System and method of boiling heat transfer using self-induced coolant transport and impingements

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9383145-B2
Application number	US-20864108-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 11, 2008
Priority date	Nov 30, 2005
Publication date	Jul 5, 2016
Grant date	Jul 5, 2016

Abstract

According to one embodiment of the invention, a cooling system for a heat-generating structure comprises a chamber and structure disposed within the chamber. The chamber has an inlet and an outlet. The inlet receives fluid coolant into the chamber substantially in the form of a liquid. The outlet dispenses the fluid coolant out of the chamber at least partially in the form of a vapor. The structure disposed within the chamber receive thermal energy from the heat generating structure and transfers at least a portion of the thermal energy to the fluid coolant. The thermal energy from the heat-generating structure causes at least a portion of the fluid coolant substantially in the form of a liquid to boil and effuse vapor upon contact with a portion of the structure. The effusion of vapor creates a self-induced flow in the chamber. The self-induced flow distributes non-vaporized fluid coolant substantially in the form of a liquid to other portions of the structure.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for cooling a heat-generating structure, the method comprising:
transferring thermal energy from the heat-generating structure to a pin fin structure disposed in a chamber, wherein pin fins of the pin fin structure are arranged in a pattern with a first portion of the pin fins having a first shape and a second portion of the pin fins having a second shape, the second portion of the pin fins arranged along two sides of the pattern and in a row within the pattern;
introducing a fluid coolant into the chamber;
exposing the fluid coolant to at least a portion of the pin fin structure disposed in the chamber, thereby causing a portion of the fluid coolant substantially in liquid form to boil and effuse vapor during a transfer of the thermal energy from the at least the portion of the pin fin structure to the fluid coolant, the effused vapor creating a self-induced flow in the chamber;
distributing the fluid coolant substantially in the liquid form to other portions of the pin fin structure using the self-induced flow; and
transferring at least a portion of the thermal energy from the other portions of the pin fin structure to the distributed fluid coolant.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the self-induced flow is chaotic.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the pin fins include upstream pin fins and downstream pin fins;
the fluid coolant is exposed to the upstream pin fins; and
the self-induced flow distributes the fluid coolant to the downstream pin fins.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the fluid coolant is distributed to the downstream pin fins by a spraying effect energized by the effused vapor.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein the effused vapor creates a jet impingement of the fluid coolant upon at least a portion of the pin fins.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the self-induced flow includes globs of the fluid coolant substantially in the liquid form thrown against the other portions of the pin fin structure.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
creating a maximum temperature differential between different portions of the pin fin structure disposed in the chamber to less than two degrees Celsius.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein a flow of the fluid coolant into the chamber is gravity fed.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
operating the chamber and the pin fin structure as a thermal siphon.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
reducing a pressure of the fluid coolant to a subambient pressure such that the fluid coolant has a boiling temperature less than a temperature of the heat-generating structure.

11. A method for cooling a heat-generating structure, the method comprising:
transferring thermal energy from the heat-generating structure to a plurality of pin fins disposed in a chamber, the plurality of pin fins including upstream pin fins and downstream pin fins, the pin fins arranged in a pattern with a first portion of the pin fins having a first shape and a second portion of the pin fins having a second shape, the second portion of the pin fins arranged along two sides of the pattern and in a row within the pattern;
introducing a fluid coolant into the chamber;
exposing the fluid coolant to the upstream pin fins disposed in the chamber, thereby causing a portion of the fluid coolant substantially in liquid form to boil and effuse vapor during a transfer of the thermal energy from the upstream pin fins to the fluid coolant, the effused vapor creating a self-induced flow in the chamber and creating a jet impingement of fluid coolant upon at least a portion of the plurality of pin fins;
distributing the fluid coolant substantially in the liquid form to the downstream pin fins through a spraying effect energized by the self-induced flow; and
transferring at least a portion of the thermal energy from the downstream fins to the sprayed fluid coolant.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
creating a maximum temperature differential between the plurality of pin fins disposed in the chamber to less than two degrees Celsius.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein a flow of the fluid coolant into the chamber is gravity fed.

14. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
operating the chamber and the pin fins as a thermal siphon.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the self-induced flow is chaotic.

16. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
reducing a pressure of the fluid coolant to a subambient pressure such that the fluid coolant has a boiling temperature less than a temperature of the heat-generating structure.

17. The method of claim 11 , wherein the chamber comprises a chamber in a coldplate.

18. The method of claim 11 , wherein the pin fins are made of nickel plated copper and vary in size from 0.04 inches high to 0.1675 inches high.

19. The method of claim 1 , wherein the pin fins are made of nickel plated copper and vary in size from 0.04 inches high to 0.1675 inches high.

Assignees

• Weber Richard M
• Rummel Kerrin A
• Payton Albert P
• Raytheon Co

Inventors

• Weber Richard M
• Rummel Kerrin A
• Payton Albert P

Classifications

• H10W40/475

  using jet impingement (H10W40/776 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H10W40/228

  the projecting parts being wire-shaped or pin-shaped · CPC title

• H10W40/73

  for cooling by change of state · CPC title

• F28F3/12

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

• F28F3/022

  the means being wires or pins · CPC title