A heat sink facilitating disassembly of a large-area phase change sheet

Abstract

The application relates to the technical field of electronic equipment, in particular to a radiator facilitating disassembly of a large-area phase change sheet, which comprises a base, a heat pipe, a radiating fin, a heating assembly and a control module; a containing groove is arranged on the first side surface of the base, the containing groove is arranged along the outer peripheral contour of the phase change sheet, the heating assembly is arranged in the containing groove and is arranged around the phase change sheet, and the heating assembly is in thermal contact with the base; the heating assembly comprises a heating body and an insulating heat-conducting cladding layer wrapped outside the heating body; and the control module is fixedly assembled at the edge part of the base. The heating assembly is arranged around the phase change sheet in the base and is pre-buried, the phase change sheet can be uniformly heated from the periphery in the maintenance stage, the large-area phase change sheet is synchronously softened as a whole, the adhesive force is obviously decreased, and hardware damage such as chip fragmentation and pad falling caused by uneven stress during conventional disassembly is avoided.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of electronic equipment technology, and in particular to a heat sink that facilitates the disassembly of large-area phase change plates. Background Technology

[0002] With the rapid development of generative AI and high-performance computing industries, high-end AI accelerator chips and general-purpose computing chips continue to evolve towards higher computing power, higher power consumption, and larger package sizes. To match the high heat flux density heat dissipation requirements of large-size chips, large-area phase change thermal conductive sheets (PCTs), with their excellent interface bonding capabilities, low thermal resistance, and high reliability, have become the standard interface material for heat dissipation modules of high-end computing chips. The area of ​​PCTs used in some high-end chips has exceeded 100 cm². 2 .

[0003] Phase change materials (PCMs) possess the characteristic of "softening at high temperatures and curing and bonding at room temperature." At room temperature, the heat sink base and the chip are tightly bonded together through the PCM sheet. When disassembling the heat sink during equipment maintenance, conventional direct disassembly methods are prone to hardware damage such as chip breakage, substrate pad detachment, and plating scratches due to uneven force. At the same time, cleaning up large areas of PCM residue is difficult and time-consuming, significantly increasing server downtime and driving up maintenance costs and hardware wear rates for data centers and computing nodes.

[0004] Current industry solutions to this problem are mostly reactive, such as localized heating with hot air guns or full-load heating of the entire unit. These methods suffer from drawbacks such as uneven heating, high operational barriers, potential damage to surrounding electronic components, and low efficiency when used with large-size heat dissipation modules. They lack proactive, standardized, and low-cost solutions. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop a pre-embedded heating radiator structure that enables rapid softening and safe disassembly of the phase change element without affecting daily heat dissipation performance. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To address the shortcomings of existing technologies, this invention provides a heat sink that facilitates the disassembly of large-area phase change plates, comprising a base, heat pipes, and heat dissipation fins. The first side of the base is used to attach the phase change plate, and the heat pipes are disposed on the second side of the base. The invention is characterized by further including a heating assembly and a control module.

[0006] The first side of the base is provided with a receiving groove, which is arranged along the outer periphery of the phase change sheet. The heating component is disposed in the receiving groove and arranged around the phase change sheet, and the heating component forms thermal contact with the base.

[0007] The heating assembly includes a heating element and an insulating and thermally conductive coating layer covering the outside of the heating element.

[0008] The control module is fixedly mounted on the edge of the base and is electrically connected to the heating component. The control module is equipped with a temperature acquisition unit, a temperature control unit, and an external power supply interface. The temperature acquisition unit acquires the temperature signal of the base and transmits it to the temperature control unit. The temperature control unit performs on / off control of the power supply circuit of the heating component based on the received temperature signal.

[0009] Furthermore, the heating element is a sheet-shaped heating component, and the insulating and thermally conductive covering layer is a sleeve-type component. The insulating and thermally conductive covering layer is completely sleeved on the periphery of the heating element. The insulating and thermally conductive covering layer realizes electrical isolation between the heating element and the base, and at the same time conducts the heat generated by the heating element to the base side.

[0010] Furthermore, the outer contour of the heating element is arranged in a frame-like manner around the phase change plate, and the heating element is provided with a conductive lead-out end. The conductive lead-out end is bent and extends toward the edge of the base, and the conductive lead-out end is electrically connected to the control module.

