Thermal control device and method and electronic equipment

Abstract

The invention discloses a thermal control device and method and electronic equipment, the thermal control device comprises at least two cold plates and at least one filter module; wherein every two adjacent cold plates are connected through a heat circulation pipeline, and a bypass pipeline is arranged on each heat circulation pipeline; the cold plate is used for carrying out heat exchange with the corresponding chips through the input liquid phase change material, absorbing heat generated by the chips and outputting a gas-liquid mixed phase change material; and the filtering module is used for filtering and shunting the gas-liquid mixed phase change material, the obtained gaseous phase change material flows out through the corresponding bypass pipeline, and the obtained liquid phase change material flows out to the adjacent cold plate through the heat circulation pipeline.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of electronic temperature control, specifically to a thermal control device, method, and electronic device. Background Technology

[0002] With the rapid development of high-performance computing, the power density and heat flux density of chips continue to rise, rendering air cooling and single-phase liquid cooling inefficient and unable to meet the demands for efficient heat dissipation. Against this backdrop, two-phase liquid cooling technology, due to its high-efficiency heat conduction capability, is widely used in the thermal management of high-power chips. It achieves effective cooling of the chip by allowing the liquid refrigerant to absorb heat and vaporize within a cold plate.

[0003] However, in scenarios where multiple cold plates are used in series, the refrigerant output by the upstream cold plate is in a gas-liquid mixed state. Since some of the refrigerant has already vaporized, the downstream cold plate cannot obtain enough liquid refrigerant to effectively cool the chip, which affects the heat exchange efficiency of the downstream cold plate and leads to a reduction in the overall heat exchange capacity. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This application mainly provides a thermal control device, method, and electronic device, and the technical solution of this application is implemented as follows: In a first aspect, embodiments of this application provide a thermal control device, including at least two cold plates and at least one filter module; wherein: every two adjacent cold plates are connected by a thermal circulation pipeline, and each thermal circulation pipeline is provided with a bypass pipeline; the cold plates are used to exchange heat with the corresponding chips through the input liquid phase change material, absorb the heat generated by the chips, and output gas-liquid mixed phase change material; the filter module is used to filter and divert the gas-liquid mixed phase change material, so that the gaseous phase change material flows out through the corresponding bypass pipeline, and the liquid phase change material flows out to the adjacent cold plates through the thermal circulation pipeline.

[0005] In some embodiments, the filtration module includes a microporous membrane; the pore size of the microporous membrane is less than or equal to a first preset value; wherein the first preset value is associated with the type of phase change material, the pressure in the thermal circulation pipeline, and the contact angle between the microporous membrane and the phase change material.

[0006] In some embodiments, a microporous membrane is disposed at the inlet of a bypass line and covers the inlet of the bypass line.

[0007] In some embodiments, a microporous membrane is disposed in a bypass conduit, and the edge of the microporous membrane is pressed tightly against the inner wall of the bypass conduit.

[0008] In some embodiments, the thermal control device further includes a heat exchanger; wherein: the inlet of the heat exchanger is connected to the outlet of at least one bypass pipe, and the inlet of the heat exchanger is also connected to the outlet of the last cold plate through a thermal circulation pipe; the heat exchanger is used to cool the gaseous phase change material output from at least one bypass pipe and the gas-liquid mixed phase change material output from the last cold plate through the thermal circulation pipe to obtain a liquid phase change material.

[0009] In some embodiments, the thermal control device further includes a liquid storage tank; wherein: the inlet of the liquid storage tank is connected to the heat exchanger via a thermal circulation pipeline, and the outlet of the liquid storage tank is connected to the first cold plate via a thermal circulation pipeline; the liquid storage tank is used to contain the liquid phase change material output from the heat exchanger and to output the liquid phase change material to the first cold plate via the thermal circulation pipeline.

[0010] In some embodiments, the thermal control device further includes a pump body; wherein: the pump body is disposed on the thermal circulation pipeline between the liquid storage tank and the first cold plate, and is used to control the flow and flow rate of the phase change material in the thermal circulation pipeline; wherein the flow rate is greater than or equal to a second preset value.

[0011] In some embodiments, each cold plate is in contact with a corresponding chip; the cold plate is provided with at least one heat exchange pipe, which is connected to the adjacent cold plate through a heat circulation pipe.

[0012] Secondly, embodiments of this application provide a thermal control method, the method comprising: exchanging heat between the liquid phase change material of the input cold plate and the corresponding chip respectively, absorbing the heat generated by the chip, and outputting a gas-liquid mixed phase change material; filtering the gas-liquid mixed phase change material to obtain gaseous phase change material flowing out through a corresponding bypass pipe, and obtaining liquid phase change material flowing out to an adjacent cold plate through a thermal circulation pipe.

[0013] Thirdly, embodiments of this application provide an electronic device, including at least two chips and the thermal control device described in the first aspect; the thermal control device is used to exchange heat with the at least two chips respectively and absorb the heat generated by the at least two chips. Attached Figure Description

[0014] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of multiple cold plates connected in series, provided for an embodiment of this application; Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the composition structure of a thermal control device provided in this application embodiment. Figure 1 ; Figure 3 A pressure-flow rate curve in the pipeline of a thermal control device provided in this application embodiment; Figure 4 A schematic diagram of a microporous membrane provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the composition structure of a thermal control device provided in this application embodiment. Figure 2 ; Figure 6 A schematic diagram of the composition structure of a thermal control device provided in this application embodiment. Figure 3 ; Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the composition structure of a thermal control device provided in this application embodiment. Figure 4 ; Figure 8 A schematic flowchart of a thermal control method provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the composition structure of an electronic device provided in an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0015] In order to gain a more detailed understanding of the features and technical content of the embodiments of this application, the implementation of the embodiments of this application will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The accompanying drawings are for reference and illustration only and are not intended to limit the embodiments of this application.

[0016] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application belongs. The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing embodiments of this application only and is not intended to limit this application.

[0017] In the following description, references are made to “some embodiments,” which describe a subset of all possible embodiments. However, it is understood that “some embodiments” may be the same subset or different subsets of all possible embodiments and may be combined with each other without conflict.

