Abstract: A heat exchanger, especially for use in conjunction with a wide range of computer systems ranging from work stations to massively parallel processors is employable with both air and water cooling systems. In particular, a heat exchanger is provided which is convertible from a heat sink modality to an air cooling modality and finally to a liquid cooling modality in response to either increased performance demands or an increase in the number of processors or circuit components employed. The conversion may be carried out in the field and provides a flexible and less costly upgradeability path for data processing customers.

Abstract: A device and method for cryogenic cooling of electronic components. A mixture of a first non-condensible gas and a second condensible gas is provided within an insulative housing. The non-condensible gas mixture has a partial pressure equal to the desired saturation pressure of the condensible gas. The insulative housing also includes an immersion chamber for housing electronic components. The immersion chamber preferably comprises two retainer parts and provides an module retainer top and a lower coldplate retainer bottom. The module retainer top allows gas to pass through the module retainer portion freely. The condensible gas is then turned into liquid form by a provided condensing means. The condensed liquid thus forms and collects inside the immersion chamber against the coldplate retainer bottom to cool the electronic components placed within. The non-condensible gas permits the condensed liquid to be subcooled.

Abstract: A configuration of solid state thermoelectric heat transfer or removal elements is provided to enhance the rate and amount of heat removal from electrical and electronic circuit devices. By rotating the thermoelectric heat transfer modules ninety degrees and by disposing them between the interdigitated fingers of a cold plate and a heat transfer plate possessing fins, improved thermal transfer is produced without the necessity of liquid coolants or moving part cooling devices. Accordingly, a method and apparatus is provided for enhancing heat transfer using thermoelectric modules. One embodiment of the present invention is particularly seen to be easy to manufacture. Additionally, this embodiment also possesses desirable heat transfer characteristics in terms of the cross sections of thermally conductive components.

Abstract: The pistons of a cold plate frame orient themselves as a result of being free to move along one axis and about two other axes by the reflowing of solder tinning on the external surfaces of the pistons and the walls of the recesses within which the pistons reside. As the pistons are permitted to move freely under a biasing force during the solder reflow the face of the piston will engage with the top surface of an electronic chip against which the piston is engaged. The cooling of the solder after reflow will freeze the position and orientation of the piston to that of the electronic chip and will permit enhanced cooling. The cold plate may be disassembled from and reassembled with the components of the cooling system and the electronic chips while maintaining significantly enhanced cooling capabilities.

Abstract: A convertible cooling module, especially for use in conjunction with a wide range of computer systems ranging from workstations to massively parallel processors is employable with both air and water cooling systems. In particular, a cooling module is convertible from a heat sink modality to an air cooling modality, and finally to a liquid cooling modality in response to either increased performance demands or an increase in the number of processors or circuit components employed. The conversion may be carried out in the field and provides a flexible and less costly upgradeability path for computer customers.

Abstract: Electronic chips are cooled to an efficient operating temperature by engaging their exposed planar surfaces with a heat sink assembly. The heat sink assembly is a part of the cold end heat sink of a thermoacoustic heat pump that utilizes either traveling wave or standing wave heat pumping to transport heat from the cold end heat exchanger to the warm end heat exchanger, utilizing a coaxial pulse tube refrigerator to pump or transport the heat from the electronic chips and the cold end heat exchanger.

Abstract: A cold plate for cooling electronic modules and devices is disclosed which incorporates an intersecting flow network. The flow network is designed and devised such that flow paths are arranged in a rectilinear fashion surrounding blocks of material which act as heat sinks. Supply conduits and return conduits for supplying and returning cooling fluid are disposed orthogonally to the flow directions within the flow paths and such that each supply channel is circumscribed by a plurality of return channels, and each return channel is circumscribed by a plurality of supply channels. The arrangement of the supply and return channels insures the shortest possible flow path for the cooling fluid thereby insuring maximum cooling efficiency and minimizing and localizing the temperature rise in the cooling fluid during passage from the supply conduit to the return conduit.

Abstract: An impingement cooled compliant heat sink (CHS) is employed to extract heat from an array of computer chips in an electric module. A variety of embodiments and variations are provided. The most basic implementation is a metal sheet that is brought into contact with chips on a multi-chip module, and acts as a spreader plate for jet impingement immersion cooling with fluorocarbon, liquid nitrogen, or other dielectric liquids. This can increase cooling at a given flow rate by increasing the area for heat transfer. Slots and/or holes in teh sheet located between the chip sites serve to: (1) create flexible joints in the sheet between the chips to permit conformity to neighboring chip sites, (2) allow for clearance of decoupling capacitors and other structures on the substrate between the chips, and (3) permit the dielectric coolant to flow through the plate so that there will be no pressure difference across the CHS.

Abstract: A system and method of cooling which uses both jet impingement and conduction cooling. Conduction cooling is accomplished by placing a cluster of pistons in contact with each chip. The pistons have a rectangular foot at the bottom which contacts the chip. A dielectric coolant, such as liquid nitrogen or fluorocarbon is delivered at the center of each cluster, the fluid flows over the top of the feet, and in the channels between the feet, providing jet enhanced convective cooling at the lower portion of the pistons. Advantageously, the pistons serve as extended surfaces which increase the area over which the forced convection cooling occurs. In a preferred embodiment, microfins protruding from the header sections of each piston further increase the area for heat transfer. In addition, for non-boiling applications, grooves are added to the piston foot surface that contact the chip to insure wetting of the chip-piston interface.