Method and apparatus for dissipating heat, and radar antenna containing heat dissipating apparatus

1. A heat dissipation device, comprising:

a housing, said housing comprising at least a first inlet plenum and at least a first outlet plenum, said housing defining a plurality of first plenum heat transfer chambers, each said first plenum heat transfer chamber communicating directly with said first inlet plenum on a first side of said first plenum heat transfer chamber and communicating directly with said first outlet plenum on a second side of said first plenum heat transfer chamber; and

at least one heat transfer element positioned in each said heat transfer chamber, each said heat transfer element comprising a base and a plurality of protrusions,

said housing comprising a housing back wall, said housing back wall defining a plurality of back wall openings, each said heat transfer element being positioned with its base in contact with said housing back wall and its protrusions extending through one of said back wall openings, said base being on one side of said housing back wall and at least a portion of each of said protrusions being on an opposite side of said housing back wall.

2. A device as recited in claim 1 , wherein:

said first inlet plenum extends in a first direction,

said first outlet plenum extends in a second direction, and

said first direction is substantially parallel to said second direction.

3. A device as recited in claim 1 , wherein:

said first inlet plenum comprises at least a first inlet plenum first wall, a first inlet plenum second wall, a first inlet plenum third wall and a first inlet plenum fourth wall,

said first inlet plenum first wall extends substantially in a first inlet plenum first wall plane,

said first inlet plenum second wall extends substantially in a first inlet plenum second wall plane,

said first inlet plenum third wall extends substantially in a first inlet plenum third wall plane,

said first inlet plenum fourth wall extends substantially in a first inlet plenum fourth wall plane,

said first outlet plenum comprises at least a first outlet plenum first wall, a first outlet plenum second wall, a first outlet plenum third wall and a first outlet plenum fourth wall,

said first outlet plenum first wall extends substantially in a first outlet plenum first wall plane,

said first outlet plenum second wall extends substantially in a first outlet plenum second wall plane,

said first outlet plenum third wall extends substantially in a first outlet plenum third wall plane,

said first outlet plenum fourth wall extends substantially in a first outlet plenum fourth wall plane,

said first inlet plenum first wall is substantially parallel to said first outlet plenum first wall,

said first inlet plenum second wall is substantially parallel to said first outlet plenum second wall,

said first inlet plenum third wall is substantially parallel to said first outlet plenum third wall, and

said first inlet plenum fourth wall is substantially parallel to said first outlet plenum fourth wall.

4. A device as recited in claim 1 , wherein each of said plurality of protrusions comprises a fin.

5. A device as recited in claim 1 , wherein:

said first inlet plenum extends in a first direction, and

each of said protrusions extends in a direction substantially perpendicular to said first direction.

6. A device as recited in claim 1 , wherein:

each of said protrusions extends from said base toward said first inlet plenum.

7. A device as recited in claim 1 , wherein:

said base has a base first side and a base second side,

said protrusions extend from said base first side, and

at least one electronic component is mounted on said base second side.

8. A device as recited in claim 1 , wherein:

said device further comprises:

at least a second inlet plenum and at least a second outlet plenum; and

a plurality of second plenum heat transfer chambers,

each of said second plenum heat transfer chambers communicates directly with said second inlet plenum on a first side of said second plenum heat transfer chamber and communicates directly with said second outlet plenum on a second side of said second plenum heat transfer chamber, and

at least one heat transfer element is positioned within each of said second plenum heat transfer chambers.

9. A device as recited in claim 1 , wherein:

said device further comprises at least a second outlet plenum and

each of said first plenum heat transfer chambers communicates directly with said second outlet plenum on a third side of said first plenum heat transfer chamber.

10. A device as recited in claim 9 , wherein said first and second outlet plenums are positioned on opposite sides of said first inlet plenum.

11. A heat dissipation device, comprising:

a housing, said housing comprising a plurality of inlet plenums, comprising at least a first inlet plenum and a second inlet plenum, and a plurality of outlet plenums, comprising at least a first outlet plenum and a second outlet plenum,

said housing defining a plurality of heat transfer chambers, comprising at least a first heat transfer chamber and a second heat transfer chamber,

said first heat transfer chamber communicating directly with said first inlet plenum on a first side of said first heat transfer chamber and with said first outlet plenum on a second side of said first heat transfer chamber,

said second heat transfer chamber communicating directly with said second inlet plenum on a first side of said second heat transfer chamber and communicating directly with said second outlet plenum on a second side of said second heat transfer chamber; and

at least one heat transfer element positioned in each said heat transfer chamber, each said heat transfer element comprising a base and a plurality of protrusions,

said housing comprising a housing back wall, said housing back wall defining a plurality of back wall openings, each said heat transfer element being positioned with its base in contact with said housing back wall and its protrusions extending through one of said back wall openings, said base being on one side of said housing back wall and at least a portion of each of said protrusions being on an opposite side of said housing back wall.

12. A device as recited in claim 11 , wherein:

said first inlet plenum extends in a first direction,

said first outlet plenum extends in a second direction, and

said first direction is substantially parallel to said second direction.