[0018] It should also be noted that the terms "first, second, and third" used in the embodiments of this application are only used to distinguish similar objects and do not represent a specific order of objects. It is understood that "first, second, and third" can be interchanged in a specific order or sequence where permitted, so that the embodiments of this application described herein can be implemented in an order other than that illustrated or described herein.

[0019] The following is a description of the relevant technologies used in this application.

[0020] Currently, the rapid development of technologies such as big data, artificial intelligence, and high-performance computing is placing higher demands on the computing power of chips. Chip manufacturing processes are also gradually approaching their physical limits, leading to a continuous increase in the power density and heat flux density of chips. Existing air cooling and single-phase liquid cooling methods are inefficient and cannot meet the needs of efficient heat dissipation, which can easily cause problems such as chip frequency limiting, reduced lifespan, or even failure.

[0021] Against this backdrop, two-phase liquid cooling technology, with its advantages of high heat transfer efficiency and low energy consumption, has become a key heat dissipation solution for data centers and high-end computing equipment. Two-phase liquid cooling systems utilize the phase change process of the coolant—the transformation from liquid to gas—to achieve efficient heat dissipation. The low-temperature liquid working fluid contacts the chip surface, absorbs heat, and then boils and vaporizes, carrying away a large amount of the chip's latent heat. This phase change heat absorption scheme is highly efficient and energy-saving, and has become the mainstream direction for heat dissipation of chips with high power density and heat flux density.

[0022] In one implementation, multiple cold plates are used in series to meet the heat dissipation requirements of a multi-chip system, such as... Figure 1 As shown, taking two cold plates connected in series as an example, the unmarked white parts of the pipes represent liquid refrigerant, while the parts marked with squares represent gaseous refrigerant. For example, the upper half of the pipe between cold plate 1 101 and cold plate 2 102 is marked with squares, and the lower half with white. It should be noted that although the diagram shows separate markings, the refrigerant in this section of the pipe is a gas-liquid mixture; the gaseous and liquid refrigerants are mixed in the pipe, and there is no clear boundary as shown in the diagram. Figure 1 As shown, in this series system, the refrigerant flows into the cold plate 1101 in a liquid state. After heat exchange with the cold plate 1101, it partially vaporizes and flows out as a gas-liquid mixture. This gaseous refrigerant flows towards the cold plate 2102. In this gas-liquid mixture, the gaseous refrigerant occupies the pipe space. The thermal conductivity of the gaseous refrigerant is not only much lower than that of the liquid refrigerant, but it also reduces the contact area between the liquid refrigerant and the cold plate, thus reducing the heat exchange efficiency of the cold plate 2102. This process continues until the last cold plate 2102 discharges the gas-liquid mixture from multiple cold plates to the cooling device 103. Only then does the cooling device 103 cool the gas-liquid mixture back into a liquid state, allowing it to flow back into the cold plate 1101, forming a cycle. As the number of cold plates in series increases, this difference is amplified at each stage, leading to an overall decrease in cooling efficiency. Furthermore, in a series system, the vaporization of the upstream cold plate can cause eddies and end flows in the pipeline, increasing flow resistance. This not only affects the refrigerant flow velocity but may also lead to increased pressure loss in the pipeline. This pressure change is transmitted along the pipeline to the downstream cold plate, which may not receive sufficient refrigerant for cooling due to insufficient flow, further exacerbating the deterioration of the heat exchange effect of the downstream cold plate.

[0023] Based on this, embodiments of this application provide a thermal control device, method, and electronic device. A bypass pipe is provided on the thermal circulation pipeline between every two adjacent cold plates to filter and divert the gas-liquid mixed phase change material output from the cold plates. The gaseous phase change material in the gas-liquid mixed phase change material is output through the bypass pipe, while the liquid phase change material is output to the adjacent cold plates through the circulation pipeline. In this way, the gas-liquid mixed phase change material output from the cold plates can be separated into gas and liquid phase change materials, allowing the separated liquid phase change material to continue flowing to the adjacent cold plates, increasing the proportion of liquid phase change material in the phase change material flowing to the downstream cold plates, thereby improving the heat exchange efficiency of the downstream cold plates. Moreover, since the gaseous phase change material is separated and flows out, the pressure inside the pipeline and the cold plates is reduced, increasing the circulation speed and flow rate of the phase change material, and improving the heat exchange efficiency and performance of the thermal control device.

[0024] The present application will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0025] In one embodiment of this application, as Figure 2 As shown, a thermal control device 20 is provided, including at least two cold plates and at least one filter module.

[0026] Each pair of adjacent cold plates is connected by a heat circulation pipe 203, and a bypass pipe 204 is provided on each heat circulation pipe 203.

[0027] The cold plate is used to exchange heat between the input liquid phase change material and the corresponding chip, absorbing the heat generated by the chip and outputting a gas-liquid mixed phase change material.

[0028] The filtration module is used to filter and divert the gas-liquid mixed phase change material, so that the gaseous phase change material flows out through the corresponding bypass pipeline, and the liquid phase change material flows out to the adjacent cold plate through the hot circulation pipeline.

[0029] In this embodiment, a phase change material refers to a medium that undergoes a phase change from liquid to gas during cooling, absorbing heat during this phase change. The phase change material can be of various types, such as alcohol-based solutions and fluorocarbon-based working fluids, and possesses high specific heat capacity and latent heat.

[0030] In this embodiment, the cold plate is a heat dissipation element used for heat exchange with the chip. The inlet at one end of the cold plate is connected to a heat circulation pipe. Liquid phase change material flows into the cold plate through the pipe. The cold plate has a tortuous pipe, such as an "S"-shaped pipe. The bottom of the cold plate is in contact with the chip that needs heat dissipation and is bonded to the chip by, for example, thermally conductive silicone, so that the flowing liquid phase change material can fully exchange heat with the chip. The phase change material that has absorbed heat changes from liquid to gas and mixes with the unvaporized phase change material to form a gas-liquid mixed phase change material, which flows out through the heat circulation pipe connected to the outlet at the other end of the cold plate.

