Conformal cooling assembly with substrate fluid-proofing for multi-die electronic assemblies
A conformal cooling assembly for multiple-die electronic assemblies, such as printed circuit boards, integrated circuits, etc., which addresses and solves a multitude of challenges and problems associated with using liquid-cooled cold plates and dielectric immersion cooling to manage the heat produced by a multiplicity of dies. The conformal cooling assembly comprises a conformal cooling module comprising inlet and outlet passageways and a plenum configured to permit a cooling fluid to pass therethrough, thereby facilitating direct fluid contact with heat-generating components affixed to the substrate of the electronic assembly. The conformal cooling assembly also includes a fastener for attaching the conformal cooling module to the substrate; and a fluid-barrier disposed between the substrate and the plenum. The fluid-barrier is adapted to minimize, inhibit or prevent the cooling fluid from penetrating and being absorbed by the substrate.
1. An electronics assembly, comprising:
a substrate;
at least two heat-generating elements, affixed to a surface of the substrate, the at least two heat-generating elements having upper surfaces that are not located entirely within the same plane;
a cooling module comprising a reservoir configured to receive a pressurized coolant fluid, a first wall, one or more side walls connected to the first wall to define a fluid plenum, the fluid plenum being partially surrounded and enclosed by the first wall and said one or more side walls, the fluid plenum further being open-ended on a side of the fluid plenum that is opposite from the first wall, the cooling module further comprising a plurality of impingement nozzles fluidly connecting the reservoir to the first wall of the fluid plenum;
a fastener, disposed between the substrate and said one or more side walls, that fixedly attaches said one or more side walls of the cooling module to the surface of the substrate so that the first wall, the one or more side walls and the open-ended side of the fluid plenum substantially surround and enclose the at least two heat-generating elements and a portion of the surface of the substrate to which the at least two heat-generating elements are affixed;
wherein, the plurality of impingement nozzles are configured to receive the pressurized coolant fluid from the reservoir, to elevate the velocity of the pressurized coolant fluid to convert the pressurized coolant fluid into a plurality of high-velocity microjets of pressurized coolant fluid and to direct the plurality of high-velocity microjets of pressurized coolant fluid to flow across the fluid plenum to directly impinge on the upper surfaces of said at least two heat-generating elements at high-velocity and in a direction that is perpendicular to the first wall of the fluid plenum; and
wherein the reservoir, the plurality of impingement nozzles and the fluid plenum are configured to receive the pressurized coolant fluid in a liquid phase and cause the pressurized coolant fluid to pass through the plurality of impingement nozzles, flow across the fluid plenum and directly impinge on the upper surfaces of the heat-generating element without the pressurized coolant fluid undergoing a phase change, wherein the pressurized coolant fluid remains in the liquid phase after impinging on the upper surfaces of said at least two heat-generating elements.
2. The electronics assembly of claim 1 , wherein the upper surfaces of the at least two heat generating elements are positioned at at least two different heights above the surface of the substrate.
3. The electronics assembly of claim 1 , wherein the upper surfaces of the at least two heat-generating elements are bowed, or deflected, or convex, or concave, or slanted.
4. The electronics assembly of claim 1 , wherein a first apex of a first upper surface of a first heat-generating element lies in a first horizontal plane that is closer to the surface of the substrate than a second horizontal plane of a second apex of a second upper surface of a second heat-generating element.
5. The electronics assembly of claim 1 , wherein the upper surfaces of two of the at least two heat-generating elements affixed to the substrate have geometries that are different from each other.
6. The electronics assembly of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of impingement nozzles are arranged to form an array of impingement nozzles disposed over at least one of the at least two heat-generating elements.
7. The electronics assembly of claim 6 , wherein the plurality of impingement nozzles are arranged to form at least two arrays of impingement nozzles, comprising a first array of impingement nozzles disposed over a first heat-generating element and a second array of impingement nozzles disposed over a second heat-generating element.
8. The electronics assembly of claim 7 , wherein impingement nozzles in the first array are different in size from impingement nozzles in the second array.
9. The electronics assembly of claim 7 , wherein impingement nozzles in the first array are different in spacing from impingement nozzles in the second array.
10. The electronics assembly of claim 7 , wherein impingement nozzles in the first array are different in number from impingement nozzles in the second array.
