Arrangement and method for cooling a support

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9326421-B2
Application number	US-201213979225-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 11, 2012
Priority date	Jan 14, 2011
Publication date	Apr 26, 2016
Grant date	Apr 26, 2016

Abstract

The invention relates to an arrangement and a method for cooling a support ( 203 ) having an electronic component, comprising a housing ( 200 ) with a base plate ( 204 ), a circumferential wall ( 220 ) surrounding the support and a cover ( 211 ) extending above the support and closing the interior space ( 230 ) of the support. The aim is to cool the support directly by a cooling fluid that flows through the base plate without having the risk of damage to the support. In order to achieve said aim, it is proposed that the interior space ( 230 ) is subjected to a pressure that is greater than the pressure which is generated by the cooling fluid and is acting upon the support (202).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A device for cooling a support having an electric or electronic component connected thereto, said device comprising a housing having:
a base plate comprising an inlet opening and an outlet opening;
wherein the base plate is in contact with the support;
a peripheral wall extending from the base plate and surrounding the support;
a cover disposed on the peripheral wall;
wherein the base plate, the peripheral wall, and the cover define a closed internal space;
a plurality of channels extending between an interstice between a lower surface of the support that faces the interstice, and an upper surface of the base plate that faces the interstice;
wherein said channels are connected to the inlet opening and the outlet opening in the base plate;
a cooling fluid disposed in the plurality of channels;
a gas disposed in the internal space;
wherein a pressure of the gas in the internal space is greater than a pressure of the cooling fluid in the plurality of channels.

2. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the channels are defined by a member selected from the group consisting of protrusions extending from the lower surface of the support, protrusions extending from the upper surface of the base plate, and protrusions extending from both the lower surface of the support and from the upper surface of the base plate.

3. The device according to claim 2 , wherein the support is supported on the base plate by the protrusions.

4. The device according to claim 2 , wherein the protrusions are in the form of a member selected from the group consisting of a strip, fin, and lamella.

5. The device according to claim 2 , further comprising a metallization on the lower surface of the support, and wherein the protrusions extending from the lower surface of the support are formed on the metallization.

6. The device according to claim 5 , wherein the support is supported on the base plate by the protrusions extending from the lower surface of the support that are formed on the metallization.

7. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the cover is transparent.

8. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the electronic component is a solar cell.

9. The device according to claim 1 , further comprising a ventilation valve connecting the internal space to outside air.

10. The device according to claim 9 , wherein the ventilation valve passes through the peripheral wall.

11. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the gas is dry or has a relative air humidity between 0% and 60%.

12. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the gas is air or nitrogen.

13. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the support is sealingly connected to the base plate.

14. A method for cooling a support having an electric or electronic component connected thereto, said method comprising,
providing a housing, said housing having:
a base plate having an inlet opening and an outlet opening;
wherein the base plate is in contact with the support;
a peripheral wall extending from the base plate and surrounding the support;
a cover disposed on the peripheral wall;
wherein the base plate, the peripheral wall, and the cover define a closed internal space;
an interstice between a lower surface of the support and an upper surface of the base plate;
providing a cooling fluid in the interstice at a pressure P 1 ; and
providing a gas in the internal space at a pressure P 2 ;
wherein P 2 ≧P 1 .

15. The method according to claim 14 , comprising providing a direct copper bonding circuit board as the support.

16. The method according to claim 14 , comprising providing a transparent cover as the cover.

17. The method according to claim 14 , wherein 0.2 bar P 1 ≦P 1 ≦1 bar above atmospheric pressure.

18. The method according to claim 14 , wherein a flow rate V of the cooling fluid is 0.3 m/sec≦V≦1 m/sec.

19. The method according to claim 14 , wherein P 2 is from 1.2 P 1 to 2 P 1 .

20. The method according to claim 14 , further comprising:
providing a metallization on the lower surface of the support; and
forming protrusions on the metallization.

21. The method according to claim 20 , wherein the protrusions are formed by a member selected form the group consisting of:
galvanization using a masking technique;
current-free coating using a masking technique;
mechanical processing of the metallization; and
securing the protrusion to the metallization using a strip-shaped metallic element.

22. The method according to claim 21 , wherein the strip-shaped metallic element is a metal band or metal wire.

23. The method according to claim 14 , further comprising providing a ventilation valve connecting the internal space of the housing to outside air.

24. The method according to claim 23 , wherein the ventilation valve passes through the peripheral wall.

Assignees

• Lockenhoff Rudiger
• Azur Space Solar Power Gmbh

Inventors

• Lockenhoff Rudiger

Classifications

• H10W90/753

  between laterally-adjacent chips · CPC title

• H10W40/47

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

• H10F77/68

  using gaseous or liquid coolants, e.g. air flow ventilation or water circulation · CPC title

• H10F77/63

  Arrangements for cooling directly associated or integrated with photovoltaic cells, e.g. heat sinks directly associated with the photovoltaic cells or integrated Peltier elements for active cooling · CPC title

• H10F77/42

  directly associated or integrated with photovoltaic cells, e.g. light-reflecting means or light-concentrating means · CPC title