MEMS based cooling systems having an integrated spout
A heat transfer system including an active component and a dissipation region is described. The active component is configured to undergo vibrational motion. The active component transfers fluid from a high pressure region to an ambient pressure region via an egress. The active component also induces a pulsating pressure in the fluid. The pulsating pressure is dissipated in the dissipation region such that turbulence is reduced where the fluid is introduced to the ambient pressure region.
1 . A method, comprising:
activating an active component to undergo vibrational motion, the vibrational motion of the active component transferring fluid from a high pressure region to an ambient pressure region via an egress, the vibrational motion inducing a pulsating pressure in the fluid, the active component being in a chamber having an inlet and the egress, a channel region receiving the fluid from the egress, at least a portion of the channel region adjacent to and extending along the chamber, a first portion of the channel region having a channel region dimension in a first direction, the vibrational motion of the active component drawing the fluid into the chamber through the inlet, driving the fluid out of the chamber through the egress, the vibrational motion of the active component inducing the pulsating pressure in the fluid in the channel region;
wherein the fluid passes from the channel through a dissipation region extending at least one millimeter and not more than 5.5 millimeters beyond an outer edge of the chamber, at least a portion of the dissipation region having a dissipation region dimension in the first direction, the dissipation region dimension being greater than the channel region dimension, pulsations in the pulsating pressure are dissipated such that a pressure at a location where the fluid is introduced to the ambient does not pulsate and such that turbulence is reduced below a first turbulence at the location where the fluid is introduced to the ambient pressure region, the first turbulence being for a channel region exit of the heat transfer system in the absence of the dissipation region, the turbulence corresponding to a more laminar flow than the first turbulence;
wherein at least part of the dissipation region is formed by a spout coupled with the chamber, a portion of the spout extending over a portion the chamber and over a second portion of the channel region.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the activating the active component further includes:
driving the active component at a frequency corresponding to at least one of a fluidic resonance and a structural resonance of the active component.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the dissipation region is coupled with the channel region such that at least one of the channel region or the dissipation region are tapered.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a heat spreader is coupled with the chamber, the channel region being between the heat spreader and the chamber, at least a portion of the dissipation region being formed by a portion of the heat spreader.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the dissipation region is formed by a spout coupled with chamber.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the dissipation region has a length of at least two millimeters.
7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a heat transfer system includes the chamber, active element, channel region, and dissipation region, wherein the heat transfer system is incorporated into a device having a device edge, the dissipation region having an exit at which the fluid is introduced to the ambient, the exit being within two millimeters of the device edge.