layers.

30. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the internal cavity is formed in an intermediate layer of the flexible tape between a top layer and a bottom layer.

31. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein at least one layer is a metal layer.

32. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the internal cavity contains a plurality of fins.

33. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the closed system includes a heat extraction region, a pumping region, and a heat rejection region.

34. The apparatus of claim 28, further comprising a pump coupled to the pumping region.

35. A method, comprising:

installing a flexible tape in a heat transfer relationship with at least one heat-generating component, the flexible tape having at least one internal cavity forming a closed-loop circuit configured to enable circulation of a fluid, the at least one internal cavity including at least one heat exchange device; and

removing heat from the heat-generating component by circulating the fluid over one or more heat exchange devices inside the at least one internal cavity.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the flexible tape is formed in a plurality of layers.

37. The method of claim 35, wherein the circulating fluid is a liquid.

38. The method of claim 35, comprising the further step of installing a heat dissipating element in heat transfer relationship with the flexible tape.