Vapor cycle convective cooling of electronics

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9839158-B2
Application number	US-201213418461-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 13, 2012
Priority date	Mar 13, 2012
Publication date	Dec 5, 2017
Grant date	Dec 5, 2017

Abstract

A cold plate device and method for cooling electronic systems is provided including a generally flat thermally conductive body having a cooling channel within the thermally conductive body. A first cooling fluid travels through the cooling channel to remove heat from the conductive body. A vapor compression cycle system is coupled to the thermally conductive body such that the first cooling fluid removes heat from a second cooling fluid in a portion of the vapor compression cycle system.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A cold plate system comprising:
a flat thermally conductive body having an internal cooling channel integrally formed within the flat thermally conductive body through which a first cooling fluid travels to remove heat from the flat thermally conductive body; and
a vapor compression cycle system including:
a compressor located on an external surface of the flat thermally conductive body;
an evaporator in fluid communication with the compressor located on the external surface of the flat thermally conductive body;
a vapor channel through which a second cooling fluid, different than the first cooling fluid, travels between the compressor and the evaporator, the vapor channel formed within an interior of the flat thermally conductive body such the first cooling fluid is configured to remove heat directly from the second cooling fluid when the second cooling fluid is in vapor state, the vapor channel having a first channel end located at an external surface of the flat thermally conductive body and directly connected to the compressor at the external surface, and a second channel end located at the external surface and directly connected to the evaporator at the external surface; and
an expansion valve disposed within the flat thermally conductive body.

2. The cold plate system according to claim 1 , wherein the vapor cycle system is coupled to a surface of the flat thermally conductive body.

3. The cold plate system according to claim 1 , wherein the vapor channel is arranged in the interior of the thermally conductive body adjacent the cooling channel.

4. A thermal management system for electronics comprising:
a heat source;
a cold plate mechanically and thermally coupled to the heat source, the cold plate having a generally flat thermally conductive body and an internal cooling channel integrally formed within the flat thermally conductive body through which a first cooling fluid passes, the first cooling fluid being configured to remove heat from the flat thermally conductive body;
a vapor cycle system including:
a compressor located on an external surface of the cold plate;
an evaporator in fluid communication with the compressor located on the external surface of the cold plate;

a vapor channel through which a second cooling fluid, different than the first cooling fluid, travels between the compressor and the evaporator, the vapor channel is formed within an interior of the flat thermally conductive body such that the first cooling fluid is configured to remove heat directly from the second cooling fluid when the second cooling fluid is in vapor state, the vapor channel having a first channel end located at an external surface of the flat thermally conductive body and directly connected to the compressor at the external surface, and a second channel end located at the external surface and directly connected to the evaporator at the external surface; and
an expansion valve disposed within the flat thermally conductive body; and
a heat dissipation device fluidly connected to the cooling channel of the cold plate to form a cycle.

5. The thermal management system for electronics according to claim 4 , wherein the vapor cycle system is coupled to a surface of the cold plate body.

6. The thermal management system for electronics according to claim 4 , wherein the vapor cycle system includes a condenser and the vapor channel formed within the interior of the flat thermally conductive body is a portion of the condenser.

7. The thermal management system for electronics according to claim 6 , wherein the vapor channel is arranged within the interior of the flat thermally conductive body adjacent the cooling channel.

8. The thermal management system for electronics according to claim 4 , wherein the heat source is at least one electronic component.

9. The thermal management system for electronics according to claim 4 , wherein the heat dissipation device is a heat exchanger for cooling the first cooling fluid.

Assignees

• Mitchell Andre
• Hamilton Sundstrand Corp

Inventors

• Mitchell Andre

Classifications

• H05K7/20318

  Condensers · CPC title

• H05K7/20509

  Multiple-component heat spreaders; Multi-component heat-conducting support plates; Multi-component non-closed heat-conducting structures · CPC title

• F25B1/00

  Compression machines, plants or systems with non-reversible cycle (F25B3/00, F25B5/00, F25B6/00, F25B7/00, F25B9/00 take precedence) · CPC title

• H05K7/20254 Primary

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

• F25B31/006

  Cooling of compressor or motor · CPC title