Cold plate assemblies, integrated domain controllers and vehicles

Abstract

This invention relates to a cold plate assembly, comprising a first side plate and a second side plate with multiple guide plates disposed within an inner cavity, a liquid inlet and a liquid outlet; and multiple spaced-apart first partitions, each of which is connected at both ends to the sidewalls of the first and second side plates. The first partitions have flow channels communicating with the inner cavities of the first and second side plates. The first partitions of this invention serve as the primary cooling element, contacting the device to be cooled, such as a circuit board casing, to dissipate heat. The guide plates within the first and second side plates act as coolant guides, directing the coolant continuously through the flow channels of the first partitions to promptly remove heat conducted from the device to be cooled, preventing localized overheating. Due to the large contact area between the first partitions and the device to be cooled, the heat dissipation effect is better, resulting in a high utilization rate of the cold plate assembly.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to cold plates, and more particularly to a cold plate assembly, an integrated domain controller using the cold plate assembly, and a vehicle. Background Technology

[0002] As the iteration speed of automotive products becomes faster and faster, the number of circuit boards used in vehicle integrated domain controllers is also increasing, resulting in higher power consumption and more dispersed heat sources. Therefore, existing finned air cooling, heat pipes, VC (Vapor Chambers / Planar Heat Pipes / Popular Heat Dissipation Plates) and fan cooling can no longer meet the requirements of high power consumption and wide-area heat dissipation. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The purpose of this invention is to provide a cold plate assembly that can meet the heat dissipation requirements of multi-circuit board integration.

[0004] A cold plate assembly includes: a hollow first side plate with multiple guide plates disposed within its inner cavity; a hollow second side plate with multiple guide plates disposed within its inner cavity; an inlet and an outlet respectively disposed on the first and second side plates, or on one of the two; and multiple spaced-apart first partitions, each first partition having both ends connected to the sidewalls of the first and second side plates. The first partitions have flow channels communicating with the inner cavities of the first and second side plates.

[0005] Preferably, at least a portion of the multiple guide plates have notches or through holes formed on them to prevent laminar flow.

[0006] In one embodiment, multiple guide plates in the first and second side plates are parallel to the first partition and spaced apart, and flow channels are formed between the ends of the multiple guide plates and the inner wall of the first side plate.

[0007] In one embodiment, the cold plate assembly further includes a plurality of second partitions that divide the inner cavity of the first side plate into spaces that are not directly connected to each other, and a plurality of third partitions that divide the inner cavity of the second side plate into spaces that are not directly connected to each other; the number of the plurality of second partitions and the number of the plurality of third partitions are the same as the number of the plurality of first partitions.

[0008] In one implementation, the second and third partitions divide the inner cavities of the first and second side plates into multiple spaces from bottom to top, respectively. The multiple spaces of the first and second partitions are numbered sequentially as 1, 2, ..., n, where n is a non-zero integer. The multiple guide plates in the first side plate are arranged in the spaces with odd numbers, and the multiple guide plates in the second side plate are arranged in the spaces with even numbers. The two ends of the flow channel of the first partition are connected to the spaces where the guide plates are arranged.

[0009] In one embodiment, the liquid inlet is located at the lower end of the first side plate and communicates with the space numbered 1 on the first side plate.

[0010] In one implementation, the inner cavity of the first side plate is defined to include a plurality of non-directly connected receiving spaces from bottom to top, and the inner cavity of the second side plate also includes at least one non-directly connected receiving space from bottom to top, and the guide plate is disposed in the receiving space; one end of the flow channel of the first partition is connected to one of the receiving spaces of the first side plate, and the other end is connected to one of the receiving spaces of the second side plate.

[0011] In one embodiment, the cold plate assembly further includes a bottom plate disposed below the plurality of first partitions and a top plate disposed above the plurality of first partitions, wherein the two ends of the bottom plate and the top plate are respectively connected to the first side plate and the second side plate.

[0012] The present invention also provides an integrated domain controller, including multiple circuit boards and the aforementioned cold plate assembly, wherein the multiple circuit boards are disposed above or below the first partition, and the circuit boards or circuit board housings are in contact with the surface of the first partition.

[0013] The present invention also provides a vehicle including the above-described integrated domain controller, wherein the inlet and outlet of the cold plate assembly of the integrated domain controller are connected to the vehicle's coolant tank.