[0011] Furthermore, the receiving groove is formed on the outer periphery of the phase change plate on the first side of the base, and the spatial orientation of the receiving groove is adapted to the outer contour of the phase change plate. The second side of the base is provided with a heat pipe mounting position for embedding and positioning the heat pipe. The heat pipe is embedded and fixed inside the heat pipe mounting position. The receiving groove and the heat pipe mounting position are spatially staggered on the base body.

[0012] Furthermore, the control module also integrates a status indicator unit, which is electrically connected to the temperature control unit. The status indicator unit receives the working signal output by the temperature control unit and outputs a corresponding working status indication indicating whether the power supply circuit of the heating component is on or off.

[0013] Furthermore, the external power supply interface is a Type-C interface, which serves as the access point for external power supply devices, which provide operating power to the heating components via the Type-C interface.

[0014] Furthermore, the temperature acquisition unit is a temperature sensor, which is mounted on the edge of the base; the temperature control unit is configured with a preset temperature threshold, and the temperature control unit compares the measured temperature of the base acquired by the temperature sensor with the preset temperature threshold, and performs the on / off operation of the power supply circuit of the heating component based on the comparison result.

[0015] Furthermore, an adhesive fixing layer is provided inside the cavity of the receiving groove, and the heating component is fixed to the inner wall of the cavity of the receiving groove through the adhesive fixing layer, while the outer wall of the heating component is in thermal contact with the wall of the receiving groove.

[0016] Beneficial effects: 1. This invention uses a heating component pre-embedded around the periphery of the phase change sheet in the base. During the maintenance phase, the phase change sheet can be heated evenly from the outer periphery, causing the large-area phase change sheet to soften synchronously as a whole. The adhesion force is significantly reduced, avoiding hardware damage such as chip breakage and pad detachment caused by uneven force during conventional disassembly. At the same time, it reduces the difficulty of cleaning phase change residue and greatly shortens the downtime for operation and maintenance.

[0017] 2. By forming an overheat protection closed loop through the temperature acquisition unit and the temperature control unit, the heating temperature is controlled within a safe range, ensuring that the phase change sheet is fully softened without damaging the chip, solder pads and surrounding electronic components, eliminating the risk of overheating, and maintenance can be completed without professional operating skills.

[0018] 3. The receiving slots on the base are spaced out of the heat pipe mounting positions, with slots only opened around the phase change plate to avoid the core heat conduction area of ​​the heat pipe and phase change plate. This does not change the heat conduction path and heat dissipation capacity of the original heat sink, and it can be directly compatible with the existing heat sink frame, resulting in low modification costs. Attached Figure Description

[0019] The accompanying drawings are provided to further illustrate the invention and form part of the specification. They are used in conjunction with embodiments of the invention to explain the invention and do not constitute a limitation thereof. In the drawings: Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the present invention; Figure 2 is an exploded view of the overall structure of the present invention; Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the control module of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the front structure of the base of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the back structure of the base of the present invention.

[0020] In the diagram: 1. Base, 2. Heat pipe, 3. Heat dissipation fins, 4. Heating component, 5. Control module, 11. First side, 12. Second side, 13. Receiving slot, 14. Heat pipe mounting position, 41. Heating element, 42. Insulating and thermally conductive coating layer, 51. Temperature acquisition unit, 52. Temperature control unit, 53. External power supply interface, 54. Status indication unit. Detailed Implementation

[0021] To further illustrate the technical means and effects of the present invention in achieving its intended purpose, the following detailed description of the specific implementation methods, structures, features, and effects of the present invention, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and preferred embodiments, is provided below.

[0022] As shown in Figures 1 to 5, the heat sink for easy disassembly of large-area phase change plates described in this embodiment includes a base 1, heat pipes 2, heat dissipation fins 3, heating components 4, and a control module 5. Based on the mature heat dissipation architecture of traditional bases, heat pipes, and fins, this heat sink integrates a pre-embedded phase change plate heating auxiliary structure, solving the disassembly problem caused by the room-temperature curing and adhesion of large-area phase change plates without altering the original heat dissipation path or reducing heat dissipation performance.

[0023] The base 1 is a one-piece molded metal thermally conductive base, made of aluminum alloy or copper alloy with high thermal conductivity, and has an overall rectangular plate structure. The base 1 has a first side 11 and a second side 12 arranged opposite to each other: the first side 11 is the chip bonding surface, used to attach a large-area phase change plate, the phase change plate is attached to the central area of ​​the first side 11 corresponding to the chip package size, and serves as the interface thermal conductive medium between the chip and the heat sink; the second side 12 is the heat dissipation side, used to arrange heat pipes and fin heat dissipation structures.

