Impingement cooling of components in an electronic system

• US 7,548,421 B2
• Filed: 10/25/2005
• Issued: 06/16/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Valtrus Innovations Limited (f/k/a Dolya Holdco 9 Limited) (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Vinson, Wade, Malone, Christopher G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Duverne; Jean F
• Application Number:
  US11/259,544
• Publication Number:
  US 20070091565A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,330 Days
• Field of Search: 361/695, 361/697
• US Class Current: 361/695
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/467 by flowing gases, e.g. air H01L23/473 takes 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 7/20145 Means for directing air flow, e.g. ducts, deflectors, plenum or guides

Abstract

A cooling apparatus adapted for impingement cooling of electronic components in an electronic system comprises an air mover, one or more heat sinks configured with multiple fins, and one or more flexible tubing segments. The flexible tubing segments are coupled to the air mover and are configured to direct airflow onto the heat sinks for impingement cooling.

Claims

1. A cooling apparatus adapted for usage in an electronic system comprising:

at least one heat sink configured with multiple fins;

a high-speed airflow air move; and

at least one flexible tubing segment with a narrow internal diameter coupled to the air mover in an arrangement that directs airflow onto the at least one heat sink, the air mover creating a sufficient high-speed airflow and the narrow internal diameter of the at least one flexible tubing segment creating a sufficiently large pressure drop for impingement cooling of the at least one heat sink wherein very thin hydrodynamic and thermal boundary layers definitive of impingement cooling are formed in an impingement region as a result of air deceleration and pressure increase and a stagnation zone of peak heat transfer is created due to high heat transfer coefficient.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein:

the air mover that creates a sufficient high-speed airflow drives air at a very high flow rate of greater than 50 cubic feet per minute (CFM) and a very high static pressure of greater than 2 inches of water.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2 wherein:

the air mover that creates a sufficient high-speed airflow has a small package size of less than approximately 250 cubic centimeters.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising:

a plurality of flexible tubules with narrow internal diameters configured in an array adjacent and directing airflow directly onto a heat sink of the at least one heat sink, the air mover creating a sufficient high-speed airflow and the narrow internal diameters of the flexible tubules creating a sufficiently large pressure drop for impingement cooling of the at least one heat sink wherein very thin hydrodynamic and thermal boundary layers definitive of impingement cooling are formed in an impingement region as a result of air deceleration and pressure increase and a stagnation zone of peak heat transfer is created due to high heat transfer coefficient.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising:

a plenum space adjacent a heat sink of the at least one heat sink; and

a tubing segment of the at least one flexible tubing segments feeding the plenum space in an arrangement that spreads airflow across the heat sink.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising:

multiple fins coupled to ones of the at least one heat sink, the fins being selected from among a group consisting of plate fins, circular pin fins, square pin fins, elliptical pin fins, hexagonal pin fins, polygonal pin fins, foil fins, stampings fins, wire fins, louvers, metal foams, and sheets, and the fins can be arranged in a configuration consisting of parallel, staggered, in-line, and other geometrical shapes.

7. An electronic system comprising:

a chassis;

at least one electronic component distributed in the chassis; and

a cooling apparatus adapted for usage in the electronic system comprising;

at least one heat sink configured with multiple fins and associated with selected ones of the at least one electronic components;

a high-speed airflow air mover; and

at least one flexible tubing segment with a narrow internal diameter coupled to the air mover in an arrangement that directs airflow onto the at least one heat sink, the air mover creating a sufficient high-speed airflow and the narrow internal diameter of the at least one flexible tubing segment creating a sufficiently large pressure drop for impingement cooling of the at least one heat sink wherein very thin hydrodynamic and thermal boundary layers definitive of impingement cooling are formed in an impingement region as a result of air deceleration and pressure increase and a stagnation zone of peak heat transfer is created due to high heat transfer coefficient.

8. The system according to claim 7 wherein:

the air mover that creates a sufficient high-speed airflow drives air at a very high flow rate of greater than 50 cubic feet per minute (CFM) and a very high static pressure of greater than 2 inches of water.

9. The system according to claim 8 wherein:

the air mover that creates a sufficient high-speed airflow has a small package size of less than approximately 250 cubic centimeters.

10. The system according to claim 8 wherein:

the air mover is selectively positioned inside the chassis or outside the chassis.

11. The system according to claim 7 further comprising:

a plurality of flexible tubules with narrow internal diameters configured in an array adjacent and directing airflow directly onto a heat sink of the at least one heat sink, the air mover creating a sufficient high-speed airflow and the narrow internal diameters of the flexible tubules creating a sufficiently large pressure drop for impingement cooling of the at least one heat sink wherein very thin hydrodynamic and thermal boundary layers definitive of impingement cooling are formed in an impingement region as a result of air deceleration and pressure increase and a stagnation zone of peak heat transfer is created due to high heat transfer coefficient.

12. The system according to claim 7 further comprising:

a plenum space adjacent a heat sink of the at least one heat sink; and

a tubing segment of the at least one flexible tubing segments feeding the plenum space in an arrangement that spreads airflow across the heat sink.

13. The system according to claim 7 further comprising:

multiple fins coupled to ones of the at least one heat sink, the fins being selected from among a group consisting of plate fins, circular pin fins, square pin fins, elliptical pin fins, hexagonal pin fins, polygonal pin fins, foil fins, stampings fins, wire fins, louvers, metal foams, and sheets, and the fins can be arranged in a configuration consisting of parallel, staggered, in-line, and other geometrical shapes.

14. A method of cooling an electronic system comprising:

arranging at least one heat sink in a configuration adapted to cool one or more selected electronic components in the electronic system;

attaching a high-speed air mover to the electronic system;

attaching at least one flexible tubing segment with a narrow internal diameter to the air mover, the air mover creating a sufficient high-speed airflow and the narrow internal diameter of the at least one flexible tubing segment creating a sufficiently large pressure drop for impingement cooling of the at least one heat sink wherein very thin hydrodynamic and thermal boundary layers definitive of impingement cooling are formed in an impingement region as a result of air deceleration and pressure increase and a stagnation zone of peak heat transfer is created due to high heat transfer coefficient; and

arranging the at least one tubing segment in a configuration that directs airflow onto the at least one heat sink whereby the at least one heat sink is cooled by impingement cooling.

15. The method according to claim 14 further comprising:

attaching the air mover that creates a sufficient high-speed airflow that drives air at a very high flow rate of greater than 50 cubic feet per minute (CFM) and a very high static pressure of greater than 2 inches of water.

16. The method according to claim 15 further comprising:

attaching the air mover that creates a sufficient high-speed airflow that has a small package size of less than approximately 250 cubic centimeters.

17. A method of cooling an electronic component comprising:

positioning a heat sink adjacent the electronic component; and

blowing an airflow stream onto the heat sink with a high velocity and pressure drop sufficient for impingement cooling of the electronic component wherein very thin hydrodynamic and thermal boundary layers definitive of impingement cooling are formed in an impingement region as a result of air deceleration and pressure increase and a stagnation zone of peak heat transfer is created due to high heat transfer coefficient.

18. The method according to claim 17 further comprising:

coupling a flexible tubing to the air mover and positioning the flexible tubing to extend to the heat sink for blowing onto the heat sink, the flexible tubing having a small internal diameter sufficient to create in combination with the air mover a high velocity sufficient for impingement cooling of the electronic component.

19. The method according to claim 17 further comprising:

attaching the air mover that creates a sufficient high-speed airflow that is adapted to function at a very high flow rate of greater than 50 cubic feet per minute (CFM) and a very high static pressure of greater than 2 inches of water.