[0031] In this embodiment, multiple cold plates are connected in series through a hot circulation pipeline. Each pair of adjacent cold plates is connected by a hot circulation pipeline. A filter module is installed on the hot circulation pipeline between each pair of adjacent cold plates. The inflow end of the filter module is connected to the previous cold plate, and a gas-liquid mixture flows in. The filter module has two output ends: one output end discharges liquid phase change material, and the other output end discharges gas phase change material.

[0032] In this embodiment, the filtration module includes components with filtration functions, thereby enabling the separation of gaseous and liquid phase change materials in a gas-liquid mixed flow state. For example, the filtration module may include components that allow only vapor-state phase change materials to pass through, while prohibiting the passage of liquid phase change materials. The filtration module filters out the passable gaseous phase change materials and outputs them through a bypass pipeline, while continuing to output the impassable liquid phase change materials to adjacent cold plates, thus achieving effective separation of gaseous and liquid phase change materials in the gas-liquid mixed phase change material.

[0033] It should be noted that an adjacent cold plate refers to the next cold plate adjacent to the current cold plate in the flow direction of the gas-liquid mixed phase change material flowing in the pipeline.

[0034] In this embodiment, the bypass pipeline refers to a branch pipeline connected to the hot circulation pipeline, used to lead the separated gaseous phase change material out of the hot circulation pipeline. The filtration module can be installed at the inlet of the bypass pipeline, thereby achieving the separation of the filtered gaseous and liquid phase change materials.

[0035] For example, such as Figure 2 As shown, N cold plates are connected in series, where N is a positive integer greater than or equal to 2. The inlet of the first cold plate 2011 is connected to a heat circulation pipe, through which liquid phase change material flows. The outlet of the first cold plate 2011 and the inlet of the second cold plate 2012 are connected by a heat circulation pipe 203, on which a first filter module 2021 is installed. After heat exchange between the liquid phase change material and the first cold plate 2011, the gas-liquid mixture of phase change material flows out of the outlet of the first cold plate 2011 to the first filter module 2021. After filtration and diversion by the first filter module 2021, the liquid phase change material flows into the second cold plate 2012 through the heat circulation pipe 203, while the gaseous phase change material is led out through a bypass pipe 204.

[0036] like Figure 2As shown, further, liquid phase change material flows into the inlet of the second cold plate 2012 and undergoes heat exchange. The outflowing gas-liquid mixed phase change material is filtered and diverted by the second filter module 2022, and the liquid phase change material is output to the next third cold plate through the heat circulation pipeline, and the gaseous phase change material is led out through the bypass pipeline. Thus, for multiple cold plates connected in series, each cold plate inputs liquid phase change material, until the last Nth cold plate 2013, which inputs liquid phase change material that has been filtered and diverted by the previous filter module, and the gas-liquid mixed phase change material flows out through the heat circulation pipeline.

[0037] It should be noted that the hot circulation pipes connected to the outlet of each bypass pipe and the Nth cold plate 2013 are all output to equipment that can cool the phase change material, so that the phase change material can be re-condensed into a liquid state for reuse.

[0038] It should also be noted that, compared to liquid phase change materials, gas-liquid mixed phase change materials contain a large amount of vapor, causing volume expansion. Within the fixed space of the cold plate and the thermal circulation pipeline, this results in increased pressure, reducing the flow rate of the phase change material in the thermal circulation pipeline. Consequently, the Coolant Distribution Unit (CDU) needs to provide greater pressure to force the phase change material into the cold plate. In this embodiment, the gas in the thermal circulation pipeline is led out through a bypass pipeline, reducing the pressure inside the thermal circulation pipeline and the cold plate. This allows the cooling unit to provide higher flow output and lower pressure, accelerating the thermal circulation speed of the thermal control device and thus improving the heat exchange efficiency between the cold plate and the chip.

[0039] like Figure 3 As shown, before the gaseous phase change material is filtered and diverted, the thermal control device is at point A with a higher pressure of 1.5 Bar, and the flow rate of the phase change material in the pipeline is 78 LFM; while after the gaseous phase change material is separated from the gas-liquid mixed phase change material, the thermal control device is at point B with a lower pressure of 1 Bar, and the flow rate of the phase change material in the pipeline is 132 LFM.

[0040] This application provides a thermal control device in which a bypass pipe is provided on the thermal circulation pipeline between every two adjacent cold plates. This bypass pipe filters and diverts the gas-liquid mixed phase change material output from the cold plates, outputting the gaseous phase change material through the bypass pipe and the liquid phase change material through the circulation pipeline to the adjacent cold plates. This allows for gas-liquid separation of the gas-liquid mixed phase change material output from the cold plates, enabling the separated liquid phase change material to continue flowing to the adjacent cold plates. This increases the proportion of liquid phase change material flowing to the downstream cold plates, thereby improving the heat exchange efficiency of the downstream cold plates. Furthermore, separating and flowing out the gaseous phase change material reduces the pressure inside the pipeline and the cold plates, increasing the circulation speed and flow rate of the phase change material, and improving the heat exchange efficiency and performance of the thermal control device.

[0041] In some embodiments, the filtration module includes a microporous membrane.

[0042] The pore size of the microporous membrane is less than or equal to a first preset value.

[0043] The first preset value is related to the type of phase change material, the pressure in the thermal circulation pipeline, and the contact angle between the microporous membrane and the phase change material.

[0044] In the embodiments of this application, such as Figure 4 As shown, the microporous membrane 301 is a thin film with a tiny nanoscale pore structure. The pore size of the microporous membrane 301 is less than or equal to a first preset value, which may be, for example, between 0.01 and 10 micrometers.

[0045] It should be noted that, as Figure 4 As shown, a microporous membrane that meets the above-mentioned condition of pore size setting between 0.01 and 10 micrometers has the characteristic of preventing the liquid phase change material in the gas-liquid mixed phase change material from passing through, while allowing the gaseous phase change material in the gas-liquid mixed phase change material to pass through. It can be used in scenarios of filtering and diverting gas-liquid mixed phase change materials.

[0046] In this embodiment, the parameters of the microporous membrane also include wettability, which indicates the hydrophilic or oleophilic nature of the microporous membrane to the liquid, affecting whether the liquid phase change material will permeate the pores. The values ​​of parameters such as wettability and pore size vary depending on the type of microporous membrane and can be selected according to actual needs.

