# US 7,743,818 B2 · Heat exchange module > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,743,818 B2 - Document ID: US7743818B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 11/308,070 - Filed: 2006-03-05 - Published: 2007-01-18 - Granted: 2010-06-29 - Earliest claimed: 2005-07-15 - Assignees: Foxconn Technology Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Tay-Jian Liu; Chih-Feng Fan; Chih-Peng Lee; Chao-Nien Tung - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7743818B2 ## CPC - H10W 40/73: for cooling by change of state - H10W: GENERIC PACKAGES, INTERCONNECTIONS, CONNECTORS OR OTHER CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 ## Abstract A heat exchange module (1) includes a fan duct, an evaporator (22), a condenser (26) and an electric fan (50). The fan duct includes a lower portion (10) and an upper portion (30). The lower portion cooperates with the upper portion to define therebetween an air passage (90). The evaporator contains therein a working fluid. The condenser is in fluid communication with the evaporator. The evaporator and the condenser are received in the air passage defined by the fan duct. The working fluid turns into vapor in the evaporator upon receiving heat from a heat-generating component (70) and the vapor turns into condensate upon releasing the heat to the condenser. The electric fan is attached to the fan duct. The electric fan produces an airflow flowing through the air passage for removing the heat away from the condenser. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A heat exchange module for removing heat from a heat-generating component comprising: a fan duct including a lower portion and an upper portion, the lower portion cooperating with the upper portion to define therebetween an air passage; an evaporator containing therein a working fluid and having a lower protrusion fitting through the lower portion of the fan duct and adapted for thermally contacting the heat-generating component; a condenser being in fluid communication with the evaporator, wherein the evaporator and the condenser are received in said air passage, the working fluid turns into vapor in the evaporator upon receiving heat from said heat-generating component and the vapor turns into condensate upon releasing the heat to the condenser; and an electric fan attached to the fan duct, the electric fan producing an airflow flowing through the air passage for removing the heat away from the condenser; wherein the condenser includes a housing member, a plurality of tube members in fluid communication with the housing member, and a fin member maintained in thermal contact with the tube members. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The heat exchange module of claim 1, wherein said lower portion of the fan duct has a plate-like configuration and the upper portion of the fan duct has an inverted U-shaped configuration. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The heat exchange module of claim 2, wherein the upper portion of the fan duct includes a top plate and a pair of sidewalls depending from opposite sides of the top plate and the lower portion of the fan duct is mounted to the sidewalls of the upper portion by a plurality of fasteners. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The heat exchange module of claim 1, further comprising a vapor conduit and a liquid conduit each being connected between the evaporator and the condenser, the vapor conduit conveying the vapor generated in the evaporator to the tube members of the condenser, the vapor turning into condensate in the tube members upon releasing the heat to the fin member, the condensate being conveyed back to the evaporator by the liquid conduit. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The heat exchange module of claim 4, wherein the vapor conduit and liquid conduit both are connected to the housing member of the condenser and the housing member is provided with a baffle located adjacent to the liquid conduit and configured for stopping the vapor transferred to the first housing member by the vapor conduit from entering into the liquid conduit. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The heat exchange module of claim 4, wherein said housing member is a first housing member and the condenser further includes a second housing member being in fluid communication with said tube members, the tube members and the fin member being located between the first and second housing members, the liquid conduit being connected to the first housing member, the vapor conduit being connected to the second housing member. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The heat exchange module of claim 4, wherein a wick structure is arranged inside the liquid conduit. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The heat exchange module of claim 1, wherein the housing member has a slanted inner surface declining from the vapor conduit towards the liquid conduit. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The heat exchange module of claim 1, wherein the evaporator defines therein a chamber, the chamber having a first region adapted for receiving heat from said heat-generating component and a second region equipped with a wick structure, the vapor conduit and the liquid conduit communicating with the first and second regions, respectively. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The heat exchange module of claim 9, wherein the evaporator has a plurality of metal fins extending from an outer surface thereof, the metal fins being located in alignment with said second region. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The heat exchange module of claim 9, wherein the evaporator has an outer wall adapted for contacting said heat-generating component, the outer wall having first section and second section corresponding to the first and second regions of the chamber, respectively, the first section being thicker than the second section, the protrusion being extended downwardly from the first section. ### Claim 12 A heat exchange module comprising: a base plate; an evaporator mounted on the base plate adapted for contacting a heat-generating electronic component; working fluid contained in the evaporator, the working fluid turning into vapor upon receiving heat from the electronic component; a vapor conduit having a first end connecting with the evaporator and a second end; a condenser mounted on the base plate, the second end of the vapor conduct connecting with the condenser, the vapor turning into liquid in the condenser; a liquid conduit having a first end connecting with the condenser and a second end connecting the evaporator, the liquid flowing to the evaporator via the liquid conduit, wherein the condenser has a slanted surface declining from the second end of the vapor conduit towards the first end of the liquid conduit, the liquid in the condenser being guided by the slanted surface to flow to the first end of the liquid conduit; an air guiding member mounted on the base plate and accommodating the evaporator and condenser therein; and a fan mounted to the air guiding member and located adjacent to the condenser. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The heat exchange module of claim 12, wherein the evaporator has a lower protrusion fitting through the base plate and adapted for thermally contacting with the heat-generating electronic component. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The heat exchange module of claim 13, wherein the second end of the vapor conduit and the first end of the liquid conduit are located at the same level. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The heat exchange module of claim 13, wherein the second end of the vapor conduit is located at a level higher than that of the first end of the liquid conduit. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The heat exchange module of claim 12, wherein an airflow generated by the fan flows through an air passage defined between the air guiding member and the base plate and a space below the base plate. ### Claim 17 A heat exchange module for removing heat from a heat-generating component comprising: a fan duct including a lower portion and an upper portion, the lower portion cooperating with the upper portion to define therebetween an air passage; an evaporator containing therein a working fluid and having a lower protrusion fitting through the lower portion of the fan duct and adapted for thermally contacting the heat-generating component; a condenser being in fluid communication with the evaporator, wherein the evaporator and the condenser are received in said air passage, the working fluid turns into vapor in the evaporator upon receiving heat from said heat-generating component and the vapor turns into condensate upon releasing the heat to the condenser; and an electric fan attached to the fan duct, the electric fan producing an airflow flowing through the air passage for removing the heat away from the condenser; wherein the evaporator defines therein a chamber, the chamber having a first region adapted for receiving heat from said heat-generating component and a second region equipped with a wick structure, the vapor conduit and the liquid conduit communicating with the first and second regions, respectively. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The heat exchange module of claim 17, wherein the evaporator has a plurality of metal fins extending from an outer surface thereof, the metal fins being located in alignment with said second region. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The heat exchange module of claim 18, wherein the evaporator has an outer wall adapted for contacting said heat-generating component, the outer wall having first section and second section corresponding to the first and second regions of the chamber, respectively, the first section being thicker than the second section, the protrusion being extended downwardly from the first section.