COLD PLATE APPARATUS WITH A CONTROLLED HEAT TRANSFER CHARACTERISTIC BETWEEN A METALLURGICALLY BONDED TUBE AND HEAT SINK FOR FACILITATING COOLING OF AN ELECTRONICS COMPONENT

• US 20100071876A1
• Filed: 11/05/2009
• Published: 03/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: LEHMAN, Bret W., SINGH, Prabjit, SCHMIDT, Roger R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,245,401 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 165/80.400
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20254 Cold plates transferring heat from heat source to coolant
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4935 Heat exchanger or boiler making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49359 Cooling apparatus making, e.g., air conditioner, refrigerator
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49364 Tube joined to flat sheet longitudinally, i.e., tube sheet
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49368 with inserted tubes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49369 Utilizing bond inhibiting material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49373 Tube joint and tube plate structure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49377 Tube with heat transfer means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49393 with metallurgical bonding

Abstract

A cold plate apparatus is provided which includes a tube formed of a first metal, a casted heat sink member formed of a second metal surrounding a heat transfer region of the tube, and an alloy layer disposed between the tube and the heat sink member. The tube has its first and second ends, with the heat transfer region being disposed between its ends. The first and second ends of the tube extend from the heat sink member, and a metallurgical bond exists between the tube and heat sink member in the heat transfer region of the tube. The alloy layer formed during casting of the heat sink member by the first metal and second metal reacting peritectically, and with the thickness of the alloy layer minimized during casting of the heat sink member to enhance the heat transfer characteristic of the metallurgical bond.

Claims

1. A cold plate apparatus for facilitating cooling of a heat generating electronics component, the cold plate apparatus comprising:

a tube comprising a first metal, the tube having a first end and a second end with a heat transfer region disposed therebetween;

a casted heat sink member comprising a second metal surrounding the heat transfer region of a tube, with the first end and the second end of the tube extending from the casted heat sink member, wherein a metallurgical bond exists between the tube and the heat sink member in the heat transfer region of the tube; and

an alloy layer between the tube and the casted heat sink member in the heat transfer region of the tube, the alloy layer having been formed during casting of the heat sink member by the first metal of the tube and the second metal of the heat sink member reacting peritectically, wherein the thickness of the alloy layer was minimized during casting of the heat sink member to enhance a heat transfer characteristic of the metallurgical bond between the tube and the heat sink member in the heat transfer region of the tube.

2. The cold plate apparatus of claim 1, wherein the tube comprises a tube structure with a coating over an outer surface thereof, the coating comprising the first metal, and wherein the tube structure comprises a third metal, which if exposed to the second metal in molten form would react eutectically therewith, the first metal of the coating isolating the third metal from the molten second metal in the heat transfer region of the tube during casting of the heat sink member.

3. The cold plate apparatus of claim 2, wherein the first metal comprises one of niobium, chromium, hafnium, tantalum, zirconium, titanium and tungsten, the second metal comprises aluminum, and the third metal comprises one of copper, cobalt, iron, lithium, magnesium and nickel.

4. The cold plate apparatus of claim 2, wherein the first metal coating has a thickness in the range of 0.02 to 0.2 mm.

5. The cold plate apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first metal comprises one of niobium, chromium, hafnium, tantalum, zirconium, titanium and tungsten, and the second metal comprises aluminum.

6. The cold plate apparatus of claim 1, wherein the tube has a sinusoidal shape in the heat transfer region thereof.

7. The cold plate apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one surface of the casted heat sink member is configured to mate to at least one surface of the heat generating electronics component, the at least one surface of the heat sink member being polished to facilitate coupling thereof to the at least one surface of the heat generating electronics component.

8. A fluid-cooled electronics apparatus, comprising:

a heat generating electronics component;

a cold plate apparatus with a surface thereof coupled to a surface of the heat generating electronics component for facilitating removing heat from the heat generating electronics component, the cold plate apparatus comprising;

a tube comprising a first metal, the tube having a first end and a second end with a heat transfer region disposed therebetween;

a casted heat sink member comprising a second metal surrounding the heat transfer region of a tube, with the first end and the second end of the tube extending from the casted heat sink member, wherein a metallurgical bond exists between the tube and the heat sink member in the heat transfer region of the tube; and

an alloy layer between the tube and the casted heat sink member in the heat transfer region of the tube, the alloy layer having been formed during casting of the heat sink member by the first metal of the tube and the second metal of the heat sink member reacting peritectically, wherein the thickness of the alloy layer was minimized during casting of the heat sink member to enhance a heat transfer characteristic of the metallurgical bond between the tube and the heat sink member in the heat transfer region of the tube.

9. The fluid-cooled electronics apparatus of claim 8, wherein the tube comprises a tube structure with a coating over an outer surface thereof, the coating comprising the first metal, and wherein the tube structure comprises a third metal, which if exposed to the second metal in molten form would react eutectically therewith, the first metal of the coating having isolated the third metal from the molten second metal in the heat transfer region of the tube during casting of the heat sink member.

10. The fluid-cooled electronics apparatus of claim 9, wherein the first metal comprises one of niobium, chromium, hafnium, tantalum, zirconium, titanium and tungsten, the second metal comprises aluminum, and the third metal comprises one of copper, cobalt, iron, lithium, magnesium and nickel.

11. The fluid-cooled electronics apparatus of claim 9, wherein the coating on the outer surface of the tube structure has a thickness in the range of 0.02 to 0.2 mm.

12. The fluid-cooled electronics apparatus of claim 8, wherein the first metal comprises one of niobium, chromium, hafnium, tantalum, zirconium, titanium and tungsten, and the second metal comprises aluminum.