Counterflow microchannel cooler for integrated circuits
AssigneeAdvanced Micro Devices, Inc.
InventorRichard C. Blish, II
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A plurality of channels are formed in a base, e.g., a substrate of an integrated circuit, each channel extending between edges of the base. Two pairs of manifolds are provided, the first pair communicating with a first group of channels and the second pair communicating with a second group of channels, the first group of channels and the first pair of plena isolated from the second group of channels and the second pair of plena. Each of the pairs of manifolds includes multiple branches coupled to the channels and a common plenum. Cooling fluid is injected into the channels from different sides of the base, causing fluid to flow in different directions in the two groups of channels, the channels in thermal contact with the integrated circuit.
Claims28
An apparatus comprising:
- a plurality of channels formed in a base, each channel having first and second ends, the channels substantially parallel to a surface of the base and running from a first to a second edge of the base;
- a first pair of manifolds, each manifold of the first pair having a plurality of branches and a plenum connected to the branches, a first manifold of the first pair disposed at the first edge and a second manifold of the first pair disposed at the second edge of the base, the first pair of manifolds in fluid communication with a first group of the channels;
- a second pair of manifolds, each manifold of the second pair having a plurality of branches and a plenum connected to the branches, a first manifold of the second pair disposed at the first edge and a second manifold of the second pair disposed at the second edge of the base, the second pair of manifolds in fluid communication with a second group of channels and isolated from the first pair of manifolds and the first group of channels;
- and
- wherein the one or more channels of the first group are substantially thermally non-blocking with respect to the one or more channels of the second group of channels in a direction towards a heat source.
A method of managing heat in an integrated circuit comprising:
- causing fluid to flow in a first direction from an inlet end to an outlet end in a first plurality of channels formed in a base, the channels being substantially parallel to a surface of the base and running from a first to a second edge of the base, the first direction being from the first to the second edge of the base;
- causing fluid to flow in a second direction from an inlet end to an outlet end in a second plurality of channels formed in the base, the second plurality of channels substantially parallel to the surface of the base and running from the first to the second edge of the base, the second direction being from the second to the first edge of the base, and wherein the one or more channels of the first group are substantially thermally non-blocking with respect to the one or more channels of the second group in a direction towards a heat source;
- feeding cold fluid from a first manifold disposed at the first edge of the base to the inlet ends of the first plurality of channels;
- exhausting warmed fluid to a second manifold disposed at the second edge of the base from the outlet ends of the first plurality of channels;
- feeding cold fluid from a third manifold disposed at the second edge of the base to the inlet ends of the second plurality of channels;
- and
- exhausting warmed fluid to a fourth manifold disposed at the first edge of the base from the outlet ends of the second plurality of channels.
A process for making an apparatus, the process comprising:
- disposing one manifold of a first pair of manifolds and one manifold of a second pair of manifolds along a first edge of a base, the base having a first and second group of channels extending from a first to a second edge of the base;
- disposing a second manifold of the first pair and a second manifold of the second pair along a second edge of the base, the pairs of manifolds in fluid communication with respective groups of channels;
- and
- hermetically sealing the manifolds to the edges of the base along which they are disposed, maintaining fluid communication between first and second pairs of manifolds and respective groups of channels.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.