Laser cooling system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11025034-B2
Application number	US-201715688762-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 28, 2017
Priority date	Aug 31, 2016
Publication date	Jun 1, 2021
Grant date	Jun 1, 2021

Abstract

A laser cooling system includes a first tubing, a second tubing, and a cold plate assembly including a first channel to receive the first tubing and a second channel to receive the second tubing. A joint removably couples the first tubing to the second tubing and at least one component mounted on the cold plate assembly over the first tubing or the second tubing. The inlet end of the first tubing receives a cooling fluid and an outlet end of the second tubing discharges the cooling fluid after the cooling fluid flows through the first tubing, the joint, and the second tubing to maintain uniform a temperature of the at least one component mounted on the cold plate assembly.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system to remove heat generated by first and second components, from the second and first components, during operation of the first and second components, the system comprising:
a cold plate assembly having a front, a back, and sides, the cold plate assembly further including:
a first plate having a front, a back, and sides, the front of the first plate including a first channel boustrophedonically formed thereon, the first channel including a channel inlet end and a channel outlet end located at a same side of the sides of the first plate; and
a second plate attached to the first plate, the second plate having a front, a back, and sides, the front of the second plate including a second channel boustrophedonically formed thereon, the second channel including a channel inlet end and a channel outlet end located at a same side of the sides of the second plate;
wherein the back of the second plate is attached to the back of the first plate;

a first tubing received by the front of the first plate, in the first channel, the first tubing having an inlet end and an outlet end located at a same side of the sides of the cold plate assembly, wherein a top of the first tubing and the front of the first plate are located in a first plane;
a second different tubing received by the front of the second plate, in the second channel, the second tubing having an inlet end and an outlet end located at the side of the sides of the cold plate assembly, wherein a top of the second tubing and the front of the second plate are located in a second plane;
a joint to couple the outlet end of the first tubing to the inlet end of the second tubing;
the first components mounted on the front of the first plate over the first tubing, wherein a bottom of the first components are located in the first plane; and
the second components mounted on the front of the second plate over the second tubing, wherein a bottom of the second components are located in the second plane.

2. The system of claim 1 ,
wherein the first components or the second components include a pump diode or a laser diode driver.

3. The system of claim 1 ,
wherein the joint is u-shaped; and
wherein the joint includes rubber or plastic.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first channel comprises a single continuous channel, and wherein the second channel comprises a single continuous channel.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the second channel offsets the first channel.

6. The system of claim 5 ,
wherein the backs of the plates are thermally coupled to provide thermal crosstalk between the first plate and the second plate via thermal conduction.

7. The system of claim 5 ,
wherein the first tubing is pressed into the first channel; and
wherein the second tubing is pressed into the second channel.

8. A cooling system to remove heat generated by at least one component, from the at least one component during operation of the at least one component, the cooling system comprising:
a cold plate assembly including a front, a back, and sides, the front having a first channel and the back having a second channel, the first channel including a channel inlet end and a channel outlet end located at a same side of the sides of the cold plate assembly, the second channel including a channel inlet end and a channel outlet end located at the side of the sides of the cold plate assembly;
a first tubing received by the front of the cold plate assembly, in the first channel wherein a top of the first tubing and the front of the cold plate assembly are located in a first plane;
a second different tubing received by the back of the cold plate assembly, in the second channel, wherein a top of the second tubing and the back of the cold plate assembly are located in a second plane;
a joint to removably couple an outlet end of the first tubing to an inlet end of the second tubing, wherein the outlet end of the first tubing and the inlet end of the second tubing are located at the side of the sides of the cold plate assembly; and
the at least one component mounted on the front or the back of the cold plate assembly over the first tubing or the second tubing, respectively, wherein a bottom of the at least one component is located in the first plane or the second plane, respectively;
wherein an inlet end of the first tubing receives a cooling fluid; and
wherein an outlet end of the second tubing discharges the cooling fluid after the cooling fluid flows through the first tubing, the joint, and the second tubing to maintain uniform a temperature of the at least one component mounted on the cold plate assembly.

9. The cooling system of claim 8 , wherein the first channel comprises a single continuous channel with straight portions connected by curved portions, wherein the second channel comprises a single continuous channel with straight portions connected by curved portions.

10. The cooling system of claim 8 ,
wherein the first tubing is pressed into the first channel; and
wherein the second tubing is pressed into the second channel.

11. The cooling system of claim 8 ,
wherein the cold plate assembly includes a first plate and a second plate, and wherein the front of the cold plate assembly comprises a front of the first plate and the back of the cold plate assembly comprises a front of the second plate, wherein a back of the first plate is attached to a back of the second plate;
wherein the front of the first plate has the first channel boustrophedonically formed thereon, and wherein the first tubing is received by the front of the first plate, in the first channel; and
wherein the front of the second plate has the second channel boustrophedonically formed thereon, and wherein the second tubing is received by the front of the second plate, in the second channel.

12. The cooling system of claim 11 ,
wherein the first plate or the second plate includes aluminum.

13. A cooling system to remove heat generated by at least one component, from the at least one component during operation of the at least one component, the cooling system comprising:
a cold plate assembly having a front with a first planar surface, a back with a second planar surface, and sides;
a channel formed on the front of the cold plate assembly, the channel including a channel inlet end and a channel outlet end located at a same side of the sides of the cold plate assembly; and
a tubing having an inlet end and an outlet end located at the side of the sides of the cold plate assembly, the tubing having a planar side, the tubing disposed in the channel to expose the planar side;
the tubing received by the front of the cold plate assembly, in the channel, wherein the first planar surface of the front of the cold plate assembly is defined, at least in part, by the exposed planar side of the tubing;
wherein the at least one component is directly mounted to the first planar surface.

14. The cooling system of claim 13 , wherein the channel comprises a single continuous channel with straight portions connected by curved portions.

15. The cooling system of claim 13 , wherein the at least one component is directly mounted to the first planar surface over the exposed planar side of the tubing.

16. The cooling system of claim 13 , wherein the channel comprises a first channel and the tubing comprises a first tubing, and the cooling system further comprises:
a second channel formed on the back of the cold plate assembly, the second channel including a channel inlet end and a channel outlet end located at the side of the sides of the cold plate assembly; and
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Assignees

• Nlight Inc

Inventors

• Hodges Aaron Ludwig
• Stephens Rodney Mark

Classifications

• H10W40/47

  by flowing liquids, e.g. forced water cooling · CPC title

• F28F3/12 Primary

  Elements constructed in the shape of a hollow panel, e.g. with channels {(F28D1/02, F28D1/03 take precedence)} · CPC title

• H01S5/02438

  Characterized by cooling of elements other than the laser chip, e.g. an optical element being part of an external cavity or a collimating lens · CPC title

• F28D15/0275

  Arrangements for coupling heat-pipes together or with other structures, e.g. with base blocks; Heat pipe cores · CPC title

• F28F1/22

  the means having portions engaging further tubular elements · CPC title