[0047] The contact angle between the microporous membrane and the phase change material (PCM) indicates the interface angle formed by the PCM on the solid surface. A smaller contact angle indicates that the PCM spreads more easily on the microporous membrane; a larger contact angle indicates that the PCM is more difficult to diffuse on the microporous membrane surface. The contact angle between the microporous membrane and the PCM is related to the type of PCM and the type of microporous membrane. This parameter affects the blocking effect of the microporous membrane on the PCM, further affecting the gas-liquid separation effect.

[0048] In the embodiments of this application, the surface tension of the liquid in the phase change material varies depending on the type of phase change material.

[0049] In the embodiments of this application, the liquid permeation pressure, that is, the pressure that the liquid phase change material needs to overcome to pass through the microporous membrane, can be calculated and determined based on formula (1).

[0050] (1).

[0051] in, This refers to the liquid permeation pressure in the thermal control device. When the pressure in the pipeline of the thermal control device is lower than this value, the liquid phase change material will not pass through the microporous membrane, and only the gaseous phase change material can pass through. It is the surface tension of the liquid in a phase change material. It is the contact angle between the microporous membrane and the phase change material. It is the radius of the microporous membrane.

[0052] In this embodiment of the application, the pressure difference between the two sides of the cold plate is 20 kPa when the thermal control device is running. A value at least higher than this is required to prevent liquid phase change materials from passing through the microporous membrane. The microporous membrane acts as a filter and diverter; therefore, by selecting the type of phase change material and limiting the diameter of the microporous membrane, this can be achieved. Meets the requirements.

[0053] For example, when the phase change material type is r134a, the liquid surface tension is... In the environment The contact angle between the microporous membrane and the phase change material corresponds to a cosine value of 0.9. Furthermore, the diameter of the microporous membrane is chosen to be 0.1 micrometers, and its radius is 0.05 micrometers. Based on the above formula (1), the following can be calculated and determined. kPa, much higher than the aforementioned 20 kPa, enables the microporous membrane to perform the functions of filtering and diverting gas-liquid mixed phase change materials.

[0054] It should also be noted that the phase change material and microporous membrane can be adjusted according to actual selection, but their parameters must be calculated based on the formula (1) above. The pressure difference is less than that between the two sides of the cold plate.

[0055] This application provides a thermal control device, in which a filtration module includes a microporous membrane. The pore size of the microporous membrane is smaller than a first preset value, which is related to the type of phase change material, the pressure in the thermal circulation pipeline, and the contact angle between the microporous membrane and the phase change material. This enables the microporous membrane to filter and divert the gas-liquid mixed phase change material, thereby ensuring that the liquid phase change material flows into each cold plate inlet, thus improving the heat exchange efficiency of the thermal control device.

[0056] In yet another embodiment of this application, as Figure 5 As shown, the microporous membrane 2023 is disposed at the inlet of the bypass pipe 204 and covers the inlet of the bypass pipe 204.

[0057] In this embodiment, the microporous membrane 2023 can be disposed on the side wall of the heat circulation pipeline 203 between two adjacent cold plates, at the inlet of the bypass pipeline 204, and the area of ​​the microporous membrane 2023 is at least larger than the area of ​​the inlet of the bypass pipeline 204, so that the microporous membrane 2023 can completely cover the inlet of the bypass pipeline, preventing liquid phase change material or gas-liquid mixed phase change material from entering the bypass pipeline from the part not covered by the microporous membrane.

[0058] When the gas-liquid mixed phase change material in the heat circulation pipe 203 passes through the microporous membrane 2023, under the pressure in the heat circulation pipe 203, the gaseous phase change material can pass through the microporous membrane and enter the bypass pipe 204, while the liquid phase change material in the gas-liquid mixed phase change material cannot pass through the microporous membrane and is trapped in the heat circulation pipe 203, continuing to flow into the adjacent cold plate.

[0059] For example, such as Figure 5 As shown, the thermal control device includes two cold plates connected in series as an example. The component indicated by diagonal lines is the microporous membrane 2023. The microporous membrane is disposed on the side wall of the heat circulation pipe 203 between the first cold plate 2011 and the second cold plate 2012, covering the inlet of the bypass pipe 204. The gas-liquid mixed phase change material flowing out of the first cold plate 2011 is filtered by the microporous membrane 2023, and the liquid phase change material is diverted to the inlet of the second cold plate 2012, while the gaseous phase change material is led out through the bypass pipe 204.

[0060] This application provides a thermal control device that uses a microporous membrane at the inlet of a bypass pipe to guide gaseous phase change material to the bypass pipe output through the selective permeability of the microporous membrane, thereby achieving gas-liquid separation. This allows the downstream cold plate to obtain phase change material with a higher liquid content, improving the cooling efficiency of the thermal control device and reducing the internal pressure of the thermal control device.

[0061] In yet another embodiment of this application, as Figure 6 As shown, the microporous membrane 2023 is disposed in the bypass pipe 204, and the edge of the microporous membrane 2023 is pressed tightly against the inner wall of the bypass pipe 204.

[0062] In this embodiment, the microporous membrane 2023 can be embedded in the bypass pipe 204, and the edge of the microporous membrane 2023 can be pressed tightly against the inner wall of the bypass pipe 204 to prevent unfiltered gas-liquid mixed phase change material from flowing into the bypass pipe isolated by the microporous membrane 2023.

[0063] In the embodiments of this application, such as Figure 6 As shown, the thermal control device includes two cold plates connected in series as an example. The gas-liquid mixed phase change material flowing from the first cold plate 2011 flows into the bypass pipe through the thermal circulation pipe 203. The microporous membrane 2023 in the bypass pipe 204 allows the gaseous phase change material (marked with a grid pattern) to continue flowing through the bypass pipe, while the liquid phase change material (marked with a white pattern) cannot pass through and flows back into the thermal circulation pipe, flowing to the next second cold plate 2012.

[0064] It should be noted that the position of the microporous membrane in the bypass pipeline is set according to actual needs. The closer the microporous membrane is to the inlet of the bypass pipeline, the better its filtration and diversion effect.

