The present invention generally relates to the management of thermal energy generated by electronic systems, and more particularly to a heat pipe-related device and method for efficiently and cost effectively routing and controlling the thermal energy generated by various components of an electronic system.
Semiconductors are continuously diminishing in size. Corresponding to this size reduction is an increase in the power densities of semiconductors. This, in turn, creates heat proliferation problems which must be resolved because excessive heat will degrade semiconductor performance. Heat pipes are known in the art for both transferring and spreading heat that is generated by electronic devices.
Heat pipes use successive evaporation and condensation of a working fluid to transport thermal energy from a heat source to a heat sink. Heat pipes can transport very large amounts of thermal energy in a vaporized working fluid, because most working fluids have a high heat of vaporization. Further, the thermal energy can be transported over relatively small temperature differences between the heat source and the heat sink. Heat pipes generally use capillary forces created by a porous wick to return condensed working fluid, from a heat pipe condenser section (where transported thermal energy is given up at the heat sink) to an evaporator section (where the thermal energy to be transported is absorbed from the heat source).
Heat pipe wicks are typically made by wrapping metal screening of felt metal around a cylindrically shaped mandrel, inserting the mandrel and wrapped wick inside a heat pipe container and then removing the mandrel. Wicks have also been formed by depositing a metal powder onto the interior surfaces of the heat pipe and then sintering the powder to create a very large number of intersticial capillaries. Typical heat pipe wicks are particularly susceptible to developing hot spots where the liquid condensate being wicked back to the evaporator section boils away and impedes or blocks liquid movement. Heat spreader heat pipes can help improve heat rejection from integrated circuits. A heat spreader is a thin substrate that absorbs the thermal energy generated by, e.g., a semiconductor device, and spreads the energy over a large surface of a heat sink.
Ideally, a wick structure should be thin enough that the conduction delta-T is sufficiently small to prevent boiling from initiating. Thin wicks, however, have not been thought to have sufficient cross-sectional area to transport the large amounts of liquid required to dissipate any significant amount of power. For example, the patent of G. Y. Eastman, U.S. Pat. No. 4,274,479, concerns a heat pipe capillary wick structure that is fabricated from sintered metal, and formed with longitudinal grooves on its interior surface. The Eastman wick grooves provide longitudinal capillary pumping while the sintered wick provides a high capillary pressure to fill the grooves and assure effective circumferential distribution of the heat transfer liquid. Eastman describes grooved structures generally as having “lands” and “grooves or channels”. The lands are the material between the grooves or channels. The sides of the lands define the width of the grooves. Thus, the land height is also the groove depth. Eastman also states that the prior art consists of grooved structures in which the lands are solid material, integral with the casing wall, and the grooves are made by various machining, chemical milling or extrusion processes. Significantly, Eastman suggests that in order to optimize heat pipe performance, his lands and grooves must be sufficient in size to maintain a continuous layer of fluid within a relatively thick band of sintered powder connecting the lands and grooves such that a reservoir of working fluid exists at the bottom of each groove. Thus, Eastman requires his grooves to be blocked at their respective ends to assure that the capillary pumping pressure within the groove is determined by its narrowest width at the vapor liquid interface. In other words, Eastman suggests that these wicks do not have sufficient cross-sectional area to transport the relatively large amounts of working fluid that is required to dissipate a significant amount of thermal energy.
The present invention provides a heat pipe heat spreader having a substantially L-shaped enclosure with an internal surface and a plurality of posts projecting from the surface. A working fluid is disposed within the enclosure, and a grooved wick is formed on at least a portion of the internal surface. The grooved wick includes a plurality of individual particles having an average diameter, and including at least two lands that are in fluid communication with one another through a particle layer disposed between at least two lands that comprises less than about six average particle diameters.
A method for making a heat pipe wick on an inside surface of a heat pipe container is also provided comprising the steps of positioning a mandrel having a grooved contour and a plurality of recesses within a portion of the container. Providing a slurry of metal particles having an average particle diameter and that are suspended in a viscous binder. Coating at least part of the inside surface of the container with the slurry so that the slurry conforms to the grooved contour of the mandrel and forms a layer of slurry between adjacent grooves that comprises no more than about six average particle diameters. Drying the slurry to form a green wick, and then heat treating the green wick to yield a final composition of the heat pipe wick.
