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US 6,646,879 B2Granted
Spray evaporative cooling system and method
AssigneeCray Inc.
InventorGregory W. Pautsch
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system and method for cooling electronic components. A liquid is heated to a temperature near its boiling point and directed against electronic components such that a portion of the heated liquid vaporizes, forming a mixed phase fluid. The mixed phase fluid is drawn away from the electronic components and the vapor is condensed back into a liquid.
Claims28
A cooling assembly comprising:
- a first set of electronic components coupled with a substrate;
- a cold plate positioned adjacent to the substrate on an opposite side of the substrate to the plurality of electronic components;
- a spray evaporative cooling cap assembly thermally coupled with the plurality of electronic components;
- a second set of electronic components coupled with the cold plate on an opposite side of the cold plate to the substrate;
- cooling fluid within the spray cap assembly, the spray cap assembly configured to direct the cooling fluid against a surface of the electronic components;
- a fluid conditioning unit associated with the spray cap assembly;
- and
- the spray evaporative cooling cap assembly and the fluid conditioning unit forming a closed system.
5 more elements
A cooling assembly comprising:
- a first set of electronic components coupled with a substrate;
- spray evaporative cooling cap assemblies coupled with the first set of electronic components;
- a cold plate coupled with the substrate;
- a second set of electronic components thermally coupled with the cold plate, the second set of electronics positioned on one side of the cold plate and the substrate positioned on the other side of the cold plate;
- cooling fluid within the spray cap assembly and the cold plate, the spray cap assembly configured to direct the cooling fluid against a surface of the first set of electronic components;
- a fluid conditioning unit associated with the spray cap assembly.
3 more elements
A cooling assembly comprising:
- a first set of electronic components coupled with a substrate;
- spray evaporative cooling cap assemblies coupled with the first set of electronic components;
- cooling fluid within the spray cap assemblies, the spray cap assemblies configured to direct the cooling fluid against a surface of the first set of electronic components;
- and
- a cold plate positioned adjacent to the substrate on an opposite side of the substrate to the first set of electronic components.
2 more elements
A method of cooling an electronics enclosure having a plurality of electronics components, comprising;
- flowing a liquid through a cold plate coupled with one side of a substrate and conductively cooling a first set of electronic components thermally coupled with the cold plate;
- directing the liquid from the cold plate against a second set of electronics components positioned on an opposite side of the substrate such that a portion of the heated liquid vaporizes;
- drawing the vapor and the heated liquid away from the second set of electronic components;
- and
- condensing the vapor back into liquid using a fluid conditioning unit.
2 more elements
A method of cooling an electronics enclosure having a plurality of electronics components, comprising:
- coupling a spray evaporative cooling assembly and electronic components to a substrate;
- disposing a liquid within the spray evaporative cooling assembly;
- heating the liquid to a temperature near its boiling point;
- directing the liquid against the electronic components such that a portion of the heated liquid vaporizes;
- drawing the vapor and the heated liquid away from the electronic components;
- and
- condensing the vapor back into liquid;
- and
- air cooling a second set of electronic components.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.