Metal-graphite foam composite and a cooling apparatus for using the same
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsMinhua Lu, Lawrence S. Mok, Krystyna W. Semkow
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of producing a metal-graphite foam composite, and particularly, the utilization thereof in connection with a cooling apparatus. Also provided is a cooling apparatus, such as a liquid cooler or alternatively, a heat sink for electronic heat-generating components, which employ the metal-graphite foam composite.
Claims19
A method of producing a metal-graphite foam composite structure for the cooling of heat-generating devices;
- said method comprising:
- providing a matrix of graphite foam;
- plating said graphite foam matrix with a metal so as to form a metal-graphite foam composite;
- and
- immersing at least a lower portion of said metal-graphite foam matrix into a bath of molten metal so as to fill the interstices of said metal-graphite foam matrix in said lower portion thereof with said metal.
A liquid cooling arrangement for removing and dispersing heat from heat-generating devices, said arrangement comprising:
- a closed chamber containing a coolant medium;
- a metal-graphite foam composition having a foam array extending into said chamber;
- a lower portion of said metal-graphite foam composition being filled with a metal so as to provide an impervious structure which forms a part of a bottom wall of said closed chamber;
- a thermal interface being in surface contact with an exterior surface portion of the bottom wall constituted from said impervious metal-graphite foam composition, said thermal interface receiving heat generated by a heat-generating component in contact therewith and transferring said heat to said metal-graphite foam composite and into said coolant medium;
- and
- coolant medium inlets and outlets being formed in said chamber distant from said bottom wall so as to facilitate circulation of said coolant medium for removal of heat from said liquid cooling arrangement.
A heat spreader arrangement for removing and dissipating heat from heat-generating devices, said arrangement comprising:
- an impervious matrix of a metal-graphite foam composite having upper and lower wall surfaces;
- a thermal interface contacting the lower wall surface of said metal-graphite foam composite;
- a heat-generating component being in surface contact with an opposite surface of said thermal interface and through said metal-graphite foam composition;
- and
- a heat sink structure being in contact with the opposite surface of said metal-graphite foam composition for receiving heat from said composite and dissipating the heat to the environment.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.