Flow distributing unit and cooling unit
AssigneeDanfoss Silicon Power GmbH
InventorKlaus Kristen Olesen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A distributor (1) for distributing a flow of cooling fluid over one or more surface(s) (3) to be cooled has a housing (13) that may be manufactured in a single piece together with inlet (8) and outlet (9) manifolds and a plurality of flow cells (26, 27, 28, 29). The flow cells (26, 27, 28, 29) may be connected in parallel between the manifolds (8, 9), and may be adapted to cool multiple surfaces (3) simultaneously. The present invention is also directed to a fluid-coolable unit comprising a distributor (1) for removing heat from an electronic circuit, such as integrated circuit or CPU.
Claims16
A distributor for distributing a flow of fluid over at least one surface to be cooled, the distributor comprising a housing being manufactured in a single piece and having formed therein an inlet manifold, an outlet manifold and a plurality of flow cells connected between the manifolds,
- each flow cell comprising a cell inlet in fluid communication with the inlet manifold, a cell outlet in fluid communication with the outlet manifold, and a flow channel for guiding a flow of fluid from the cell inlet along the at least one surface to the cell outlet,
- wherein an inner wall structure of the housing defines the inlet manifold, the outlet manifold and the plurality of flow cells, and wherein the plurality of flow cells are arranged in parallel in two directions between the manifolds.
A fluid-coolable unit for removing heat from a heat source, the unit comprising:
- a plate heated by the heat source;
- and
- a distributor for distributing a flow of cooling fluid over a surface of the plate, the distributor comprising a housing being manufactured in a single piece and having formed therein an inlet manifold, an outlet manifold and a plurality of flow cells connected between the manifolds,
- wherein each flow cell comprises a cell inlet in fluid communication with the inlet manifold, a cell outlet in fluid communication with the outlet manifold, and a flow channel for guiding the flow of cooling fluid from the cell inlet along the at least one surface to the cell outlet,
- wherein an inner wall structure of the housing defines the inlet manifold, the outlet manifold and the plurality of flow cells, and
- wherein the plurality of flow cells are arranged in parallel in two directions between the manifolds.
A method for removing heat from an electronic circuit, the method comprising:
- providing a fluid-coolable unit for removing heat from a heat source, the unit comprising a plate heated by the heat source;
- and a distributor for distributing a flow of cooling fluid over a surface of the plate, the distributor comprising a housing being manufactured in a single piece and having formed therein an inlet manifold, an outlet manifold and a plurality of flow cells connected between the manifolds,
- wherein each flow cell comprises a cell inlet in fluid communication with the inlet manifold, a cell outlet in fluid communication with the outlet manifold, and a flow channel for guiding the flow of cooling fluid from the cell inlet along the at least one surface to the cell outlet,
- wherein an inner wall structure of the housing defines the inlet manifold, the outlet manifold and the plurality of flow cells, and
- wherein the plurality of flow cells are arranged in parallel in two directions between the manifolds;
- joining the unit to the electronic circuit;
- and
- initiating the flow of cooling fluid,
- wherein the surface of the plate is adjacent to the electronic circuit.
A fluid-coolable electronic unit, the unit comprising an electronic circuit encapsulated in a circuit module having an outer surface, and a distributor for distributing a flow of cooling fluid over the surface, the distributor comprising a housing being manufactured in a single piece and having formed therein an inlet manifold, an outlet manifold and a plurality of flow cells connected between the manifolds,
- wherein each flow cell comprises a cell inlet in fluid communication with the inlet manifold, a cell outlet in fluid communication with the outlet manifold, and a flow channel for guiding the flow of cooling fluid from the cell inlet along the at least one surface to the cell outlet,
- wherein an inner wall structure of the housing defines the inlet manifold, the outlet manifold and the plurality of flow cells, and
- wherein the plurality of flow cells are arranged in parallel in two directions between the manifolds.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.