Loop-type heat exchange device

Abstract

A loop-type heat exchange device (10) is disclosed, which includes an evaporator (20), a condenser (40), a vapor conduit (30) and a liquid conduit (50). The evaporator defines therein a chamber for containing a working fluid. The chamber is divided into an evaporating region and a micro-channel region. The working fluid in the evaporator evaporates into vapor after absorbing heat at the evaporating region, and the generated vapor flows, via the vapor conduit, to the condenser where the vapor releases its latent heat of evaporation and is condensed into condensate. The condensate then returns back, via the liquid conduit, to the evaporator to thereby form a heat transfer loop. The evaporator is configured in such a manner that an amount of vapor to be formed and accumulated in the micro-channel region can be minimized.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001] The present invention relates generally to an apparatus for transfer or dissipation of heat from heat-generating components, and more particularly to a loop-type heat exchange device suitable for removing heat from electronic components. DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART [0002] As progress continues to be made in electronic industries, electronic components such as integrated circuit chips are produced to have more powerful functions while maintaining a unchanged size or even a smaller size. As a result, the amount of heat generated by these electronic components during their normal operations is commensurately increased, which in turn will adversely affect their workability and stability. It is well known that cooling devices are commonly used to remove heat from heat-generating components. However, currently well-known cooling devices such as heat sink plus cooling fan are no longer qualified or desirable for removing the heat from these electronic component...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0008] The present invention relates to a loop-type heat exchange device for removing heat from a heat-generating component. The heat exchange device includes an evaporator, a condenser, a vapor conduit and a liquid conduit. The evaporator defines therein a chamber for containing a working fluid. The chamber is divided into two regions. The working fluid is capable of turning into vapor in the evaporator upon receiving the heat at one region of said chamber from the heat-generating component. Each of the vapor and liquid conduits is connected between the evaporator and the condenser. The vapor generated in the evaporator is capable of being transferred via the vapor conduit to the condenser and turning into condensate in the condenser upon releasing the heat carried by the vapor. The condensate is capable of being transferred via the liquid conduit to the evaporator. The heat exchange device further includes means formed on the evaporator for reducing an amount of vapor being accumulated in the other region of the chamber of the evaporator.

[0009] In one embodiment of the present heat exchange device, said means for reducing the amount of vapor being accumulated in the other region of the chamber of the evaporator is a cooling device thermally connected to the evaporator corresponding to that region. The cooling device may be a plurality of cooling fins connected to an outer surface of the evaporator. In an alternative embodiment, the evaporator includes a top cover and a bottom cover cooperating with each other to define the chamber of the evaporator and said means is a projected section from the bottom cover corresponding to the one region of the chamber of the evaporator. The cooling device is capable of condensing that portion of vapor having entered into the other region of the chamber and meanwhile maintaining a low temperature for that region. The projected section of the bottom cover is used to receive the heat from the heat-generating component and functions for reducing an amount of the heat to be conducted from the projected section to the remaining part of the bottom cover and finally to the other region of the chamber. On this basis, the vapor formed and accumulated in the other region of the chamber is reduced to a minimum amount and the unidirectional working fluid movement mechanism along the heat transfer loop established by the present heat exchange device is well followed, thus effectively taking the heat away from the heat-generating component.

Problems solved by technology

As a result, the amount of heat generated by these electronic components during their normal operations is commensurately increased, which in turn will adversely affect their workability and stability.

However, currently well-known cooling devices such as heat sink plus cooling fan are no longer qualified or desirable for removing the heat from these electronic components due to their low heat removal capacity.

However, if the rotation speed of the cooling fan is increased, problems such as large noise will inevitably be raised.

On the other hand, by increasing the size of the heat sink, it will make the cooling device bulky, which contravenes the current trend towards miniaturization.

Heat pipes are an effective heat transfer means due to their low thermal resistance.

In the heat pipe, however, there still exists a fatal drawback awaited to be overcome.

If the condensate is not timely sent back to the evaporating section, the heat pipe will suffer a dry-out problem at that section.

In this situation, the loop-type heat exchange device cannot have an optimal heat dissipation performance.

If the condensate is not brought back to that place timely due to the influence of the vapor, a dry-out problem will accordingly be raised in the evaporator.

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