FLUID HEAT EXCHANGE SYSTEMS

• US 20140158326A1
• Filed: 02/18/2014
• Published: 06/12/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CoolIT Systems Inc.
• Original Assignee: CoolIT Systems Inc.
• Inventors: Lyon, Geoff Sean
• Granted Patent: US 9,057,567 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 165/104.31
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 15/00 Heat-exchange apparatus with the intermediate heat-transfer medium in closed tubes passing into or through the conduit walls ; Heat-exchange apparatus employing intermediate heat-transfer medium or bodies F28D17/00, F28D19/00, F28D20/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 3/048 in the form of ribs integral with the element or local variations in thickness of the element, e.g. grooves, microchannels
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 3/12 Elements constructed in the shape of a hollow panel, e.g. with channels F28D1/02, F28D1/03 take 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

Abstract

A fluid heat exchanger includes: a heat spreader plate including an intended heat generating component contact region; a plurality of microchannels for directing heat transfer fluid over the heat spreader plate, the plurality of microchannels each having a first end and an opposite end and each of the plurality of microchannels extending substantially parallel with each other microchannel and each of the plurality of microchannels having a continuous channel flow path between their first end and their opposite end; a fluid inlet opening for the plurality of microchannels and positioned between the microchannel first and opposite ends, a first fluid outlet opening from the plurality of microchannels at each of the microchannel first ends; and an opposite fluid outlet opening from the plurality of microchannels at each of the microchannel opposite ends, the fluid inlet opening and the first and opposite fluid outlet openings providing that any flow of heat transfer fluid that passes into the plurality of microchannels, flows along the full length of each of the plurality of microchannels in two directions outwardly from the fluid inlet opening. A method of cooling a heat generating component uses a fluid heat exchanger that splits a mass flow of coolant.

Claims

1-48. -48. (canceled)

49. A heat exchange system comprising:

a heat sink having a plurality of juxtaposed fins defining a corresponding plurality of microchannels between adjacent fins, wherein the heat sink defines a recessed groove extending transversely relative to the fins;

a manifold body at least partially defining an opening generally overlying the groove.

50. The heat exchange system of claim 49, wherein the manifold body and the groove together define a portion of an inlet manifold configured to hydraulically couple in parallel each of the microchannels to at least one other of the microchannels.

51. The heat exchange system of claim 49, wherein the heat sink comprises a heat spreader, each of the fins extends from the heat spreader and defines a corresponding distal edge spaced from the heat spreader, and the groove is recessed from the respective plurality of distal edges.

52. The heat exchange system of claim 51, wherein each of the respective distal edges defines a corresponding recessed portion, thereby defining the recessed groove.

53. The heat exchange system of claim 49, wherein a cross-sectional profile of the recessed groove comprises a selected one or more of the group consisting of a v-shaped notch, a semi-circle, a parabola, a hyperbola, and a notch having at least one substantially straight edge.

54. The heat exchange system of claim 49, wherein the opening in the manifold body has a recessed region and an aperture extending from the recessed region through the manifold body.

55. The heat exchange system of claim 54, wherein the recessed region in the manifold body is a tapered recessed region having at least one cross-sectional dimension that diminishes with increasing depth of the recessed region.

56. The heat exchange system of claim 50, wherein the inlet manifold is configured to deliver a flow of a fluid to each of the microchannels in an orthogonal direction relative to a longitudinal axis of the respective microchannels.

57. The heat exchange system of claim 49, wherein each of the fins in the plurality of fins defines a corresponding beveled distal edge.

58. The heat exchange system of claim 50, further comprising a body defining at least a portion of an inlet plenum, wherein the inlet plenum and the inlet manifold are together configured to deliver a fluid flow to in a direction generally transverse to the fins.

59. The heat exchange system of claim 58, wherein the body comprises a unitary body defining a first side, wherein the portion of the inlet plenum is recessed from the first side, wherein the unitary body defines a second side positioned opposite the first side and a recess from the second side defines a pump volute, wherein the portion of the inlet plenum is positioned adjacent the pump volute.

60. The heat exchange system of claim 59, wherein the recess defining the pump volute has a substantially cylindrically-shaped portion having a longitudinal axis extending substantially perpendicularly to the second side, and wherein the body defines an opening extending generally tangentially of the cylindrically-shaped recess.

61. The heat exchange system of claim 59, wherein the unitary body defines a second recessed region positioned laterally outward of the portion of the inlet plenum and a wall at least partially separating the second recessed region from the inlet manifold, wherein the manifold body matingly engages the unitary body and a portion of the second recessed region at least partially defines an exhaust manifold generally overlying a respective portion of each of the microchannels at a position spaced from the inlet manifold.

71. The heat exchange system of claim 49, further comprising a unitary construct comprising a first side, a second side positioned opposite the first side, and a substantially continuous perimeter wall extending between the first side and the second side, and a floor generally separating the first side from the second side, wherein the first side defines a substantially cylindrically-shaped recess having an opening positioned tangentially thereto and the second side defines a recess having a region positioned radially outward of the substantially cylindrically-shaped recess defined by the first side, wherein the unitary construct further defines an aperture extending between the substantially cylindrically-shaped recess and the portion of the recess from the second side positioned radially outward of the substantially cylindrically-shaped recess.

72. The heat exchange system of claim of claim 71, wherein the recessed region is in fluid communication through the manifold body with the groove.

