Thermal transfer device having a fluid conduit

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11644254-B2
Application number	US-202117176454-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 16, 2021
Priority date	Sep 4, 2018
Publication date	May 9, 2023
Grant date	May 9, 2023

Abstract

A thermal transfer device has a body and a fluid conduit defined in the body. The body has a thermal transfer surface configured to be placed in contact with a target component. The fluid conduit is configured for conveying fluid through the body and is thermally coupled to the thermal transfer surface.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A thermal transfer device for a heat-generating electronic component, comprising:
a body having a thermal transfer surface configured to be placed in contact with the heat-generating electronic component;
a fluid conduit defined in the body and configured for conveying fluid through the body, the fluid conduit being thermally coupled to the thermal transfer surface, the fluid conduit having an inlet and an outlet, wherein:
the fluid conduit forms a serpentine path;
at a first junction, the fluid conduit branches into at least two channels extending generally parallel to one another along the serpentine path formed by the fluid conduit;
each of the at least two channels defines a sinusoidal pattern along at least a majority of a span thereof;
the at least two channels merge at a second junctions;
at a third junction between the second junction and the outlet, the fluid conduit branches into another at least two channels;
between the second junction and the third junction the fluid conduit defines a plurality of longitudinally-extending sections that are parallel to one another and laterally spaced from one another, the fluid conduit having a single channel extending along the longitudinally-extending sections; and
the another at least two channels merge at a fourth junction.

2. The thermal transfer device of claim 1 , wherein the first junction is the inlet of the fluid conduit.

3. The thermal transfer device of claim 1 , wherein the fourth junction is the outlet of the fluid conduit.

4. The thermal transfer device of claim 1 , wherein:
the serpentine path formed by the fluid conduit defines a plurality of longitudinally-extending sections that are parallel to one another and laterally spaced from one another;
the plurality of longitudinally-extending sections includes a first longitudinally-extending section and a second longitudinally-extending section that are laterally furthest-most of the longitudinally-extending sections;
the first junction is located at the first longitudinally-extending section; and
the fourth junction is located at the second longitudinally-extending section.

5. The thermal transfer device of claim 1 , wherein a width of each of the at least two channels is constant.

6. The thermal transfer device of claim 5 , wherein the width of each of the at least two channels is between 1 mm and 4 mm inclusively.

7. The thermal transfer device of claim 1 , wherein:
the second junction is a first intermediate junction downstream from the first junction; and
the third junction is a second intermediate junction downstream from the second junction.

8. The thermal transfer device of claim 7 , wherein each of the another at least two channels defines a sinusoidal pattern along at least a majority of a span thereof.

9. The thermal transfer device of claim 1 , wherein the serpentine path of the fluid conduit extends from the inlet to the outlet.

10. The thermal transfer device of claim 1 , wherein:
the body comprises a first body portion and a second body portion affixed to the first body portion;
the fluid conduit is defined by the first and second body portions; and
a path of each of the at least two channels is defined by the first body portion.

11. The thermal transfer device of claim 10 , wherein the inlet and the outlet are defined in the second body portion.

12. The thermal transfer device of claim 10 , wherein the first and second body portions are welded to one another.

13. The thermal transfer device of claim 1 , wherein the thermal transfer device is a water block.

14. The thermal transfer device of claim 13 , wherein the water block is generally rectangular.

15. The thermal transfer device of claim 14 , wherein the inlet and the outlet are generally located at diagonally opposite corners of the rectangular water block.

Assignees

• OVH

Inventors

• Klaba Henri
• Chehade Ali
• Bauduin Hadrien
• Lyris Angelos

Classifications

• H10W40/47

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

• F28D2021/0029

  Heat sinks · CPC title

• H05K7/20254

  Cold plates transferring heat from heat source to coolant · CPC title

• F28F2250/102

  with change of flow direction · CPC title

• F28F13/12

  by creating turbulence, e.g. by stirring, by increasing the force of circulation (F28F13/08 takes precedence) · CPC title