Porous media cold plate
View Patent ↗A heat exchanger for cooling a heat generating device including a base having a recess with a base coolant inlet opening and a base coolant outlet opening. A porous core is positioned within the recess of the base, and has a core coolant inlet opening and a core coolant outlet opening that are arranged in corresponding relation with base coolant inlet opening and a base coolant outlet opening so as to be in fluid communication. A porous gasket is pinched between the porous core and the base.
1. A heat exchanger for cooling a heat generating device comprising:
a base having a recess;
a porous core positioned within the recess;
a first coolant inlet opening positioned within the interior of the heat exchanger;
a second coolant inlet opening positioned within the interior of the heat exchanger and spaced a distance from the first coolant inlet opening;
a coolant outlet opening disposed within the heat exchanger, wherein a first coolant flow path extends between the first coolant inlet opening and the coolant outlet opening, and a second coolant flow path extends between the second coolant inlet opening and the coolant outlet opening;
a lid fitted to said base and enclosing said porous core; and
a plurality of fins extending between the base and the lid, wherein the first and second coolant flow paths pass between at least two of the plurality of the fins and the first coolant inlet opening extends through one of the plurality of fins and the coolant outlet opening extends through another of the plurality of fins,
wherein a porous gasket is disposed between said porous core and said lid, said porous gasket being brazed to said base.
2. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein said porous core is positioned adjacent to said fins.
3. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of fins are attached to the lid.
4. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein said porous core is located on an inner surface of the lid and at least a portion of said porous core is located between adjacent fins so as to form a plurality of heat transfer cores.
5. A heat exchanger for cooling a heat generating device comprising:
a base having a recess;
a lid fitted to the base;
an inlet plenum and an outlet plenum within the base and lid;
a porous core positioned within the recess between the inlet and outlet plenums, and enclosed between the base and the lid;
a first coolant flow path defining a first flow path length extending to and between the inlet and outlet plenums;
a second coolant flow path defining a second flow path length extending to and between the inlet and outlet plenums, wherein the second flow path length is shorter than the first flow path length; and
a plurality of fins disposed between the base and the lid, wherein at least one of the first and second coolant flow paths extends through at least one of the plurality of the fins,
wherein a porous gasket is disposed between said porous core and said lid, said gasket comprising at least one of felt and metal wool.
6. The heat exchanger of claim 5 , wherein the first and second coolant flow paths pass between at least two of the fins.
7. The heat exchanger of claim 6 , wherein said porous core is positioned adjacent to said fins.
8. The heat exchanger of claim 6 , wherein the plurality of fins are attached to the lid.
9. The heat exchanger of claim 6 , wherein said porous core is located on an inner surface of the lid and at least a portion of said porous core is located between adjacent fins so as to form a plurality of heat transfer cores.
10. A heat exchanger comprising:
a closed vessel;
a coolant inlet opening located at a first location on the vessel;
a coolant outlet opening located at a second location on the vessel and spaced away from the first location;
a plurality of fins disposed in an interior of the vessel;
a porous core disposed in the interior of the vessel and between at least two of the plurality of the fins; and
a first coolant path extending between the coolant inlet opening and the coolant outlet opening and through at least one of the plurality of fins; and
a second coolant path extending between the coolant inlet opening and the coolant outlet opening and around an end of at least one of the plurality of fins.
11. The heat exchanger of claim 10 , further comprising a third coolant path extending at least partially along a path between two of the plurality of fins.
12. The heat exchanger of claim 10 , wherein the closed vessel comprises a base and a lid to cover the base.
13. A heat exchanger comprising:
a closed vessel;
a porous core positioned within an interior of the closed vessel;
a coolant inlet plenum;
a coolant outlet plenum;
a plurality of fins disposed within the interior of the closed vessel;
a first coolant inlet opening in one of the plurality of fins defining a first coolant flow path from the coolant inlet plenum through the one of the plurality of the fins,
a first coolant outlet opening positioned within the interior of the closed vessel defining a second coolant flow path extending from within the one of the plurality of fins into the outlet plenum; and
a second coolant outlet opening positioned within the interior of the closed vessel and defining a third coolant flow path extending from between two of the plurality of fins to the outlet plenum.