System to reduce coolant use in an array of circuit boards

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11184997-B2
Application number	US-201815960127-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 23, 2018
Priority date	Apr 23, 2018
Publication date	Nov 23, 2021
Grant date	Nov 23, 2021

Abstract

Embodiments described herein may include apparatuses, systems and/or processes to encapsulate a circuit board to be cooled with a liquid coolant, that includes a first part dimensioned to receive the circuit board coupled with one or more heat sinks; a second part dimensioned to mate with the first part, and with a portion of a side of the circuit board around the one or more heat sinks to create a volume surrounding the circuit board, with a portion of the one or more heat sinks are outside the volume and is to be exposed to the liquid coolant, and a sealer to seal areas where the second part mates with the first part and the portion of the side of the circuit board, to prevent the liquid coolant from entering the volume. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus to encapsulate a circuit board to be cooled with a liquid coolant, comprising:
a first part dimensioned to receive the circuit board coupled with one or more heat sinks;
a second part dimensioned to mate with the first part, and with a portion of a side of the circuit board around the one or more heat sinks to create a volume surrounding the circuit board, wherein a portion of the one or more heat sinks are outside the volume and is to be exposed to the liquid coolant; and
a sealer to seal areas where the second part mates with the first part and the portion of the side of the circuit board, to prevent the liquid coolant from entering the volume.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first part and the second part include a rigid material to cause the first part and the second part to substantially retain its shape when submerged in the liquid coolant.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first part and the second part, when mated together, substantially form a rectangular prism.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first part and the second part are dimensioned to include a channel formed in the second part from a first side of the second part to a second side of the second part opposite the first side to accommodate a flow of the liquid coolant through the channel, and
wherein the one or more heat sinks are at least partially within the channel.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the one or more heat sinks comprise multiple heat sinks.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the circuit board is coupled to the one or more heat sinks via one or more heat pipes.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the sealer comprises an epoxy or a gasket.

8. A system to reduce coolant use, comprising:
a plurality of apparatuses to encapsulate a circuit board to be cooled with a liquid coolant, each comprising:
a first part dimensioned to receive the circuit board coupled with one or more heat sinks;
a second part dimensioned to mate with the first part, and with a portion of a side of the circuit board around the one or more heat sinks to create a volume surrounding the circuit board, wherein a portion of the one or more heat sinks are outside the volume and is to be exposed to the liquid coolant; and
a sealer to seal areas where the second part mates with the first part and the portion of the side of the circuit board, to prevent the liquid coolant from entering the volume; and
wherein a first apparatus and a second apparatus are coupled to allow the liquid coolant to contact the first apparatus and the second apparatus.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the first part and the second part include a rigid material to cause the first part and the second part to substantially retain its shape when submerged in the liquid coolant.

10. The system of claim 8 , wherein the first part and the second part, when mated together, substantially form a rectangular prism.

11. The system of claim 8 , wherein the first part and the second part are dimensioned to include a channel formed in the second part from a first side of the second part to a second side of the second part opposite the first side to accommodate a flow of the liquid coolant through the channel, and
wherein the one or more heat sinks are at least partially within the channel.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the first apparatus and the second apparatus are coupled further includes wherein the channel of the first apparatus is connected to the channel of the second apparatus to allow the liquid coolant to flow past the heat sink in the channel of the first apparatus to the heatsink in the channel of the second apparatus.

13. The system of claim 11 , wherein the first apparatus and the second apparatus are coupled further includes wherein the channel of the first apparatus and the channel of the second apparatus form a pipe in which the liquid coolant is to flow, and wherein the coolant is to flow past the one or more heat sinks in the channel of the first apparatus and the one or more heatsinks in the channel of the second apparatus.

14. The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of apparatuses are located in a cabinet.

Assignees

• Intel Corp

Inventors

• Broderick Joseph Andrew
• Faneuf Barrett M
• Mcafee Eric D
• Cevallos Juan G
• Sanchez Jaime A
• Frey Emery E

Classifications

• H05K7/20272

  Accessories for moving fluid, for expanding fluid, for connecting fluid conduits, for distributing fluid, for removing gas or for preventing leakage, e.g. pumps, tanks or manifolds · CPC title

• H05K2201/064

  Fluid cooling, e.g. by integral pipes · CPC title

• H05K1/0201

  Thermal arrangements, e.g. for cooling, heating or preventing overheating · CPC title

• H05K7/20781

  within cabinets for removing heat from server blades · CPC title

• H05K7/20809

  within server blades for removing heat from heat source · CPC title