Method of producing a liquid cooled coldplate
A liquid cooled coldplate has a tub with an inlet port and an outlet port and a plurality of pockets recessed within a top surface of the tub. Each pocket has a peripheral opening and a ledge, the ledge disposed inwardly and downwardly from the peripheral opening. The inlet port and outlet port are in fluid communication with the pocket via an inlet slot and an outlet slot. A plurality of cooling plates are each received by a pocket and recessed within the pocket. Each cooling plate comprises an electronics side for receiving electronics and enhanced side for cooling the cooling plate. The enhanced side of the cooling plate comprises a plurality of pins formed by micro deformation technology. The tub may be formed by extrusion.
1. A method of producing a liquid cooled coldplate, the method comprising:
forming a tub from metal, the tub comprising an inlet port, and outlet port, and a plurality of pockets, wherein the plurality of pockets are formed in a top surface of the tub and are in fluid communication with the inlet port and outlet port;
forming a plurality of cooling plates by slicing fins into flat metal plates with a tool to form an enhanced surface, where the tool slices into the cooling metal layer to a depth less than the cooling metal layer thickness, and where the slicing step forces sliced material upwards, the slicing step forming the fins to a fin height extending beyond an outer surface of the cooling metal layer, then slicing across the fins at an angle to form pins which extend beyond an outer surface of the cooling plates;
installing each cooling plate into a pocket such that a chamber is formed between the tub and the cooling plate and the enhanced surface is within the chamber and in fluid communication with the chamber, the inlet port, and the outlet port;
installing electronic components onto the cooling plate on a side opposite to the enhanced surface.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of installing the electronic components onto the cooling plate is performed by running a hot fluid into the inlet port, through the tub, and out of the outlet port, the hot fluid at a temperature sufficient to solder the electronic components onto the cooling plate.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of forming the tub from metal comprises extruding the tub from aluminum.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the angle is between 30 and 90 degrees.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising forming an inlet slot between the inlet port and the pocket, whereby the inlet slot allows fluid to flow from the inlet port to the pocket.
6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising forming an outlet slot between the outlet port and the pocket, whereby the outlet slot allows fluid to flow from the pocket to the outlet port.
7. The method of claim 6 , whereby the inlet slots and the outlet slots are sized to provide substantially parallel flow rate in pockets.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of forming the tub from metal comprises forming the tub from aluminum, and further comprises plating the tub with electroless nickel coating prior to the installation of the cooling plates onto the tub.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the step of forming the plurality of cooling plates comprises forming the cooling plates from aluminum, and further comprises plating the cooling plates with electroless nickel coating prior to installing of the cooling plates onto the tub.
10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising re-plating the coldplate with electroless nickel coating following installation of the cooling plates onto the tub.
11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising smoothing the top surface after the cooling plates are installed into the tub.
12. The method of claim 11 , whereby the step of smoothing the top surface is performed with a fly cutter.
13. The method of claim 11 , further comprising forming mounting holes for mounting the electronics to the cooling plate.
14. A method of producing a liquid cooled coldplate, the method comprising:
forming a tub from metal, the tub comprising an inlet port, and outlet port, and at least one pocket, wherein the at least one pocket is formed in an outer surface of the tub and is in fluid communication with the inlet port and outlet port;
forming at least one cooling plate by slicing fins into a metal plate with a tool to form an enhanced surface, where the tool slices into a cooling metal layer of the metal plate to a depth less than the cooling metal layer thickness, and where the slicing step forces sliced material upwards, the slicing step forming the fins to a fin height extending beyond an outer surface of the cooling metal layer, then slicing across the fins at an angle to form pins which extend beyond an outer surface of the cooling plates;
installing the cooling plate into the pocket such that a chamber is formed between the tub and the cooling plate and the enhanced surface is within the chamber and in fluid communication with the chamber, the inlet port, and the outlet port;
installing electronic components onto the cooling plate on a side opposite to the enhanced surface.
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the step of installing the electronic components onto the cooling plate is performed by running a hot fluid into the inlet port, through the tub, and out of the outlet port, the hot fluid at a temperature sufficient to solder the electronic components onto the cooling plate.
16. The method of claim 14 wherein the step of forming the tub from metal comprises extruding the tub from aluminum.
17. The method of claim 14 , wherein the angle is between 30 and 90 degrees.