Back to results
US 11,456,235 B1Granted
Micro heat transfer arrays, micro cold plates, and thermal management systems for cooling semiconductor devices, and methods for using and making such arrays, plates, and systems
AssigneeMicrofabrica Inc.
InventorsRichard T. Chen, Will J. Tan
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Embodiments of the present invention are directed to heat transfer arrays, cold plates including heat transfer arrays along with inlets and outlets, and thermal management systems including cold-plates, pumps and heat exchangers. These devices and systems may be used to provide cooling of semiconductor devices and particularly such devices that produce high heat concentrations. The heat transfer arrays may include microjets, microchannels, fins, and even integrated microjets and fins.
Claims20
A method of cooling a semiconductor device, comprising:
- (a) providing at least one heat transfer array, comprising a plurality of stacked and adhered layers comprising at least one metal wherein each of the at least one heat transfer array comprises features selected from the group consisting of:
- (1) a microjet array, (2) a plurality of microjet structures and microchannels that receive fluid after being jetted from jetting structures, and (3) a plurality of fins and microjet structures wherein the fins comprise at least a portion of the jetting structures including jetting channels and jetting orifices,
- (b) placing the heat transfer array in a relationship relative to a semiconductor device to be cooled, where the relationship is selected from the group consisting of:
- (1) direct solid-to-solid physical contact, (2) indirect solid-to-solid physical contact with the semiconductor device, and (3) in proximity to the semiconductor device to be cooled to form a primary heat transfer region having at least one cooling fluid impingement surface;
- (c) pumping a cooling fluid into at least one inlet of the heat transfer array such that the cooling fluid is jetted onto the impingement surface to extract heat therefrom, then passing the heated cooling fluid to at least one outlet of the heat transfer array, while continuing to extract heat from the heat transfer array, and then onto a heat exchanger where heat is removed from the cooling fluid to produce cooled cooling fluid;
- and
- (d) circulating the cooled cooling fluid from the heat exchanger back into the at least one inlet of the heat transfer array to repeat a flow cycle to draw heat from the at least one semiconductor device,
- wherein at least one of the at least one inlet or at least one outlet is located on an opposite side of the heat transfer array relative to the semiconductor device.
5 more elements
A thermal management system for a device comprising:
- (1) at least one micro cold plate, comprising:
- (a) at least one fluid inlet header or manifold having a fluid inlet;
- (b) at least one fluid outlet header or manifold having a fluid outlet;
- (c) a hybrid microjet and microchannel heat transfer array, comprising:
- (I) a plurality of microjet structures for directing a heat transfer fluid from the inlet through at least one fluid inlet header or manifold onto at least one surface of a primary heat exchange region selected from the group consisting of:
- a. a surface of a heat source;
- b. a plurality of separated surfaces of a heat source;
- c. at least one surface in proximity to a heat source surface;
- d. at least one surface in proximity to a plurality of heat source surfaces;
- e. at least one surface of a solid material separated from a surface of a heat source by a gap that is occupied by at least one highly conductive transfer material;
- f. at least one surface of a solid material separated from a plurality of separate surfaces of a heat source by a gap that is occupied by at least one highly conductive transfer material;
- and
- g. at least one surface of a solid that is in intimate contact with a surface or a plurality of separate surfaces of a heat source;
- and
- (II) a plurality of post jetting microchannel flow paths to direct the heat transfer fluid from the primary heat exchange region to the at least one outlet header or manifold, wherein the at least one surface of the primary heat exchange region onto which jetting occurs is closer, in the jetting direction, to the surface or the plurality of separate surfaces of the heat source than are the microchannel flow paths,
- (2) at least one flow path to move heated fluid, directly or indirectly, from the fluid outlet header or manifold of the at least one micro cold plate to a heat exchanger;
- (3) at least one flow path to move cooled fluid, directly or indirectly, from the heat exchanger back into the inlet header or manifold of the at least one micro cold plate;
- and
- (4) at least one pump functionally configured to direct the fluid through the at least one cold plate to the heat exchanger and back to the at least one cold plate,
- wherein the heat transfer array is configured to withdraw heat from the device, and
- wherein at least one of the inlet or the outlet is located on the opposite side of the heat transfer array relative to the semiconductor device.
18 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.