Spray cooling system
AssigneeIsothermal Systems Research, Inc.
InventorsCharles L. Tilton, Donald E. Tilton, Ryan J. Baddeley, Tahir Cader, George J. Wos
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A spray cooling system for efficiently thermally managing a single or multiple semiconductor chip package. The spray cooling system includes a heat exchanger unit having a pump unit and a reservoir, a coaxial tube fluidly connected to the heat exchanger unit, a coupler unit attached to the coaxial tube, and a spray module where the coupler unit is removably connected to the spray module. The heat exchanger unit has an air tolerant design that allows for the entry and release of air without interfering with the operation thereof.
Claims35
A spray cooling system for thermally managing an electronic device, comprising:
- a spray module;
- and
- a heat exchanger unit fluidly connected to said spray module, said heat exchanger including:
- a reservoir for storing a volume of coolant;
- a chamber fluidly connected to said reservoir, wherein said chamber is positioned above said reservoir for receiving gases;
- a pump unit fluidly connected to said reservoir;
- and
- a pressure relief valve fluidly connecting said chamber to an exterior of said heat exchanger unit.
A heat exchanger apparatus for an electronic device thermal management system, comprising:
- a pump unit;
- a reservoir for storing a volume of coolant, wherein said reservoir is fluidly connected to said pump unit;
- a chamber fluidly connected to said reservoir, wherein said chamber is positioned above said reservoir for receiving gases;
- and
- a pressure relief valve fluidly connecting an upper portion of said chamber to an exterior of said heat exchanger unit.
A method of operating a heat exchanger unit for an electronic device thermal management system, said method comprising:
- passing a return flow coolant into a main passage fluidly connected to a reservoir;
- permitting gases within said reservoir to flow upwardly into a chamber through a passage within an upper portion of said reservoir;
- permitting a coolant vapor to flow through a vapor passage to a condensing passage;
- condensing said coolant vapor within said condensing passage;
- permitting said condensed coolant to flow through a fluid passage fluidly connected to said reservoir;
- and
- permitting the collection of gases within a gas chamber.
A method of manufacturing a computer system having a semiconductor to be thermally managed, said method comprising the steps of:
- securing a spray module upon said semiconductor, wherein said spray module has an initial state of dry;
- fluidly connecting a heat exchanger unit to said spray module, wherein said heat exchanger unit has an initial state prior to connecting to said spray module;
- and
- allowing air to migrate into said heat exchanger unit.
A spray cooling system for thermally managing an electronic device, comprising:
- a spray module;
- and
- a heat exchanger unit fluidly connected to said spray module, said heat exchanger including a reservoir for storing a volume of coolant, a chamber fluidly connected to said reservoir, wherein said chamber is positioned above said reservoir for receiving gases, and a pump unit fluidly connected to said reservoir;
- wherein said heat exchanger unit includes a condensing section comprised of a condensing passage fluidly connected to a fluid passage that is fluidly connected to said reservoir for allowing condensed coolant to return to said reservoir.
A spray cooling system for thermally managing an electronic device, comprising:
- a spray module;
- and
- a heat exchanger unit fluidly connected to said spray module by a coaxial tube containing a supply flow and a return flow of coolant, said heat exchanger including a reservoir for storing a volume of coolant, a chamber fluidly connected to said reservoir, wherein said chamber is positioned above said reservoir for receiving gases, and a pump unit fluidly connected to said reservoir.
A heat exchanger apparatus for an electronic device thermal management system, comprising:
- a pump unit;
- a reservoir for storing a volume of coolant, wherein said reservoir is fluidly connected to said pump unit;
- a chamber fluidly connected to said reservoir, wherein said chamber is positioned above said reservoir for receiving gases;
- and
- a condensing passage fluidly connected to a fluid passage that is fluidly connected to said reservoir for allowing condensed coolant to return to said reservoir.
A heat exchanger apparatus for an electronic device thermal management system, comprising:
- a pump unit;
- a reservoir for storing a volume of coolant, wherein said reservoir is fluidly connected to said pump unit;
- a chamber fluidly connected to said reservoir, wherein said chamber is positioned above said reservoir for receiving gases;
- and
- wherein said pump unit is fluidly connected to a spray module by a coaxial tube containing a supply flow and a return flow of coolant.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.