Liquid cooling

• US 10,458,724 B2
• Filed: 09/27/2017
• Issued: 10/29/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP (Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP (Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company)
• Inventors: Franz, John P., Cader, Tahir, Sabotta, Michael L., Moore, David A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hwu, Davis D
• Application Number:
  US15/717,313
• Publication Number:
  US 20180017341A1
• Time in Patent Office: 762 Days
• Field of Search: 165278
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 1/40 the means being only inside the tubular element
• 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 7/20781 within cabinets for removing heat from server blades

Abstract

An assembly for liquid cooling is provided herein. The assembly 8 includes a thermal member, a support member, and a gasket. The thermal member includes an array of cooling pins formed of a thermally conductive material to extend from the thermal member. The support member includes an inlet channel and an outlet channel. The inlet channel to provide a fluid to the array of cooling pins. The outlet channel to receive the fluid from the array of cooling pins. The gasket between the thermal member and the support member to form a cooling channel with a fluid tight seal therebetween.

Claims

1. A device to provide liquid cooling, the assembly comprising:

a thermal member including an array of cooling pins extending from the thermal member;

a support member including;

an inlet channel to provide a fluid to the array of cooling pins; and

an outlet channel to receive the fluid from the array of cooling pins;

a gasket between the thermal member and the support member to form a cooling channel with a fluid tight seal therebetween; and

a thermally actuated valve connected to the support member and extending into the cooling channel to control a flow of the fluid through the cooling channel.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the thermally actuated valve controls the flow of the fluid through the cooling channel based on a temperature of the fluid in the cooling channel.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the thermally actuated valve retracts to slow the flow of the fluid through the cooling channel in response to the temperature of the fluid in the cooling channel being below a threshold temperature.

4. The device of claim 2, wherein the thermally actuated valve extends to increase the flow of the fluid through the cooling channel in response to the temperature of the fluid in the cooling channel being above a threshold temperature.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the thermally actuated valve is connected to the support member and extends through the outlet channel to control the flow of the fluid through the cooling channel.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the thermally actuated valve is connected to the support member and extends through the inlet channel to control the flow of the fluid through the cooling channel.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the thermally actuated valve is connected to the support member and extends through the cooling channel to control the flow of the fluid through the cooling channel.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the array of cooling pins include a plurality of solid protrusions arranged in an array of columns and rows and are formed of a thermally conductive material.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the cooling pins are located in the cooling channel.

10. A cooling system, comprising:

a thermal member including an array of cooling pins extending from the thermal member;

a support member including;

an inlet channel to provide a fluid to the array of cooling pins; and

an outlet channel to receive the fluid from the array of cooling pins;

a gasket between the thermal member and the support member to form a cooling channel with a fluid tight seal between the thermal member and the support member; and

a thermally actuated valve connected to the support member and extending into the cooling channel to control a flow of the fluid through the cooling channel;

wherein heat is transferred from an electronic device to the cooling pins located in the cooling channel and to the fluid of the cooling system to cool the electronic device.

11. The cooling system of claim 10, further comprising a mating member located adjacent to the thermal member and adjacent to the electronic device, wherein the heat is transferred from the electronic device to the cooling pins and the fluid via the mating member.

12. The cooling system of claim 10, wherein the fluid contacts the cooling pins to remove heat from the cooling pins.

13. The cooling system of claim 10, wherein the thermally actuated valve is located in the outlet channel.

14. The cooling system of claim 13, wherein the thermally actuated valve retracts to cause an aperture of the outlet channel to decrease in response to a temperature of the fluid in the cooling channel being below a threshold temperature.

15. The cooling system of claim 13, wherein the thermally actuated valve extends to cause an aperture of the outlet channel to increase in response to a temperature of the fluid in the cooling channel being above a threshold temperature.

16. A method, comprising:

receiving, via a thermal member of a cooling device, heat from an electronic device located adjacent to the thermal member;

transferring, via the thermal member and an array of cooling pins extending from the thermal member, heat from the electronic device through the thermal member and to the cooling pins;

transporting, via an inlet channel of a support member, a fluid through a thermally actuated valve to a cooling channel, wherein the support member and thermal member include a gasket therebetween to form the cooling channel with a fluid tight seal and wherein the cooling pins are located in the cooling channel;

removing, via the fluid contacting the cooling pins in the cooling channel, heat from the cooling pins; and

transporting, via an outlet channel of the support member, the fluid from the cooling channel.

17. The method of claim 16, comprising decreasing a flow rate of the fluid through the cooling channel in response to a temperature of the fluid in the cooling channel being below a threshold temperature.

18. The method of claim 16, comprising increasing a flow rate of the fluid through the cooling channel in response to a temperature of the fluid in the cooling channel being above a threshold temperature.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein transferring the heat from the electronic device to the thermal member includes transferring the heat between the electronic device and the thermal member via a dry disconnect between the electronic device and the cooling device.

20. The method of claim 16, comprising:

transporting the fluid from the outlet channel of the cooling device to a heat exchanger to remove heat from the fluid; and

transporting the fluid from the heat exchanger to the inlet channel for reuse.