Thermal management systems and methods for electrically-powered devices such as microprocessors and microprocessor chips
OwnerJoseph L. Pikulski, Willett Tuiteleinventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Described herein are devices, systems and methods for utilizing fluid cooling to thermally manage electrically-powered devices such as microprocessors and microprocessor chips. Embodiments incorporating features of the present disclosure can purge heated cooling fluid from the system immediately after it has been used to absorb heat from an electrically-powered device, so that other devices in the system do not receive cooling fluid from another device in the system. In some embodiments, cooling fluid can be made to directly impinge on or near an electrically-powered device such as a microprocessor or microprocessor chip.
Claims22
A thermal management fixture for use in a thermal management system, comprising:
- a holding assembly portion defining an aperture;
- a microprocessor chip in said aperture;
- an input opening configured to receive cooling fluid from a cooling source;
- an impingement head connected to said input opening and configured to direct said cooling fluid into said aperture such that said cooling fluid absorbs heat from said microprocessor chip and becomes heated waste fluid;
- and
- an exit port configured such that said heated waste fluid can exit said aperture from said exit port.
A thermal management system, comprising:
- a plurality of thermal management fixtures each comprising:
- a base body comprising an input opening for receiving cooling fluid, a cooling fluid exit opening, and a heated waste fluid exit opening;
- a holding assembly portion defining an aperture configured to hold at least one electronically-powered device, said holding assembly portion connected to said base body;
- and
- an impingement head between said base body and said holding assembly portion, said impingement head configured to pass at least some of said cooling fluid from said base body into said aperture to become heated waste fluid;
- wherein said thermal management fixture is configured such that at least some of said cooling fluid is an unused cooling fluid that does not pass through said impingement head;
- and
- wherein said thermal management fixture is configured to direct said unused cooling fluid to said cooling fluid exit opening, and configured to direct said heated waste fluid to said heated waste fluid exit opening;
- wherein one of said thermal management fixtures is a first thermal management fixture and another of said thermal management fixtures is a last thermal management fixture, and wherein said first and last thermal management fixtures are connected in series such that at least some of said unused cooling fluid of said first thermal management fixture passes from said cooling fluid exit opening of said first thermal management fixture to said input opening of said last thermal management fixture.
A lighting assembly, comprising:
- a lighting component;
- a rotary plate over said lighting component, said rotary plate comprising a lens and a cleaning component;
- and
- a motor operably connected to said rotary plate and configured to move said rotary plate between a first position wherein said lens is over said lighting component, and a second position wherein said cleaning component is over said lighting component.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.