Method and apparatus for chip cooling

1. A system for cooling a heat-generating device, comprising:

a vaporizer for at least partially vaporizing a stream of liquid in a presence of a stream of gas to produce a mixture of gas, vapor, and liquid;

a heat sink adapted to be thermally coupled to the heat-generating device for transferring heat from the heat-generating device; and

a chamber partially enclosing the heat sink and coupled to the vaporizer,

wherein the vaporizer is external to the chamber and delivers the mixture of gas, vapor, and liquid to the heat sink to absorb the heat from the heat sink, and wherein the chamber has lateral dimensions that closely match comparable dimensions of the heat sink.

2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:

a gas inlet for providing the stream of gas;

a liquid inlet for providing the stream of liquid; and

an exhaust port positioned proximate to the heat sink for removing the mixture from the system.

3. The system of claim 2 , further comprising:

a heat exchanger for cooling the mixture removed by the exhaust port; and

a propeller positioned between the exhaust port and the heat exchanger, for conveying the mixture from the exhaust port to the heat exchanger.

4. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:

the stream of liquid, wherein the stream of liquid comprises alcohol.

5. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:

the stream of liquid, wherein the stream of liquid comprises ammonia.

6. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:

the stream of liquid, wherein the stream of liquid comprises Freon.

7. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:

the stream of liquid, wherein the stream of liquid comprises liquid nitrogen.

8. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:

the stream of liquid, wherein the stream of liquid comprises liquid carbon dioxide.

9. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:

the stream of liquid, wherein the stream of liquid comprises supercritical carbon dioxide fluid.

10. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:

the stream of liquid, wherein the stream of liquid comprises a dry snow.

11. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:

the stream of gas, wherein the stream of gas comprises oxygen.

12. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:

the stream of gas, wherein the stream of gas comprises nitrogen.

13. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:

the stream of gas, wherein the stream of gas comprises carbon dioxide.

14. The system of claim 1 , wherein the heat sink comprises:

a cold plate having a first surface adapted for contacting the heat-generating device and a second surface opposite the first surface; and

a plurality of fins coupled to the second surface.

15. The system of claim 1 , wherein the heat-generating device is a microprocessor chip.

16. A method for cooling a heat-generating device, the method comprising:

vaporizing at least partially a stream of liquid in a presence of a stream of gas using a vaporizer to produce a mixture having components of gas, vapor, and liquid;

transferring heat from the heat-generating device to a heat sink that is thermally coupled to the heat-generating device, the heat sink being partially enclosed within a chamber that is coupled to the vaporizer; and

delivering the mixture via the vaporizer to the heat sink so that the mixture absorbs the heat from the heat sink,

wherein the chamber has lateral dimensions that closely match comparable dimensions of the heat sink.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:

removing the mixture from the chamber via an exhaust port positioned proximate to the heat sink, after delivering the mixture to the heat sink.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the heat-generating device is a microprocessor chip.