These and other features and advantages of the present invention will be more fully disclosed in, or rendered obvious by, the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment of the invention, which is to be considered together with the accompanying drawings wherein like numbers refer to like parts and further wherein:
This description of preferred embodiments is intended to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings, which are to be considered part of the entire written description of this invention. The drawing figures are not necessarily to scale and certain features of the invention may be shown exaggerated in scale or in somewhat schematic form in the interest of clarity and conciseness. In the description, relative terms such as “horizontal,” “vertical,” “up,” “down,” “top” and “bottom” as well as derivatives thereof (e.g., “horizontally,” “downwardly,” “upwardly,” etc.) should be construed to refer to the orientation as then described or as shown in the drawing figure under discussion. These relative terms are for convenience of description and normally are not intended to require a particular orientation. Terms including “inwardly” versus “outwardly,” “longitudinal” versus “lateral” and the like are to be interpreted relative to one another or relative to an axis of elongation, or an axis or center of rotation, as appropriate. Terms concerning attachments, coupling and the like, such as “connected” and “interconnected,” refer to a relationship wherein structures are secured or attached to one another either directly or indirectly through intervening structures, as well as both movable or rigid attachments or relationships, unless expressly described otherwise. The term “operatively connected” is such an attachment, coupling or connection that allows the pertinent structures to operate as intended by virtue of that relationship. In the claims, means-plus-function clauses are intended to cover the structures described, suggested, or rendered obvious by the written description or drawings for performing the recited function, including not only structural equivalents but also equivalent structures.
Referring to
A vapor chamber 12 is defined between a bottom wall 15 and a top wall 17, and extends transversely and longitudinally throughout planar heat pipe heat spreader 2 (
Bottom wall 15 preferably comprises a substantially planer outer surface 20, an inner surface 22, a peripheral edge wall 23, and a plurality of outwardly projecting posts 24. Peripheral edge wall 23 projects outwardly from the peripheral edge of inner surface 22 so as to circumscribe inner surface 22. Posts 24 are arranged in a selected pattern that is more dense in evaporator section 5 than in condenser section 7 (
Sintered wick 9 comprises an integral layer of sintered, thermally conductive material, that is formed on at least inner surface 22 of bottom wall 15 and on the side surfaces of posts 24. Sintered wick 9 is formed from metal powder 30 that is sintered in place around a shaped mandrel 31 (
Significantly groove-wick 45 is formed so as to be thin enough that the conduction delta-T is small enough to prevent boiling from initiating at the interface between inner surface 22 of bottom wall 15 and the sintered powder forming the wick. Groove-wick 45 is an extremely thin wick structure that is fed by spaced lands 42 which provide the required cross-sectional area to maintain effective working fluid flow. In cross-section, groove-wick 45 comprises an optimum design when it comprises the largest possible (limited by capillary limitations) flat area between lands 42 (
Referring to
Sintered wick 9 is formed on inner surface 22 of heat pipe heat spreader 2 by first positioning mandrel 31 within the bottom half of heat pipe heat spreader 2 (identified generally in
Vapor chamber 12 is created by the attachment of bottom wall 15 and top wall 17, along their common edges which are then hermetically sealed at their joining interface 60. A two-phase vaporizable liquid (e.g., ammonia or freon not shown) resides within vapor chamber 12, and serves as the working fluid for heat pipe heat spreader 2. Heat pipe heat spreader 2 is formed by drawing a partial vacuum within vapor chamber 12 and injecting the working fluid just prior to final hermetic sealing of the common edges of bottom wall 15 and top wall 17. For example, heat pipe heat spreader 2 (including bottom wall 15 and top wall 17) may be made of copper or copper silicon carbide with water, ammonia, or freon generally chosen as the two-phase vaporizable liquid.
Referring to
It is to be understood that the present invention is by no means limited only to the particular constructions herein disclosed and shown in the drawings, but also comprises any modifications or equivalents within the scope of the claims.
This application claims priority from co-pending Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/407,059, filed Aug. 28, 2002, and entitled VAPOR CHAMBER THERMAL SOLUTION FOR MOBILE PROCESSOR COOLING.
Number | Date | Country | |
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60407059 | Aug 2002 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 10606905 | Jun 2003 | US |
Child | 11003246 | Dec 2004 | US |