[0065] This application provides a thermal control device that embeds a microporous membrane into a bypass pipeline, which can save space in the thermal circulation pipeline, filter and separate gas-liquid mixed phase change materials, and enable the thermal control device to operate under low pressure, thereby improving the heat dissipation efficiency and cooling performance of the thermal control device.

[0066] In some embodiments, such as Figure 5 or Figure 6 As shown, the thermal control device 20 also includes a heat exchanger 205.

[0067] The inlet of heat exchanger 205 is connected to the outlet of at least one bypass pipe 204, and the inlet of heat exchanger 205 is also connected to the outlet of the last cold plate through a heat circulation pipe.

[0068] Heat exchanger 205 is used to cool the gaseous phase change material output from at least one bypass pipe and the gas-liquid mixed phase change material output from the last cold plate through the hot circulation pipe to obtain liquid phase change material.

[0069] In this embodiment, the heat exchanger 205 is a device capable of cooling a gaseous phase change material or a gas-liquid mixture phase change material, causing it to revert to a liquid phase change material. The heat exchanger 205 may include a fan for cooling the input phase change material using air cooling.

[0070] The structure of the heat exchanger 205 can be of various types, such as shell and tube or finned, and the specific choice depends on the working conditions and performance requirements of the thermal control device.

[0071] In the embodiments of this application, such as Figure 5 or Figure 6 As shown, the input end of heat exchanger 205 is connected to the output end of each bypass pipe, receiving the gaseous phase change material flowing out of each bypass pipe 204 and cooling it to obtain liquid phase change material; the input end of heat exchanger 205 is also connected to the output end of the last cold plate, such as the second cold plate 2012, receiving the gas-liquid mixed phase change material flowing out of the last cold plate and cooling it to obtain liquid phase change material.

[0072] Furthermore, the heat exchanger 205 directs the processed liquid phase change material to the input end of the first cold plate in the series of multiple cold plates, namely the input end of the first cold plate 2011, so that the phase change material can be recycled in the thermal control device.

[0073] It should also be noted that the heat exchanger 205 can perform different cooling treatments on the gaseous phase change material and the gas-liquid mixed phase change material to save energy; or, the heat exchanger can mix all the received gaseous phase change material and gas-liquid mixed phase change material and then perform cooling treatment to reduce the volume of the heat exchanger, depending on the actual needs.

[0074] This application provides a thermal control device in which a heat exchanger cools the gaseous phase change material output from each bypass pipe and the gas-liquid mixed phase change material output from the last cold plate, and then outputs it to the first cold plate, thereby realizing the closed-loop operation of the phase change material in the thermal control device and ensuring the heat dissipation performance of the thermal control device.

[0075] In some embodiments, such as Figure 7 As shown, the thermal control device also includes a liquid storage tank 206.

[0076] The inlet of the liquid storage tank 206 is connected to the heat exchanger through a hot circulation pipeline, and the outlet of the liquid storage tank is connected to the first cold plate through a hot circulation pipeline.

[0077] The liquid storage tank 206 is used to contain the liquid phase change material output from the heat exchanger and to output the liquid phase change material to the first cold plate through the heat circulation pipeline.

[0078] In this embodiment, the liquid storage tank 206 not only contains the liquid phase change material that flows out of the storage tank 206 after the heat exchanger has cooled the gas-liquid mixed phase change material and the liquid phase change material, but also stores more phase change material than is needed for circulation in the heat circulation pipeline and the bypass pipeline.

[0079] In this embodiment, the large amount of liquid phase change material stored in the storage tank 206 can dynamically adjust the amount of liquid supplied to the first cold plate when the heat dissipation load of the thermal control device changes. For example, when the power of the chip increases, the temperature of the chip rises, and the amount of liquid stored in the storage tank 206 flowing into the thermal circulation pipeline increases; when the power of the chip decreases, the temperature of the chip decreases, and more liquid phase change material is stored in the storage tank 206, while less liquid phase change material flows to the inlet of the first cold plate.

[0080] It should be noted that the liquid storage tank 206 can also have a cooling function. When the liquid circulation rate in the hot circulation pipeline is too fast, the heat exchanger may not have enough time to completely cool the gaseous phase change material into a liquid phase change material. The phase change material output to the liquid storage tank 206 can be cooled again by the liquid storage tank 206 to ensure that the phase change material output to the first cold plate is liquid, thereby improving the heat dissipation efficiency of the cold plate for the chip.

[0081] It should also be noted that the liquid storage tank 206 can receive the phase change material output from the heat exchanger, and by detecting the pressure in the heat circulation pipeline, balance and regulate the pressure fluctuations caused by the generation and conversion of the gaseous phase change material, so as to avoid the pressure fluctuations from causing a decrease in the heat dissipation efficiency of the thermal control device.

[0082] This application provides a thermal control device, which includes a storage tank to contain the phase change material output from the heat exchanger and to output the phase change material to the first cold plate based on the adjustment of the internal pressure of the thermal control device, thereby realizing the management of the phase change material and improving the heat exchange efficiency of the thermal control device.

[0083] In some embodiments, such as Figure 7 As shown, the thermal control device also includes a pump body 207.

[0084] The pump body 207 is installed on the hot circulation pipeline between the liquid storage tank and the first cold plate, and is used to control the flow and velocity of the phase change material in the hot circulation pipeline.

[0085] Among them, the flow rate is greater than or equal to the second preset value.

[0086] In this embodiment, the pump body 207 can be installed on the thermal circulation pipeline between the liquid storage tank and the first cold plate, which can drive the phase change material in the liquid storage tank to circulate and flow stably in the closed pipeline of the thermal control device, maintain the pressure in the thermal control device, and realize efficient heat exchange between the phase change material in the cold plate and the chip.