[0014] The first partition of the cold plate assembly of the present invention serves as the main cooling element, contacting the device to be cooled, such as a circuit board or its casing, to dissipate heat. The guide plates within the first and second side plates act as coolant guides, directing the coolant flow continuously within the flow channels of the first partition to promptly remove heat conducted from the device and prevent localized overheating. Due to the large contact area between the first partition and the device, heat dissipation is better, resulting in high utilization of the cold plate assembly. The cold plate assembly has a multi-layer support structure, facilitating the distributed heat dissipation of multiple circuit boards of an integrated domain controller while maintaining centralized placement. It also facilitates replacement when individual circuit boards of the integrated domain controller need to be iterated. When additional circuit boards are needed for the integrated domain controller, the number of cooling components can be increased by connecting multiple cooling components in series via inlet and outlet ports, or by connecting multiple cooling components in parallel to extend the product. Product extension can also be achieved by increasing the length or width of the first partition, thereby easily meeting the heat dissipation requirements of different integrated domain controllers. Therefore, the cold plate assembly of this invention can meet the heat dissipation requirements of multi-circuit board integration in existing integrated domain controllers, and can also meet the expansion requirements of cold plate assemblies caused by product extension. Furthermore, the structure of the cold plate assembly of this invention allows for die-casting, facilitating mass production. Attached Figure Description

[0015] Figure 1 This is a perspective view of the cold plate assembly in Example 1.

[0016] Figure 2 for Figure 1 A partial cross-sectional view of the intercooler plate assembly, in which the first side plate is vertically cut open by a surface parallel to the short side of the first partition plate.

[0017] Figure 3 for Figure 2 Front view of the cross-section.

[0018] Figure 4 for Figure 1 A partial cross-sectional view of the intercooler plate assembly, in which the cold plate assembly is horizontally cut open from below the first partition.

[0019] Figure 5 for Figure 1 A partial cross-sectional view of the intercooler plate assembly, showing the second side plate vertically cut open by a surface parallel to the short side of the first partition. Detailed Implementation

[0020] The cold plate assembly of the present invention will be described in further detail below with reference to specific embodiments and accompanying drawings.

[0021] like Figure 1 As shown, the cold plate assembly of Embodiment 1 of the present invention mainly includes a bottom plate 10 at the bottom, a top plate 11 at the top, two first partitions 12 located between the bottom plate 10 and the top plate 11, and first side plates 13 and second side plates 14 located on both sides. The bottom plate 10, the multiple first partitions 12, and the top plate 11 are spaced apart, forming gaps between adjacent plates for inserting a cooling device. The two ends of the bottom plate 10, the multiple first partitions 12, and the top plate 11 are connected to the side walls of the first side plates 13 and the second side plates 14, thus the cold plate assembly as a whole is in the form of a frame.

[0022] Please also refer to Figures 2 to 5As shown, both the first side plate 13 and the second side plate 14 have cavities (i.e., hollow, forming an inner cavity). The first partition plate 12 has a flow channel 121 communicating with the inner cavities of the first side plate 13 and the second side plate 14. The lower part of the front end face 131 of the first side plate 13 has an inlet 15, and the upper part has an outlet 16. During operation, to rapidly cool the first partition plate 12, coolant needs to flow from the inlet 15 into the cavity of the first side plate 13, then through the flow channel 121 of the lower first partition plate 12, into the cavity of the second side plate 14, then through the flow channel 121 of the upper first partition plate 12, into the cavity of the first side plate 13, and finally out through the outlet 16. To guide the coolant flow in this manner, multiple guide plates 17 are provided inside the inner cavities of the first side plate 13 and the second side plate 14.

[0023] When the cold plate assembly of the present invention is applied to an integrated domain controller, multiple circuit boards of the integrated domain controller are disposed above or below a first partition, with the circuit boards in contact with the surface of one of the first partitions to achieve effective heat conduction. In a specific implementation, the circuit boards may be housed within a housing, in which case the circuit boards are in close contact with the housing, and the housing of the circuit boards is in contact with the surface of the first partition, thereby allowing the first partition to absorb the heat dissipated by the circuit boards through the housing. In the following text, any reference to the surface contact between the circuit board and the first partition includes either the contact between the circuit board itself and the surface of the first partition or the contact between the circuit board housing and the surface of the first partition.

[0024] When the aforementioned integrated domain controller is the vehicle's integrated domain controller, the inlet 15 and outlet 16 of the cold plate assembly are adjacent to the vehicle's coolant tank. The liquid pump that controls the coolant flow rate and volume can be controlled by the integrated domain controller or by other on-board controllers.

