Mounting system for fluid heat exchange systems
A heat exchange system can include a heat exchange unit and a magnetic element. The heat exchange unit can have a housing and a heat exchange surface configured to thermally couple to a subject of heat exchange. The housing can define an outer surface spaced apart from the heat exchange surface. A magnetic element, a ferrous element, or both, can be positioned within the housing. A coupling agent can have a complementary magnetic element, ferrous element, or both. The coupling agent can interact with the magnetic element, the ferrous element, or both, positioned within the housing. The coupling agent can be coupled to a substrate to retain the heat exchange unit relative to the substrate.
1. A heat exchange system comprising:
a heat exchanger having a housing and a heat exchange surface configured to thermally couple to a subject of heat exchange, wherein the housing defines an outer surface spaced apart from the heat exchange surface;
a magnetic element, a ferrous element, or both, positioned within the housing, such that a coupling agent having a complementary magnetic element, ferrous element, or both, can interact with the magnetic element, the ferrous element, or both, positioned within the housing; and
a coupling agent configured to magnetically couple to the heat exchanger housing, wherein the coupling agent comprises a construct configured to couple the heat exchanger to a mounting surface and immobilize the heat exchanger in place over a subject of thermal exchange;
wherein the construct comprises an encagement structure having a topside generally disposed in a horizontal plane and one or more vertical spacers downwardly extending from the topside, the topside and the vertical spacer(s) generally defining an area for receiving the housing, and a retention element disposed on the one or more vertical spacers for interacting with a corresponding retention element on a mounting surface; and
wherein the topside of the coupling agent matingly engages the topside of the housing, such that the coupling agent being secured to the mounting surface via the retention elements immobilizes the heat exchanger.
2. A heat exchange system according to claim 1 , wherein the magnetic element, the ferrous element, or both, positioned within the housing define a surface, and wherein at least a portion of the surface is exposed to the outer surface of the housing.
3. A heat exchange system according to claim 1 , further comprising a coupling element configured to couple the heat exchanger to a substrate.
4. A heat exchange system according to claim 1 , wherein the magnetic element, the ferrous element, or both, positioned within the housing comprises a magnet.
5. A heat exchange system according to claim 4 , further comprising a coupling agent having a ferrous portion positioned to magnetically couple with the magnet.
6. A heat exchange system according to claim 5 , wherein the magnet comprises a first magnet, wherein the heat exchange system further comprises a second magnet positioned within the housing of the heat exchanger, wherein the first magnet and the second magnet are positioned diagonally opposite each other relative to the housing, wherein the ferrous portion of the coupling agent comprises a first ferrous portion and a second ferrous portion positioned diagonally opposite each other relative to the coupling agent in an arrangement complementary to the positions of the first magnet and the second magnet, such that the first magnet and the first ferrous portion are magnetically coupleable with each other and such that the second magnet and the second ferrous portion are magnetically coupleable with each other so as to urge the coupling agent and the heat exchanger housing toward each other.
7. A heat exchange system according to claim 1 , wherein the housing and the coupling agent define complementary surfaces configured to matingly engage with each other when the coupling agent and the heat exchange housing are magnetically coupled to each other.
8. A heat exchange system according to claim 7 , wherein the coupling agent further comprises an integrated retention element configured to be fixedly coupled to a substrate.
9. A heat exchange system according to claim 8 , wherein the coupling agent and the heat exchanger housing are configured such that a portion of the heat exchanger housing is positioned between the coupling agent and the substrate when the coupling agent is magnetically coupled to the heat exchanger housing and fixedly coupled to the substrate.
10. A heat exchange system according to claim 1 wherein the one or more vertical spacers comprises a plurality of vertical spacers, each with an associated retention element.
11. A heat exchange system according to claim 10 wherein the encagement structure comprises a topside framework defining an aperture to matingly receive a topside of the housing.
12. A heat exchange system according to claim 1 wherein the vertical spacers comprise legs spaced along the perimeter of the topside.
13. A heat exchange system according to claim 1 wherein the encagement structure has a generally square shape and has a footprint measuring between about 3 sq. inches and about 9 sq. inches.
14. A heat exchange system according to claim 1 , wherein the mounting surface comprises a motherboard or other circuit board for a CPU.
15. A heat exchange system according to claim 1 , wherein the coupling agent further comprises one or more magnetic or ferromagnetic elements positioned to align with and magnetically couple with the magnetic or ferromagnetic elements positioned within the housing.
16. A heat exchange system comprising:
a heat exchanger having a housing and a heat exchange surface configured to thermally couple to a subject of heat exchange, wherein the housing defines an outer surface spaced apart from the heat exchange surface;
a magnetic element, a ferrous element, or both, positioned within the housing and defining a surface, wherein at least a portion of the surface is exposed to the outer surface of the housing;
an encagement structure configured to couple the heat exchanger to a substrate, wherein the encagement structure comprises a magnetic element, a ferrous portion, or both positioned in a complementary arrangement relative to the magnetic element, the ferrous element, or both, within the housing, wherein the encagement structure defines an aperture and wherein the housing defines a complementarily shaped extension configured to extend through the aperture and to matingly engage the encagement structure such that the magnetic element, the ferrous element, or both, within the housing can magnetically couple with the magnetic element, the ferrous element, or both, of the encagement structure, wherein the encagement structure further comprises a retention element extending from the encagement structure and defining an aperture through which a fastener can extend, such that the fastener can engage a corresponding fastener element associated with a substrate so as to retain the encagement structure to the substrate with at least a portion of the heat exchanger housing positioned therebetween in a fixed attachment.