[0087] In this embodiment, the liquid phase change material flows into the first cold plate 2011. After heat exchange with the corresponding chip through the first cold plate 2011, the gas-liquid mixed phase change material is output. After filtration and diversion by the microporous membrane 2023, the gaseous phase change material is directly input to the heat exchanger 205 through the bypass pipeline, and the liquid phase change material is input to the next second cold plate 2012 through the heat circulation pipeline. This process is repeated until the last cold plate, i.e., the second cold plate 2012. After heat exchange with the corresponding chip through the second cold plate 2012, the gas-liquid mixed phase change material is output to the heat exchanger 205. Furthermore, the heat exchanger 205 cools the received gaseous phase change material and gas-liquid mixed phase change material to obtain liquid phase change material, which is then output to the storage tank 206. The liquid phase change material output from the storage tank 206 is controlled by the pump 207 to flow back to the first cold plate 2011, forming a closed loop. The pump 207 is the power source for maintaining the closed loop, and the power of the pump 207 determines the flow rate and pressure of the phase change material in the thermal control device during the above process.

[0088] It should be noted that the second preset value is the minimum flow rate of the thermal control device during operation. Under these conditions, each chip operates at minimum power, and the pump body 207 needs to provide sufficient pressure to overcome the resistance of narrow flow channels such as the microchannel structure in the cold plate, in order to maintain stable circulation of the phase change material in the thermal circulation pipeline and bypass pipeline. The flow rate corresponding to the minimum pressure provided by the pump body 207 to ensure stable flow of the phase change material in the closed pipeline is the second preset value.

[0089] It should also be noted that when the thermal control device is working, the pressure provided by the pump should be greater than the second preset value. Specifically, it is dynamically adjusted according to the monitoring and indication of the chip temperature by the CDU. When the chip temperature rises, the corresponding pump 207 controls the flow rate of the phase change material to increase; or, when the chip temperature is low, the corresponding pump 207 controls the flow rate of the phase change material to decrease.

[0090] This application provides a thermal control device in which a pump body is provided between a storage tank and a first cold plate to control the flow rate of the phase change material in the thermal control device. The flow rate change dynamically matches the power change of the chip, thereby reducing unnecessary energy consumption.

[0091] In some embodiments, each cold plate is in contact with a corresponding chip; the cold plate is provided with at least one heat exchange pipe, which is connected to the adjacent cold plate through a heat circulation pipe.

[0092] In this embodiment, the cold plate can be directly attached to the chip surface using thermal interface materials such as thermal grease, liquid metal, or graphite sheets, so that the heat from the chip can be quickly transferred to the cold plate and exchanged with the liquid phase change material in the cold plate.

[0093] In this embodiment, a microchannel structure, referred to as a heat exchange pipeline, can be provided inside the cold plate. The inlet of the heat exchange pipeline is connected to the outlet of the heat circulation pipeline. For the first cold plate, the inlet of the heat circulation pipeline is connected to the pump body, and for other cold plates, the inlet of the heat circulation pipeline is connected to the previous cold plate. The outlet of the heat exchange pipeline is connected to the inlet of the heat circulation pipeline. For the last cold plate, the outlet of the heat circulation pipeline is connected to the heat exchanger, and for other cold plates, the outlet of the heat circulation pipeline is connected to the next cold plate.

[0094] It should be noted that heat exchange pipelines can use porous media or finned structures to increase the heat exchange area per unit volume. Alternatively, the flow pattern of the phase change material in the heat exchange pipeline can be adjusted by designing variations in the pipe diameter and the inclination angle of the flow channel, thus avoiding localized liquid accumulation or drying.

[0095] It should also be noted that the design of heat exchange pipelines needs to adapt to the liquid and vapor conversion and flow characteristics of phase change materials. For example, a tapered-expanding structure can be adopted, with a smaller inlet diameter to accelerate the flow of liquid phase change materials and a larger outlet diameter to reduce the flow velocity of gas-liquid mixed phase change materials and prevent excessive pressure from impacting downstream pipelines.

[0096] This application provides a thermal control device in which each cold plate is in contact with a corresponding chip, and a heat exchange pipeline is provided in the cold plate. This not only enables sufficient and efficient heat exchange between the phase change material and the chip, but also allows for the design of the heat exchange pipeline to meet the requirements of heat dissipation and flow rate, thereby improving the heat dissipation capacity of the thermal control device, enhancing the stability of the thermal control device, and extending its service life.

[0097] In yet another embodiment of this application, as Figure 8 As shown, a thermal control method is provided, which may include the following steps S301 to S302.

[0098] S301, through the input cold plate, the liquid phase change material exchanges heat with the corresponding chip, absorbs the heat generated by the chip, and outputs gas-liquid mixed phase change material.

[0099] S302, the gas-liquid mixed phase change material is filtered to obtain gaseous phase change material flowing out through the corresponding bypass pipe, and liquid phase change material flowing out to the adjacent cold plate through the hot circulation pipe.

[0100] In some embodiments, the pore size of the microporous membrane is less than or equal to a first preset value; wherein the first preset value is associated with the type of phase change material, the pressure in the thermal circulation pipeline, and the contact angle between the microporous membrane and the phase change material.

[0101] In some embodiments, a microporous membrane is disposed at the inlet of a bypass line and covers the inlet of the bypass line.

[0102] In some embodiments, a microporous membrane is disposed in a bypass conduit, and the edge of the microporous membrane is pressed tightly against the inner wall of the bypass conduit.

[0103] In some embodiments, the method may further include: cooling the gaseous phase change material output from at least one bypass pipeline and the gas-liquid mixed phase change material output from the last cold plate through a thermal circulation pipeline to obtain a liquid phase change material.

[0104] In some embodiments, the method may further include: containing the liquid phase change material output from the heat exchanger and outputting the liquid phase change material to the first cold plate through a heat circulation pipeline.

[0105] In some embodiments, the method may further include: controlling the flow and velocity of the phase change material in the thermal circulation pipeline; wherein the flow velocity is greater than or equal to a second preset value.

[0106] It should be understood that, since this method belongs to the same inventive concept as any of the thermal control devices provided above, it may also include any other possible steps to achieve the functions and effects achievable by any of the thermal control devices described above. Similarly, the thermal control devices may also include any other possible components to execute any steps in this method, which will not be elaborated upon in the embodiments of this application.

[0107] The above methods are used to control thermal control devices to achieve corresponding functions. Their implementation principles and technical effects are similar, and will not be elaborated further here.

[0108] The following section provides a detailed description of the thermal control device and the thermal control method executed by the thermal control device, based on specific application scenarios.