[0025] The main body of the cold plate assembly of the present invention (including a first partition, a first side plate, and a second side plate) can be manufactured by die casting. Openings are provided on the first and second side plates for inserting guide plates. The guide plates can be fixed inside the first and second side plates by welding, and then the openings on the first and second side plates are sealed. The entire cold plate assembly can be made of a metal or alloy with good thermal conductivity. The first partition 12 of the cold plate assembly serves as the main cooling element, contacting the circuit board of the device to be cooled, such as the integrated domain controller circuit board of a vehicle, to dissipate heat from the circuit board. The guide plates 17 within the first and second side plates 13 and 14 serve as coolant guiding devices, guiding the coolant to flow continuously in a preset direction within the cold plate assembly and preventing laminar flow, thus promptly removing heat conducted from the circuit board and preventing localized high temperatures that could affect its use. Due to the large contact area between the first partition 12 and the circuit board, the heat dissipation effect is better, and the overall utilization rate of the cold plate assembly is high. Furthermore, the cold plate assembly features a multi-layer support structure, facilitating the distributed heat dissipation of multiple circuit boards in an integrated domain controller while maintaining centralized placement. It also simplifies replacement when individual circuit boards of the integrated domain controller need to be replaced. When additional circuit boards are required in the integrated domain controller, the number of cooling components can be increased by connecting multiple cooling components in series via inlet 15 and outlet 16, or by connecting multiple cooling components in parallel to extend the product. Product extension can also be achieved by increasing the length or width of the first partition 12, thus easily meeting the heat dissipation requirements of different integrated domain controllers. Therefore, the cold plate assembly of this invention can meet the heat dissipation requirements of existing integrated domain controllers with multiple integrated circuit boards, and can also meet the expansion requirements of the cold plate assembly due to product extension. In addition, the structure of the cold plate assembly of this invention allows for die-casting, facilitating mass production.

[0026] In this embodiment, the cold plate assembly further includes two second partitions 18 and two third partitions 19. The second partitions 18 divide the inner cavity of the first side plate 13 into three spaces from bottom to top, which are numbered 1, 2, and 3 from bottom to top for ease of description. The liquid inlet 15 communicates with the lower part of the first space, and the liquid outlet 16 communicates with the upper part of the third space. Multiple guide plates 17 are provided in both the first and third spaces of the first side plate 13. These guide plates 17 are arranged parallel and spaced apart within the spaces, preferably parallel to the first partitions 12. The two long sides of the guide plates 17 are preferably connected to the inner wall of the first side plate 13 or have only a very small gap, while the two short sides (i.e., both ends) have a larger gap with the inner wall of the first side plate 13 to form flow channels. In this embodiment, since the width of the first partition 12 (i.e., both ends of the first partition) is relatively wide, two sets of guide plates 17 are arranged side by side in the first space and the third space of the first side plate 13, and there is also a flow channel between the two sets of guide plates 17. In order to prevent the coolant from laminar flow, each guide plate 17 is also formed with a notch or through hole 171, so that when the coolant flows in the inner cavity of the first side plate 13, a flow velocity difference is generated, and the coolant can be fully mixed, so that the heat can be effectively absorbed and carried away by the coolant. The flow channel 121 of the lower first partition 12 of the two first partitions is connected to the upper part of the first space of the first side plate 13, so that after the coolant fills the first space, it can flow through the lower first partition 12 into the cavity of the second side plate 14.

[0027] Similarly, the third partition 19 divides the inner cavity of the second side plate 14 into three spaces from bottom to top. For ease of description, these three spaces are also numbered 1, 2, and 3 from bottom to top. The flow channel 121 of the lower first partition 12 communicates with the lower part of the second space of the second side plate 14, and the flow channel of the upper first partition 12 communicates with the upper part of the second space of the second side plate 14. Multiple guide plates 17 are disposed within the second space of the second side plate 14. These guide plates 17 are arranged parallel and spaced apart within the second space of the second side plate 14, preferably parallel to the first partition 12. The two long sides of the guide plates 17 are preferably connected to the inner wall of the second side plate 14 or have only a very small gap, while the two short sides (i.e., both ends) have a larger gap with the inner wall of the second side plate 14 to form flow channels. To prevent laminar flow of the coolant, each guide plate 17 is also provided with a notch or through hole 171. This allows the coolant to flow in the inner cavity of the second side plate 14, creating turbulence due to the velocity difference. This ensures thorough mixing of the coolant, allowing heat to be effectively absorbed and carried away. After flowing through the second space of the second side plate 14, the coolant flows through the first partition 12 above it and enters the third space of the first side plate 13. After thorough mixing, it flows out from the outlet 16.

