Liquid cooled electronic modules and methods for replacing the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9277683-B2
Application number	US-201314031097-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 19, 2013
Priority date	Sep 19, 2013
Publication date	Mar 1, 2016
Grant date	Mar 1, 2016

Abstract

Embodiments include a liquid cooled electronic device including a compartment configured to enclose an electronic module therein. The compartment includes a stationary cooling plate disposed on an interior portion of the compartment, the stationary cooling plate comprising a liquid cooling system configured to remove heat from the stationary cooling plate and a plurality of electrical connectors configured to connect to the electronic module. The electronic module includes a mobile cooling plate configured to intimately fit with the stationary cooling plate when the plurality of electrical connectors are connected to the electronic device module. The heat generated by the electronic module is removed by the mobile cooling plate and the stationary cooling plate.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A liquid cooled electronic device comprising:
a compartment configured to enclose an electronic module therein, the compartment comprising:
a stationary cooling plate disposed on an interior portion of the compartment, the stationary cooling plate comprising a liquid cooling system configured to remove heat from the stationary cooling plate; and
a plurality of electrical connectors configured to connect to the electronic module;
wherein the electronic module comprises:
a mobile cooling plate configured to intimately fit with the stationary cooling plate when the plurality of electrical connectors are connected to the electronic device module;

wherein the heat generated by the electronic module is removed by the mobile cooling plate and the stationary cooling plate,
wherein the stationary cooling plate comprises a first plurality of ridges and grooves with an equidistant distribution,
wherein the mobile cooling plate of the electronic module comprises a second plurality of ridges and grooves with an equidistant distribution,
wherein the stationary cooling plate comprises a plurality of channels for circulating a cooling fluid of the liquid cooling system, and
wherein each of the plurality of channels are disposed adjacent to one or more of the second plurality of ridges and grooves when the plurality of electrical connectors are connected to the electronic module.

2. The liquid cooled electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the electronic module includes a heat conducting element configured to spread heat generated by electrical components of the electronic module across the mobile cooling plate.

3. The liquid cooled electronic device of claim 1 , wherein thermal grease is disposed between the mobile cooling plate of the electronic module and the stationary cooling plate.

4. The liquid cooled electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the geometry of the mobile cooling plate and of the stationary cooling plate is based on a desired heat transfer rate from the electronic device module.

5. The liquid cooled electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of electrical connectors are connectable without hand tools.

6. The liquid cooled electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising a moveable guide configured to guide the electronic device module into or out of electrical contact with the plurality of electrical connectors.

7. A method of replacing an electronic device module disposed in a compartment of a liquid cooled electronic device, comprising:
moving a first electronic module to electrically disconnect the first electronic module from a plurality of electrical connectors and to separate a mobile cooling plate of the first electronic module from a stationary cooling plate affixed to the compartment;
removing the first electronic module from the compartment;
inserting a second electronic module in the compartment; and
moving the second electronic device module to electrically connect the second electronic module to the plurality of electrical connectors and to bring a mobile cooling plate of the second electronic device into intimate contact with the stationary cooling plate affixed to the compartment,
wherein the stationary cooling plate comprises a plurality of channels for circulating a cooling fluid of a liquid cooling system,
wherein the stationary cooling plate comprises a first plurality of ridges and grooves,
wherein a surface of the mobile cooling plate of the second electronic device module comprises a second plurality of ridges and grooves,
wherein each of the plurality of channels are disposed adjacent to one or more of the second plurality of ridges and grooves when the plurality of electrical connectors are connected to the second electronic device module.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mobile cooling plate of the first electronic module is configured to intimately fit with the stationary cooling plate when the plurality of electrical connectors are connected to the first electronic device module.

9. The method of claim 4 , wherein the first electronic module includes a heat conducting element configured to spread heat generated by electrical components of the first electronic module across the mobile cooling plate.

10. The method of claim 4 , wherein thermal grease is disposed between the mobile cooling plate of the first electronic device module and the stationary cooling plate.

11. The method of claim 4 , wherein a surface of the mobile cooling plate of the first electronic device module comprises a plurality of ridges.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mobile cooling plate of the second electronic module is configured to intimately fit with the stationary cooling plate when the plurality of electrical connectors are connected to the second electronic device module.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second electronic module includes a heat conducting element configured to spread heat generated by electrical components of the second electronic device module across the mobile cooling plate.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein thermal grease is disposed between the mobile cooling plate of the second electronic device module and the stationary cooling plate.

15. The method of claim 4 , wherein the mobile and stationary cooling plates slope down at a small angle away from the electrical connectors, so when the second electronic module is installed the mobile cooling plate of the second electronic module slides up onto the stationary cooling plate as the electrical connectors are engaging, thereby causing the weight of the second electronic module to press the mobile cooling plate onto the stationary cooling plate to improve the heat transfer.

Assignees

• Ionescu Bogdan
• Hammond Peter Willard
• Siemens Ag

Inventors

• Ionescu Bogdan
• Hammond Peter Willard

Classifications

• H05K7/20927 Primary

  Liquid coolant without phase change · CPC title

• Y10T29/49117

  Conductor or circuit manufacturing · CPC title