[0109] This application provides a method for enhancing liquid cooling of two-phase cold plates, addressing the technical problem of heat removal from the chip during liquid cooling of two-phase cold plates, where the refrigerant (phase change material) evaporates (from liquid to vapor). The liquid refrigerant becomes a mixture of liquid and vapor upon leaving the cold plate. The principle of two-phase liquid cooling is that the liquid contacts the surface of the cold plate and evaporates into gas, carrying away heat. However, in a gaseous state, only a very small amount of heat can be carried away; therefore, the design requires maximizing liquid contact with the cold plate. When cold plates are connected in series, some liquid becomes gas as it passes through the first cold plate. Due to the high flow rate within the pipe, the gas-liquid mixture becomes turbulent, not a stable, stratified fluid state. Therefore, upon contact with the surface of the second cold plate, it becomes a mixture of liquid and gas (gas will contact the cold plate surface), preventing the downstream cold plate from receiving 100% liquid refrigerant for cooling. Furthermore, vapor also affects the heat exchange efficiency of the downstream cold plate.

[0110] Currently, one solution is to increase bandwidth to improve heat dissipation. However, this approach will consume more power and impact the performance of the CDU-supported servers.

[0111] In this embodiment, a microporous membrane is added to separate the liquid phase change material (liquid) and the gaseous phase change material. The gaseous phase change material (vapor) is allowed to directly enter the heat exchanger, enabling the downstream cold plate to absorb the liquid phase change material, thereby enhancing heat exchange and heat dissipation capabilities. Furthermore, when the liquid turns into a gas, its volume expands, causing increased pressure within a fixed space (inside the cold plate). In this embodiment, the gas generated by the first cold plate is removed as much as possible, reducing the gas in the second cold plate. Due to the reduced vapor, the operating pressure of the downstream cold plate also decreases, further enhancing liquid vaporization and thus improving heat exchange and heat dissipation capabilities.

[0112] It's important to note that the CDU requires fluid to supply the cold plate. When the internal pressure of the cold plate increases, the CDU needs to provide greater pressure to force the fluid into the cold plate. Conversely, if the cold plate pressure is low, the CDU only needs less pressure to force the fluid in. The performance curve of the CDU is very similar to that of a fan. Figure 3 As shown, when the pressure is high, the output flow rate will decrease, and when the pressure is low, the output flow rate will increase.

[0113] In this embodiment of the application, a microporous membrane is added to the cooling circuit (thermal circulation pipeline) of the thermal control device to separate liquid and vapor, so that the second cold plate can obtain more liquid for cooling, thereby improving the cooling performance of the thermal control device.

[0114] Among them, microporous membranes are thin films with tiny pores (0.01-10 μm in diameter), which have the property that vapor can pass through the film, but liquids cannot.

[0115] like Figure 1 As shown, currently, for a series of cold plates, the liquid phase change material, after being fed into the first cold plate (cold plate 1 101), will leave as a mixture of vapor and liquid, and the second cold plate (cold plate 2 102) will yield a mixture of vapor and liquid. In the embodiments of this application, as... Figure 7 As shown, when the liquid phase change material leaves the first cold plate (first cold plate 2011), it will become a mixed phase change material of vapor and liquid. By setting a filter module including a microporous membrane 2023, the vapor and liquid are separated. The vapor (gas phase change material) is directly input to the heat exchanger 206 through the bypass pipe. The second cold plate 2012 can directly obtain the liquid (liquid phase change material).

[0116] It should be noted that the microporous membrane can be placed on the side wall of the heat circulation pipe, at the inlet of the bypass pipe, or inside the bypass pipe.

[0117] In this embodiment, a microporous membrane is used to separate gas and liquid. If the pressure inside the cold plate is greater than the pressure that the microporous membrane can withstand, the liquid will also flow through (making it impossible to separate the liquid and gas). Therefore, in this embodiment, the liquid permeation pressure inside the thermal control device is calculated and determined based on the above formula (1). Because the cold plate has fins and other related structures, there will be obstacles when the liquid flows through the cold plate and pipes. Therefore, a certain pressure is required for the liquid to flow through the cold plate. This required pressure is generally referred to as the pressure difference. The pressure inside the cold plate cannot be directly measured. Generally, the pressure difference is measured at both ends of the cold plate. This term is generally used when describing the pressure inside the thermal control device. Based on formula (1), parameters such as the pore size of the microporous membrane, the liquid surface tension of the phase change material, and the contact angle between the microporous membrane and the liquid can be estimated and determined, so that the microporous membrane can play the role of filtering and separating the gas-liquid mixed phase change material.

[0118] In yet another embodiment of this application, as Figure 9 As shown, an electronic device 40 is provided, including at least two chips and a thermal control device 20 in the aforementioned embodiments.

[0119] The thermal control device 20 is used to exchange heat with at least two chips respectively and absorb the heat generated by at least two chips.

[0120] In this embodiment, a single cold plate can be used to dissipate heat for a corresponding chip, or multiple cold plates connected in series can be designed to dissipate heat for the same chip. The number of cold plates in the thermal control device should be greater than or equal to the number of chips. For example, in the case of N cold plates in the thermal control device, the electronic device may include M chips: a first chip 401, ..., an Mth chip 402, where M is greater than or equal to N.

[0121] In some embodiments, the pore size of the microporous membrane is less than or equal to a first preset value; wherein the first preset value is associated with the type of phase change material, the pressure in the thermal circulation pipeline, and the contact angle between the microporous membrane and the phase change material.

[0122] In some embodiments, a microporous membrane is disposed at the inlet of a bypass line and covers the inlet of the bypass line.

[0123] In some embodiments, a microporous membrane is disposed in a bypass conduit, and the edge of the microporous membrane is pressed tightly against the inner wall of the bypass conduit.

[0124] In some embodiments, the thermal control device further includes a heat exchanger; wherein: the inlet of the heat exchanger is connected to the outlet of at least one bypass pipe, and the inlet of the heat exchanger is also connected to the outlet of the last cold plate through a thermal circulation pipe; the heat exchanger is used to cool the gaseous phase change material output from at least one bypass pipe and the gas-liquid mixed phase change material output from the last cold plate through the thermal circulation pipe to obtain a liquid phase change material.

