COOLING ASSEMBLY FOR PROCESSORS AND VOLTAGE REGULATORS
Disclosed is a cooling assembly for processors and voltage regulators. A processor is attached to a cold plate. A voltage regulator heatsink is removably attached to the cold plate. The voltage regulator heatsink has cooling fins and a heatsink base. The heatsink base is attached to a voltage regulator. Liquid coolant is flowed through the cold plate to cool the processor and the voltage regulator.
1 . A cooling system comprising:
a cold plate that is attached to a processor;
a first voltage regulator (VR) heatsink that is removably attached to the cold plate, the first VR heatsink comprising a plurality of fins and a heatsink base that is attached to a first voltage regulator; and
a pump that circulates a liquid coolant through the cold plate.
2 . The cooling system of claim 1 , wherein the first VR heatsink has an L shape.
3 . The cooling system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a second VR heatsink that is removably attached to the cold plate, the second VR heatsink comprising a plurality of fins and a heatsink base that is attached to a second voltage regulator.
4 . The cooling system of claim 1 , wherein the first VR heatsink is fastened to the cold plate by a fastener.
5 . The cooling system of claim 4 , wherein the first VR heatsink is soldered on the cold plate.
6 . The cooling system of claim 1 , further comprising a heat exchanger that cools the liquid coolant.
7 . The cooling system of claim 1 , wherein the first voltage regulator comprises a power transistor, and the heatsink base of the first VR heatsink is attached to a heatsink mounting surface of the power transistor.
8 . The cooling system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is a central processing unit (CPU), and the CPU and the first voltage regulator are mounted on a motherboard.
9 . A cooling assembly comprising:
a cold plate comprising a plurality of ports that accept a liquid coolant, the cold plate is attached to a processor; and
a first voltage regulator (VR) heatsink that is removably attached to the cold plate, the first VR heatsink comprising a plurality of fins and a heatsink base that is attached to a heatsink mounting surface of a first voltage regulator.
10 . The cooling assembly of claim 9 , wherein the heatsink mounting surface is a mounting tab of a power transistor of the voltage regulator.
11 . The cooling assembly of claim 9 , further comprising:
a second VR heatsink that is removably attached to the cold plate, the second VR heatsink comprising a plurality of fins and a heatsink base that is attached to a heatsink mounting surface of a second voltage regulator.
12 . The cooling assembly of claim 9 , further comprising a cover that is disposed on top of the cold plate.
13 . The cooling assembly of claim 12 , wherein the first VR heatsink is fastened and soldered to the cold plate.
14 . A method of cooling a processor and a voltage regulator, the method comprising:
attaching a cold plate to the processor;
attaching a voltage regulator (VR) heatsink to the cold plate, the VR heatsink comprising a plurality of fins and a heatsink base;
attaching the heatsink base to the voltage regulator; and
circulating a liquid coolant through the cold plate.
15 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
attaching another VR heatsink to the cold plate, the other VR heatsink comprising a plurality of pins and a heatsink base; and
attaching the heatsink base of the other VR heatsink to another voltage regulator.