System and method for cooling heat generating components
View Patent ↗An assembly for cooling heat generating components, such as power electronics, computer processors and other devices. Multiple components may be mounted to a support and cooled by a flow of cooling fluid. A single cooling fluid inlet and outlet may be provided for the support, yet multiple components, including components that have different heat removal requirements may be suitably cooled. One or more manifold elements may provide cooling fluid flow paths that contact a heat transfer surface of a corresponding component to receive heat.
1. An assembly for cooling two or more heat generating components, comprising:
a support having an inlet for receiving cooling fluid and an outlet for expelling the cooling fluid, the support including first and second cavities formed in an upper surface, each cavity in fluid communication with the inlet and the outlet;
first and second heat generating components each having a bottom heat transfer surface, the first and second heat generating components arranged to be positioned over the first and second cavities, respectively, and respectively having first and second heat removal requirements; and
first and second manifold elements each having a plurality of interdigitated inlet and outlet channels that are open at an upper surface of the manifold element, the first manifold element arranged to be received in the first cavity with portions of the upper surface in contact with the heat transfer surface of the first heat generating device such that cooling fluid can flow from the inlet channels upwardly into a space between the upper surface of the manifold element and downwardly into an outlet channel, the second manifold element arranged to be received in the second cavity with portions of the upper surface in contact with the heat transfer surface of the second heat generating device such that cooling fluid can flow from the inlet channels upwardly into a space between the upper surface of the manifold element and downwardly into an outlet channel;
wherein the inlet and outlet channels and the upper surface of the first and second manifold elements are arranged to provide first and second restrictions to flow, respectively, through the manifold element that are matched to the individual heat removal requirements of the respective heat generating components.
2. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first and second restrictions are arranged such that the first and second heat removal requirements of the first and second heat generating components are met for a single cooling fluid flow rate provided at the inlet of the support.
3. The assembly of claim 2 , wherein the support includes a single inlet.
4. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the support has a single inlet and a single outlet.
5. The assembly of claim 4 , wherein the first and second heat removal requirements are different from each other.
6. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the manifold elements each include protrusions on the upper surface that contact the heat transfer surface and define a plurality of fluid channels between pairs of inlet channels and outlet channels.
7. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the protrusions have a height that is matched to the heat removal requirement of the respective heat generating device.
8. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first and second flow restrictions are different from each other.
9. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the support has a single inlet and a single outlet and a flow path from the single inlet to the single outlet, and wherein the first and second cavities are arranged in series such that the first cavity is upstream of the second cavity.
10. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the support has a single inlet and a single outlet and a flow path from the single inlet to the single outlet, and wherein the first and second cavities are arranged in parallel.
11. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the manifold elements include a sealing feature on the upper surface that circumscribes an area of the upper surface and a cooling area inside the area circumscribed by the sealing feature.
12. The assembly of claim 11 , wherein the cooling area of the first manifold element is smaller than the cooling area of the second manifold element.
13. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the manifold elements are formed of a plastic.
14. An assembly for cooling two or more heat generating components, comprising:
a support having an inlet for receiving cooling fluid and an outlet for expelling the cooling fluid, the support including a cavity formed in an upper surface, the cavity being in fluid communication with the inlet and the outlet;
first and second heat generating components each having a bottom heat transfer surface, the first and second heat generating components arranged to be positioned over the cavity and respectively having first and second heat removal requirements; and
a manifold element received in the cavity and having first and second cooling areas each including a plurality of interdigitated inlet and outlet channels that are open at an upper surface of the manifold element, the first cooling area having portions of the upper surface in contact with the heat transfer surface of the first heat generating device such that cooling fluid can flow from the inlet channels upwardly into a space between the upper surface of the manifold element and the heat transfer surface, and downwardly into an outlet channel, the second cooling area having portions of the upper surface in contact with the heat transfer surface of the second heat generating device such that cooling fluid can flow from the inlet channels upwardly into a space between the upper surface of the manifold element and the heat transfer surface, and downwardly into an outlet channel;
wherein the inlet and outlet channels and the upper surface of the first and second cooling areas are arranged to provide first and second restrictions to flow, respectively, through the manifold element that are matched to the individual heat removal requirements of the respective heat generating components.
15. The assembly of claim 14 , wherein the support further comprises a plate having first and second apertures, wherein the plate is positioned over the cavity such that the first and second cooling areas extend upwardly through the first and second apertures, respectively.
16. The assembly of claim 15 , wherein the first and second heat generating components are secured to the plate.
17. The assembly of claim 16 , wherein a sealing feature is provided between the plate and the first and second heat generating components, respectively, and the sealing feature circumscribes a corresponding cooling area of the manifold element.
18. The assembly of claim 14 , wherein the first and second heat generating components are secured to the manifold element.
19. The assembly of claim 18 , wherein a sealing feature is provided between the manifold element and the first and second heat generating components, respectively, and the sealing feature circumscribes a corresponding cooling area of the manifold element.
20. The assembly of claim 14 , wherein the first and second flow restrictions are different from each other.