[0125] In some embodiments, the thermal control device further includes a liquid storage tank; wherein: the inlet of the liquid storage tank is connected to the heat exchanger via a thermal circulation pipeline, and the outlet of the liquid storage tank is connected to the first cold plate via a thermal circulation pipeline; the liquid storage tank is used to contain the liquid phase change material output from the heat exchanger and to output the liquid phase change material to the first cold plate via the thermal circulation pipeline.

[0126] In some embodiments, the thermal control device further includes a pump body; wherein: the pump body is disposed on the thermal circulation pipeline between the liquid storage tank and the first cold plate, and is used to control the flow and flow rate of the phase change material in the thermal circulation pipeline; wherein the flow rate is greater than or equal to a second preset value.

[0127] In some embodiments, each cold plate is in contact with a corresponding chip; the cold plate is provided with at least one heat exchange pipe, which is connected to the adjacent cold plate through a heat circulation pipe.

[0128] It should be noted that electronic devices and the aforementioned thermal control methods and devices belong to the same inventive concept. The thermal control device performs the corresponding functions mentioned above to dissipate heat from the chips in the electronic device. Their implementation principles and technical effects are similar, and will not be elaborated further here.

[0129] It should be understood that the phrases "one embodiment," "an embodiment," or "some embodiments" mentioned throughout the specification mean that a specific feature, structure, or characteristic related to an embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of this application. Therefore, "in one embodiment," "in one embodiment," or "in some embodiments" appearing throughout the specification do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. Furthermore, these specific features, structures, or characteristics can be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. It should be understood that in the various embodiments of this application, the sequence numbers of the above-described processes do not imply a sequential order of execution; the execution order of each process should be determined by its function and internal logic, and should not constitute any limitation on the implementation process of the embodiments of this application. The sequence numbers of the above-described embodiments are merely for descriptive purposes and do not represent the superiority or inferiority of the embodiments. The descriptions of the various embodiments above tend to emphasize the differences between the various embodiments; their similarities or commonalities can be referred to mutually, and for the sake of brevity, they will not be repeated here.

[0130] It should also be noted that, in this application, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. Without further limitation, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes that element.

[0131] The sequence numbers of the embodiments in this application are for descriptive purposes only and do not represent the superiority or inferiority of the embodiments.

[0132] The methods disclosed in the several method embodiments provided in this application can be arbitrarily combined without conflict to obtain new method embodiments.

[0133] The features disclosed in the several product embodiments provided in this application can be arbitrarily combined without conflict to obtain new product embodiments.

[0134] The features disclosed in the several method or device embodiments provided in this application can be arbitrarily combined without conflict to obtain new method or device embodiments.

[0135] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of this application and is not intended to limit the scope of protection of this application. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application.

Claims

1. A thermal control device, comprising at least two cold plates and at least one filter module; wherein: Each pair of adjacent cold plates is connected by a hot circulation pipeline, and a bypass pipeline is provided on each of the hot circulation pipelines; The cold plate is used to exchange heat with the corresponding chip through the input liquid phase change material, absorb the heat generated by the chip, and output the gas-liquid mixed phase change material. The filtration module is used to filter and divert the gas-liquid mixed phase change material, so that the gaseous phase change material flows out through the corresponding bypass pipeline, and the liquid phase change material flows out to the adjacent cold plate through the hot circulation pipeline.

2. The thermal control device according to claim 1, wherein the filtration module comprises a microporous membrane; The pore size of the microporous membrane is less than or equal to a first preset value; in, The first preset value is related to the type of phase change material, the pressure in the thermal circulation pipeline, and the contact angle between the microporous membrane and the phase change material.

3. The thermal control device according to claim 2, The microporous membrane is disposed at the inlet of the bypass pipe and covers the inlet of the bypass pipe.

4. The thermal control device according to claim 2, The microporous membrane is disposed in the bypass pipeline, and the edge of the microporous membrane is pressed tightly against the inner wall of the bypass pipeline.

5. The thermal control device according to claim 1, wherein the thermal control device further comprises a heat exchanger; wherein: The inlet of the heat exchanger is connected to the outlet of at least one of the bypass pipes, and the inlet of the heat exchanger is also connected to the outlet of the last cold plate through a heat circulation pipe. The heat exchanger is used to cool the gaseous phase change material output from at least one of the bypass pipes and the gas-liquid mixed phase change material output from the last cold plate through the thermal circulation pipe, to obtain a liquid phase change material.

6. The thermal control device according to claim 5, wherein the thermal control device further comprises a liquid storage tank; wherein: The inlet of the liquid storage tank is connected to the heat exchanger via a hot circulation pipeline, and the outlet of the liquid storage tank is connected to the first cold plate via a hot circulation pipeline. The storage tank is used to contain the liquid phase change material output from the heat exchanger, and to output the liquid phase change material to the first cold plate through the heat circulation pipeline.

7. The thermal control device according to claim 1, wherein the thermal control device further comprises a pump body; wherein: The pump body is installed on the hot circulation pipeline between the liquid storage tank and the first cold plate, and is used to control the flow and flow rate of the phase change material in the hot circulation pipeline. Wherein, the flow rate is greater than or equal to a second preset value.

8. The thermal control device according to any one of claims 1-7, Each of the aforementioned cold plates is in contact with the corresponding chip; The cold plate is provided with at least one heat exchange pipe, which is connected to the adjacent cold plate through a heat circulation pipe.

9. A thermal control method, applied to the thermal control device as described in any one of claims 1-8; The method includes: The liquid phase change material in the cold plate exchanges heat with the corresponding chip, absorbing the heat generated by the chip, and outputting a gas-liquid mixed phase change material. The gas-liquid mixed phase change material is filtered to obtain gaseous phase change material that flows out through a corresponding bypass pipe, and liquid phase change material that flows out to an adjacent cold plate through a hot circulation pipe.

10. An electronic device comprising at least two chips and a thermal control device as claimed in any one of claims 1-8; wherein: The thermal control device is used to exchange heat with the at least two chips respectively and absorb the heat generated by the at least two chips.

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