11. The electronics assembly of claim 7 , wherein the first array is larger in size than the second array.
12. The electronics assembly of claim 7 , wherein the first array has a different layout than the second array.
13. The electronics assembly of claim 7 , wherein the density of impingement nozzles in the first array of impingement nozzles is greater than the density of impingement nozzles in the second array of impingement nozzles so that a first cooling performance delivered to the first heat-generating element will be greater than a second cooling performance delivered to the second heat-generating element.
14. The electronics assembly of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of impingement nozzles in the first wall of the plenum are arranged non-uniformly in the first wall of the plenum to target local areas of high heat generation on one or more of the at least two heat-generating elements affixed to the substrate.
15. An electronics assembly, comprising:
a substrate;
a heat-generating element affixed to a surface of the substrate, the heat-generating element having an upper surface that varies in height relative to the surface of the substrate;
a cooling module comprising a reservoir configured to receive a pressurized coolant fluid, a first wall, one or more side walls connected to the first wall to define a fluid plenum, the fluid plenum being partially surrounded and enclosed by the first wall and said one or more side walls, the fluid plenum further being open-ended on a side of the fluid plenum that is opposite from the first wall, the cooling module further comprising a plurality of impingement nozzles fluidly connecting the reservoir to the first wall of the fluid plenum;
a fastener, disposed between the substrate and said one or more side walls, that fixedly attaches said one or more side walls of the cooling module to the surface of the substrate so that the first wall, the one or more side walls and the open-ended side of the fluid plenum substantially surround and enclose the heat-generating element and a portion of the surface of the substrate to which the heat-generating element is affixed;
wherein, the plurality of impingement nozzles are configured to receive the pressurized coolant fluid from the reservoir, to elevate the velocity of the pressurized coolant fluid to convert the pressurized coolant fluid into a plurality of high-velocity microjets of pressurized coolant fluid, and to direct the plurality of high-velocity microjets of pressurized coolant fluid to flow across the fluid plenum to directly impinge on the upper surface of the heat-generating element at high-velocity and in a direction that is perpendicular to the first wall of the fluid plenum; and
wherein the reservoir, the plurality of impingement nozzles and the fluid plenum are configured to receive the pressurized coolant fluid in a liquid phase and cause the pressurized coolant fluid to pass through the plurality of impingement nozzles, flow across the fluid plenum and directly impinge on the upper surfaces of the heat-generating element without the pressurized coolant fluid undergoing a phase change, wherein the pressurized coolant fluid remains in the liquid phase after impinging on the upper surfaces of said at least two heat-generating elements.
16. The electronics assembly of claim 15 , wherein, relative to the surface of the substrate, the upper surface of the heat-generating element is bowed, or deflected, or convex, or concave, or slanted.
17. The electronics assembly of claim 15 , wherein one or more locations on the upper surface of the heat-generating element are not the same distance from the surface of the substrate as one or more other locations on the upper surface of the heat-generating element.
18. The electronics assembly of claim 15 , wherein the upper surface of the heat-generating element affixed to the substrate has a non-planar shape.
19. The electronics assembly of claim 15 , wherein the plurality of impingement nozzles are arranged to form an array of impingement nozzles disposed over the heat-generating element.
20. The electronics assembly of claim 19 , wherein the plurality of impingement nozzles are arranged to form at least two arrays of impingement nozzles, comprising a first array of impingement nozzles disposed over a first portion of the heat-generating element and a second array of impingement nozzles disposed over a second portion of the heat-generating element.
21. The electronics assembly of claim 20 , wherein impingement nozzles in the first array are different in size from impingement nozzles in the second array.
22. The electronics assembly of claim 20 , wherein impingement nozzles in the first array are different in spacing from impingement nozzles in the second array.
23. The electronics assembly of claim 20 , wherein impingement nozzles in the first array are different in number from impingement nozzles in the second array.
24. The electronics assembly of claim 20 , wherein the first array is larger in size than the second array.
25. The electronics assembly of claim 20 , wherein the first array has a different layout than the second array.
26. The electronics assembly of claim 20 , wherein the density of impingement nozzles in the first array of impingement nozzles is greater than the density of impingement nozzles in the second array of impingement nozzles so that a first cooling performance delivered to the first portion of the heat-generating element will be greater than a second cooling performance delivered to the second portion of the heat-generating element.
27. The electronics assembly of claim 15 , wherein the plurality of impingement nozzles in the first wall of the plenum are arranged non-uniformly in the first wall of the plenum to target local areas of high heat generation on the heat-generating element affixed to the substrate.