13. A device as recited in claim 11 , wherein:

said first inlet plenum comprises at least a first inlet plenum first wall, a first inlet plenum second wall, a first inlet plenum third wall and a first inlet plenum fourth wall,

said first inlet plenum first wall extends substantially in a first inlet plenum first wall plane,

said first inlet plenum second wall extends substantially in a first inlet plenum second wall plane,

said first inlet plenum third wall extends substantially in a first inlet plenum third wall plane,

said first inlet plenum fourth wall extends substantially in a first inlet plenum fourth wall plane,

said first outlet plenum comprises at least a first outlet plenum first wall, a first outlet plenum second wall, a first outlet plenum third wall and a first outlet plenum fourth wall,

said first outlet plenum first wall extends substantially in a first outlet plenum first wall plane,

said first outlet plenum second wall extends substantially in a first outlet plenum second wall plane,

said first outlet plenum third wall extends substantially in a first outlet plenum third wall plane,

said first outlet plenum fourth wall extends substantially in a first outlet plenum fourth wall plane,

said first inlet plenum first wall is substantially parallel to said first outlet plenum first wall,

said first inlet plenum second wall is substantially parallel to said first outlet plenum second wall,

said first inlet plenum third wall is substantially parallel to said first outlet plenum third wall, and

said first inlet plenum fourth wall is substantially parallel to said first outlet plenum fourth wall.

14. A device as recited in claim 11 , wherein each of said plurality of protrusions comprises a fin.

15. A device as recited in claim 11 , wherein:

said first inlet plenum extends in a first direction, and

each of said protrusions extends in a direction substantially perpendicular to said first direction.

16. A device as recited in claim 11 , wherein:

each of said protrusions extends from said base toward said first inlet plenum.

17. A device as recited in claim 11 , wherein:

said base has a base first side and a base second side,

said protrusions extend from said base first side, and

at least one electronic component is mounted on said base second side.

18. A device as recited in claim 11 , wherein:

said device further comprises at least a third heat transfer chamber,

said third heat transfer chamber contains at least one heat transfer element, and

said third heat transfer chamber communicates directly with said first inlet plenum on a first side of said third heat transfer chamber and communicates directly with said first outlet plenum on a second side of said third heat transfer chamber.

19. A device as recited in claim 18 , wherein said first and second outlet plenums are positioned on opposite sides of said first inlet plenum.

20. A method of dissipating heat, comprising:

passing fluid through at least a first inlet plenum, then

passing said fluid across a plurality of protrusions of a heat transfer element, and then

passing said fluid through at least a first outlet plenum,

said heat transfer element being positioned within a heat transfer chamber,

said heat transfer chamber communicating directly with said first inlet plenum on a first side of said heat transfer chamber and communicating directly with said first outlet plenum on a second side of said heat transfer chamber,

said heat transfer element comprising a base and said plurality of protrusions,

said first inlet plenum and said first outlet plenum positioned within a housing,

said housing comprising a housing back wall, said housing back wall defining a plurality of back wall openings, each said heat transfer element being positioned with its base in contact with said housing back wall and its protrusions extending through one of said back wall openings, said base being on one side of said housing back wall and at least a portion of each of said protrusions being on an opposite side of said housing back wall.

21. A method as recited in claim 20 , wherein said fluid is gaseous.

22. A method as recited in claim 20 , wherein said fluid is air.

23. A method of dissipating heat, comprising:

passing fluid through at least a first inlet plenum, then

passing said fluid across a plurality of fins of a heat transfer element, and then

passing said fluid through at least a first outlet plenum,

said heat transfer element being positioned within a heat transfer chamber,

said heat transfer chamber communicating directly with said first inlet plenum on a first side of said heat transfer chamber and communicating directly with said first outlet plenum on a second side of said heat transfer chamber,

said heat transfer element comprising a base and said plurality of fins,

said first inlet plenum and said first outlet plenum positioned within a housing,

said housing comprising a housing back wall, said housing back wall defining a plurality of back wall openings, each said heat transfer element being positioned with its base in contact with said housing back wall and its fins extending through one of said back wall openings, said base being on one side of said housing back wall and at least a portion of each of said fins being on an opposite side of said housing back wall.

24. A method as recited in claim 23 , wherein said fluid is gaseous.

25. A method as recited in claim 23 , wherein said fluid is air.

26. A radar antenna, comprising:

a heat dissipation device as recited in claim 1 ; and

at least one radar electronic component mounted on said second base side.

27. A radar antenna as recited in claim 26 , wherein:

said protrusions comprise at least one fin.

28. A radar antenna, comprising:

a heat dissipation device as recited in claim 11 ; and

at least one radar electronic component mounted on said second base side.

29. The device of claim 13 wherein a fluid flow impinges on said heat transfer element.

30. The device of claim 29 wherein the fluid flow only impinges once prior to exiting said outlet plenum.

31. A method as recited in claim 20 , wherein said method further comprises metering said fluid.

32. A method as recited in claim 23 , wherein said method further comprises metering said fluid.