73. The heat exchange system of claim 71, wherein the construct comprises a housing, the substantially cylindrically-shaped recess comprises a pump volute, and the recess from the second side comprises a plenum.

62. A heat exchange system comprising:

a heat sink having a plurality of juxtaposed fins defining a corresponding plurality of microchannels between adjacent fins, wherein each of the fins defines a respective beveled distal edge; and

a manifold body overlying at least a portion of each of the beveled distal edges and defining an opening configured to deliver a flow of fluid to the microchannels in a direction transverse to the microchannels.

63. The heat exchange system of claim 62, wherein the heat sink comprises a heat spreader, each of the fins extends from the heat spreader and each corresponding beveled distal edge is spaced from the heat spreader.

64. The heat exchange system of claim 63, wherein a distance between a respective beveled distal edge and the heat spreader defines a height of the respective fin, wherein each respective fin defines a first end and a second end and extends longitudinally in a spanwise direction relative to the heat spreader between the first end and the second end, wherein the fin height of one or more of the plurality of fins varies along the spanwise direction.

65. The heat exchange system of claim 64, wherein the manifold body comprises a compliant portion urging against at least a portion of each of the distal edges.

66. The heat exchange system of claim 65, wherein the variation in fin height along the spanwise direction defines a non-linear contour of the respective distal edge, wherein the compliant portion of the manifold body generally conforms to the non-linear contour.

67. The heat exchange system of claim 62, wherein a recessed groove extends transversely relative to the fins and the opening generally overlies the groove.

68. The heat exchange system of claim 67, wherein each of the respective distal edges defines a corresponding recessed portion, thereby defining the recessed groove.

69. The heat exchange system of claim 62, further comprising a unitary body having a first side and a second side opposite the first side, wherein the body defines a portion of an inlet plenum being recessed from the first side and a portion of an inlet manifold being recessed from the first side, wherein the body further defines a pump volute recessed from the second side, wherein the portion of the inlet plenum is positioned adjacent the pump volute.

70. The heat exchange system of claim 69, wherein the recess defining the pump volute is a substantially cylindrically-shaped recess having a longitudinal axis extending substantially perpendicularly to the second side, and a wherein the body defines an opening extending generally tangentially of the cylindrically-shaped recess and hydraulically coupling the pump volute to the portion of the inlet plenum recessed from the first side.

74. A fluid heat exchanger comprising:

a heat spreader plate defining an upper surface;

a plurality of fins extending from respective proximal ends positioned adjacent the upper surface of the heat spreader plate to respective distal ends positioned distally from the upper surface of the heat transfer plate, wherein the plurality of fins defines a corresponding plurality of microchannels configured to direct a heat transfer fluid over the heat spreader plate, wherein each microchannel in the plurality of microchannels has a first end and an opposite end, wherein each microchannel in the plurality of microchannels extends substantially parallel with each other microchannel in the plurality of microchannels and has a continuous channel flow path between its respective first end and its respective opposite end;

a plate positioned over the distal ends of the plurality of fins and the corresponding plurality of microchannels to close off the plurality of microchannels adjacent the distal ends of the plurality of fins, wherein the plate positioned over the plurality of distal fin ends defines an elongate fluid inlet opening overlying and extending transversely relative to the plurality of microchannels between the plurality of microchannel first ends and opposite ends, wherein the plate is so positioned over the plurality of fins as to define a first fluid outlet opening from each microchannel in the plurality of microchannels at each of the microchannel first ends and an opposite fluid outlet opening from each microchannel in the plurality of microchannels at each of the microchannel opposite ends;

a housing spaced from the plate positioned over the plurality of distal fin ends; and

a seal extending between the housing and the plate positioned over the plurality of distal fin ends, wherein the housing has an inlet passage and an outlet passage, wherein the elongate fluid inlet opening defined by the plate has a proximal end and a distal end and extends therebetween, wherein the inlet passage of the housing is positioned adjacent the proximal end of fluid inlet opening defined by the plate and wherein the seal separates the fluid inlet passage of the housing from the fluid outlet passage of the housing such that the heat transfer fluid is directed from the inlet passage of the housing through the fluid inlet opening defined by the plate.

75. A fluid heat exchanger according to claim 74 wherein the elongate fluid inlet opening is positioned in the middle 50% of a length measured between the microchannel first ends and the microchannel opposite ends.

76. A fluid heat exchanger according to claim 74 wherein the elongate fluid inlet opening is positioned in the middle 20% of a length measured between the microchannel first ends and the microchannel opposite ends.

77. A fluid heat exchanger comprising:

a plurality of juxtaposed fins defining a corresponding plurality of juxtaposed microchannels, wherein each microchannel extends between a first end and a second end;

a plate positioned over the juxtaposed fins and the corresponding plurality of juxtaposed microchannels, wherein the plate defines an elongate inlet aperture extending transversely relative to each of the plurality of juxtaposed microchannels, wherein the elongate inlet aperture is positioned between the first ends and the second ends of the plurality of juxtaposed microchannels;

a housing spaced apart from the plate, wherein the housing has an inlet passage and an outlet passage, and wherein the transversely extending, elongate inlet aperture extends away from the inlet passage of the housing in a transverse direction relative to the plurality of juxtaposed fins; and

a seal extending between the plate and the housing such that a flow of fluid from the inlet passage of the housing must pass through the elongate inlet aperture of the plate and into the plurality of juxtaposed microchannels before the flow of the fluid passes through the outlet passage of the housing.