Heat exchangers for dual-sided cooling

The A heat exchanger for cooling a plurality of heat-generating components, each having a first surface and a second surface, wherein the first and second surfaces of each said heat-generating component are substantially flat and planar, and wherein the heat-generating components are arranged in spaced, parallel relation to one another, with spaces being provided between adjacent pairs of said heat-generating components;

• the heat exchanger comprising at least three flat, fluid-carrying panels, including a first end panel, a second end panel, and at least one middle panel, wherein each said fluid-carrying panel has a first surface, an opposed second surface, and an inlet opening, an outlet opening, and a fluid-flow passageway in flow communication with the inlet and outlet openings;
• wherein each of the at least one middle panels is adapted to be at least partially received in one of said spaces with its first surface in thermal contact with the first or second surface of one said heat-generating component, and with its second surface in thermal contact with the first or second surface of another said heat-generating component;
• wherein each of the first end panel and the second end panel is adapted to be in thermal contact with the first or second surface of an endmost one of said heat-generating components;
• wherein each of the fluid-carrying panels has an inlet fitting and an outlet fitting, and wherein the inlet manifold and the outlet manifold are both provided in a manifold structure, comprising:
• a first portion including a plurality of apertures adapted to sealingly receive ends of the inlet and outlet fittings of the fluid-carrying panels, the first portion comprising one or more plates;
• a second portion including the inlet and outlet manifolds, an inlet port in flow communication with the inlet manifold, an outlet port in flow communication with the outlet manifold, and holes providing communication between the manifolds and the apertures in the top portion, the second portion comprising one or more plates;
• wherein the first and second portions are sealingly joined together to form the manifold structure.

A heat exchanger assembly, comprising:

• (a) a plurality of heat-generating components, each having a first surface and a second surface, wherein the first and second surfaces are substantially flat and planar, and wherein the heat-generating components are arranged in spaced, parallel relation to one another, with spaces being provided between adjacent pairs of said heat-generating components;
• and
• (b) a heat exchanger for cooling said plurality of heat-generating components;
• the heat exchanger comprising at least three flat, fluid-carrying panels, including a first end panel, a second end panel, and at least one middle panel, wherein each said fluid-carrying panel has a first surface, an opposed second surface, and an inlet opening, an outlet opening, and a fluid-flow passageway in flow communication with the inlet and outlet openings;
• wherein each of the at least one middle panels is at least partially received in one of said spaces with its first surface in thermal contact with the first or second surface of one said heat-generating component, and with its second surface in thermal contact with the first or second surface of another said heat-generating component;
• wherein each of the first end panel and the second end panel has its first or second surface in thermal contact with the first or second surface of an endmost one of said heat-generating components;
• wherein each of the heat-generating components has greater cooling requirements along its first surface than along its second surface;
• wherein the first surface of each of the middle panels is in thermal contact with the first surface of one of the electronic components;
• and
• wherein the second surface of the each of the middle panels is in thermal contact with the second surface of one of the electronic components.