[0028] Furthermore, the first partition 12 contains multiple flow channels 121 spaced apart, thus distributing the coolant within each flow channel 121 and preventing the formation of large-area laminar flow within the first partition. This allows for sufficient and relatively uniform cooling of the first partition 12. Simultaneously, the multiple flow channels also enhance the strength of the first partition 12, enabling the use of more easily processed aluminum materials in the product.

[0029] In essence, the second baffle 18 and the third baffle 19 can also be regarded as special guide plates, used to guide the coolant to flow and mix according to the preset path, prevent the coolant from mixing and flowing only in the first side plate 13, prevent laminar flow from occurring in the first side plate 13, the second side plate 14 and the first baffle 12, so as to remove the heat conducted from the circuit board in time, prevent the circuit board from having local high temperature, and affect the use of the circuit board.

[0030] In addition, the position of the liquid inlet 15 is lower than that of the first partition 12 located at the bottom layer, which can also effectively prevent laminar flow in the cold plate assembly.

[0031] When it is necessary to place a dual-board card (i.e., a double-layer circuit board or two circuit boards are installed in one housing), the distance between adjacent first partitions 12, or the distance between the bottom plate 10 and the first partition 12, or the distance between the top plate 11 and the first partition 12 can be increased. For example, in Embodiment 1, the distance between the bottom plate 10 and the first partition 12 is greater than the distance between two first partitions 12, so that a dual-board card can be placed between the bottom plate 10 and the first partition 12. At this time, the strength of the cold plate assembly can be increased by adding a reinforcing plate 20 in the first space of the first side plate, while also preventing the occurrence of laminar flow. The long side of the reinforcing plate 20 is connected to the side wall of the first space of the first side plate, and flow channels are formed between the two ends and the side wall of the first space of the first side plate. Guide plates 17 are respectively arranged above and below the reinforcing plate 20.

[0032] Furthermore, when the length of the first partition 12 is relatively long, support plates can be installed between the two first partitions, between the first partition and the bottom plate, and between the first partition and the top plate to increase the strength of the cold plate assembly. One end of the support plate is connected to the lower first partition or bottom plate, and the other end is connected to the upper first partition or top plate.

[0033] In the first embodiment described above, each guide plate 17 has a notch or through hole 171. It is understood that in other embodiments, the notch or through hole 171 may only be formed on a portion of the guide plates 17, and the notches or through holes 171 of adjacent guide plates may be staggered and their sizes may not be the same, as long as laminar flow can be effectively prevented.

[0034] In the first embodiment described above, multiple guide vanes 17 are parallel to the first partition 12. It is understood that in other embodiments, the multiple guide vanes 17 may not be parallel to the first partition 12, and may not be parallel to each other, in order to guide the coolant to flow and mix fully within the inner cavities of the first side plate 13 and the second side plate 14.

[0035] In the first embodiment described above, the cold plate assembly includes two first partitions 12. It is understood that in other embodiments, the cold plate assembly may include three or more first partitions. When an even number of first partitions are included, the inlet 15 and outlet 16 can both be located on the first side plate. When an odd number of first partitions are included, the inlet and outlet need to be located on the first and second side plates respectively, so that the coolant flows through the first partitions from bottom to top, achieving distributed heat dissipation. Correspondingly, the number of second partitions 18 and third partitions 19, which serve as special guide plates, also changes in the same way (the same number as the first partitions), and corresponding guide plates are provided within the inner cavities of the first and second side plates through which the coolant needs to flow, to guide the flow of the coolant and fully mix it.

[0036] In the first embodiment described above, the second partition 18 and the third partition 19 act as special guide plates, dividing the inner cavities of the first and second side plates into three spaces respectively. It is understood that in other embodiments, the spaces within the first and second side plates through which no coolant flows can be made solid during the manufacturing stage. In this way, the inner cavities of the first and second side plates only include multiple non-directly communicating receiving spaces, each of which is equipped with a guide plate. One end of the flow channel of the first partition communicates with one of the receiving spaces of the first side plate, and the other end communicates with one of the receiving spaces of the second side plate. Coolant can flow sequentially through these receiving spaces and the first partition in a predetermined manner, achieving good heat dissipation.

[0037] In the first embodiment described above, the inlet 15 is located at the lower part of the cold plate assembly, and the outlet 16 is located at the upper part of the cold plate assembly. The position of the inlet 15 is lower than that of the first partition at the bottom. The coolant flows meanderingly from bottom to top within the cold plate assembly, facilitating and effectively controlling the flow direction of the coolant, ensuring thorough mixing, and preventing laminar flow. It is understood that in other embodiments, the inlet can be located at the upper part of the cold plate assembly, and the outlet at the lower part, allowing the coolant to flow meanderingly from top to bottom within the cold plate assembly. With proper arrangement of the guide plate, the flow direction of the coolant can also be effectively controlled, ensuring thorough mixing. For example, the periphery of the guide plate can be connected to the inner walls of the first and second side plates, achieved by appropriately setting the size and position of the notches or through holes on the guide plate, as well as the angle of the guide plate.

[0038] In the first embodiment described above, the cold plate assembly includes a bottom plate 10 and a top plate 11. Neither the bottom plate 10 nor the top plate 11 contains flow channels, but both are made of a metal material with good thermal conductivity, which can enhance the overall strength of the cold plate assembly and improve heat dissipation efficiency. It is understood that in other embodiments, one or both of the top and bottom plates may be omitted.

[0039] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that terms such as "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," and "outer" indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limiting this invention.

[0040] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this invention, "a plurality of" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0041] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "linking," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0042] Although the description of the invention has been given in conjunction with the specific embodiments described above, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many substitutions, modifications, and variations can be made based on the foregoing. Therefore, all such substitutions, modifications, and variations are included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A cold-plate assembly, characterized in that, include: The first side plate is hollow, and multiple guide plates are installed inside its cavity; The hollow second side plate has multiple guide plates installed inside its cavity; The inlet and outlet are respectively provided on the first side plate and the second side plate, or on one of the two; and Multiple spaced-apart first partitions, each of which is connected at both ends to the sidewalls of the first and second side panels; The first partition has a flow channel that communicates with the inner cavity of the first side plate and the second side plate. The liquid inlet is located at the lower end of the first side plate or the second side plate, and its position is lower than the lowest first partition plate; The liquid outlet is located on the upper part of the first side plate or the second side plate, and is positioned higher than the uppermost first partition plate. The guide plate is a plate-shaped structure parallel to the first partition plate and is spaced apart. The ends of the multiple guide plates form a flow channel from bottom to top between the ends and between the guide plates and the inner wall of the first side plate. At least a portion of the multiple guide plates have notches or through holes formed on them to prevent laminar flow.

2. The cold plate assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a plurality of second partitions that divide the inner cavity of the first side plate into spaces that are not directly connected to each other, and a plurality of third partitions that divide the inner cavity of the second side plate into spaces that are not directly connected to each other; the number of the plurality of second partitions and the number of the plurality of third partitions are the same as the number of the plurality of first partitions.

3. The cold plate assembly according to claim 2, characterized in that, The second and third partitions divide the inner cavities of the first and second side plates into multiple spaces from bottom to top, respectively. The multiple spaces of the first and second partitions from bottom to top are numbered 1, 2, ..., n, where n is a non-zero integer. The multiple guide plates in the first side plate are set in the spaces with odd numbers, and the multiple guide plates in the second side plate are set in the spaces with even numbers. The two ends of the flow channel of the first partition are connected to the spaces where the guide plates are set.

4. The cold plate assembly according to claim 3, characterized in that, The liquid inlet is located at the lower end of the first side plate and communicates with the space numbered 1 on the first side plate.

5. The cold plate assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The inner cavity of the first side plate is defined as including a plurality of non-directly connected receiving spaces from bottom to top, and the inner cavity of the second side plate is also including at least one non-directly connected receiving space from bottom to top. The guide plate is disposed in the receiving space. One end of the flow channel of the first partition is connected to one of the receiving spaces of the first side plate, and the other end is connected to one of the receiving spaces of the second side plate.

6. The cold plate assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a bottom plate disposed below the multiple first partitions and a top plate disposed above the multiple first partitions, wherein the two ends of the bottom plate and the top plate are respectively connected to the first side plate and the second side plate.

7. An integrated domain controller, comprising multiple circuit boards, characterized in that, The integrated domain controller further includes the cold plate assembly as described in claim 1, wherein the plurality of circuit boards are disposed above or below the first partition, and the circuit boards or circuit board housings are in contact with the surface of the first partition.

8. A vehicle, characterized in that, Includes the integrated domain controller as described in claim 7, wherein the inlet and outlet of the cold plate assembly of the integrated domain controller are connected to the vehicle's coolant tank.

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