[0024] A receiving groove 13 is formed on the first side 11 (back side) of the base 1. The receiving groove 13 extends continuously along the outer periphery of the phase change sheet, forming a closed annular groove structure that fits the outer contour of the phase change sheet. The opening of the receiving groove 13 faces the side where the first side 11 is located. The groove body has a rectangular cross-section. The inner sidewall of the groove maintains a uniform distance from the outer edge of the phase change sheet. The base body within this distance range constitutes a radial heat-conducting section, through which heat can be uniformly conducted to the central phase change sheet area. The receiving groove 13 is only distributed in the peripheral area of ​​the phase change sheet and does not invade the central bonding area of ​​the phase change sheet, ensuring that the effective bonding area between the phase change sheet and the base is not reduced and maintaining the low thermal resistance characteristics of the core interface.

[0025] The second side 12 (front) of the base 1 is provided with a heat pipe mounting position 14. The heat pipe mounting position 14 is a semi-embedded groove adapted to the shape of the heat pipe 2. The cross-section of the groove is an arc shape matching the outer diameter of the heat pipe. Multiple heat pipes 2 are arranged in parallel within the heat pipe mounting position 14 and are fixed to the base 1 by a riveting process or thermally conductive solder. The evaporation end of the heat pipe 2 is embedded inside the heat pipe mounting position 14, forming a tight thermal contact with the base 1. The condensation end of the heat pipe 2 extends outward and vertically inserts and fixes multiple sets of parallel heat dissipation fins 3, forming the main heat dissipation path of the base, heat pipes and fins.

[0026] Specifically, the receiving groove 13 and the heat pipe mounting position 14 are spatially staggered on the base 1 body: in the thickness direction of the base, the bottom of the receiving groove 13 is located in the shallow area of ​​the first side 11, and the bottom of the heat pipe mounting position 14 is located in the deep area of ​​the second side 12 (front), with a continuous metal body between the two bottoms, and they are not interconnected; in the horizontal projection direction, the annular projection of the receiving groove 13 is located on the periphery of all heat pipe mounting positions 14, and the two projections do not overlap. This staggered groove structure design not only reserves installation space for the heating component on the base surface, but also completely preserves the structural integrity and heat conduction area of ​​the heat pipe mounting position, without damaging the heat conduction performance of the main heat dissipation path. Structurally, it achieves that the heating function and the original heat dissipation function do not interfere with each other, which is different from the existing technology of adding heating elements by opening holes in the heat dissipation path, and fundamentally avoids the negative impact of the heating structure on the original heat dissipation performance.

[0027] The heating component 4 is integrally embedded inside the receiving groove 13 and arranged in a closed loop around the outer periphery of the phase change sheet. The heating component 4 includes a heating element 41 and an insulating and thermally conductive coating layer 42, which together form an integrated structure with coaxial coating.

[0028] The heating element 41 is a continuous strip-shaped heating component made of a high-resistivity electrothermal alloy material. The overall shape of the fitting groove 13 is a rectangular closed-loop structure, with smooth rounded transitions at the four corners to avoid current concentration and localized overheating. One end of the heating element 41 extends to a conductive lead-out end, which is an exposed alloy conductive section. This lead-out end is bent vertically at 90° along the edge of the base 1, passes through the end notch of the fitting groove 13, and extends to the side end face of the base. It is then welded and fixed to the power supply pad on the control module 5, simultaneously achieving electrical conduction and mechanical positioning. No additional wiring terminals are required, resulting in a compact and reliable structure.

[0029] The insulating and thermally conductive coating layer 42 is a sleeve-type component, integrally extruded from a high thermal conductivity insulating material, and completely fitted around the outer periphery of the entire heating section of the heating element 41. The inner wall of the sleeve is tightly fitted to the outer surface of the heating element, with no air gaps remaining. Both ends of the insulating and thermally conductive coating layer 42 are sealed at the root of the conductive leads to prevent external media intrusion. This insulating and thermally conductive coating layer, on the one hand, completely electrically isolates the heating element from the metal base, eliminating the risk of short circuits and ensuring electrical safety; on the other hand, it has extremely low interfacial thermal resistance, allowing the heat generated by the heating element to penetrate vertically through the coating layer and be conducted to the wall of the receiving groove, achieving insulation without blocking heat, thus balancing electrical safety and thermal conductivity efficiency.

[0030] The cavity of the receiving groove 13 is filled with an adhesive fixing layer, and the heating component 4 is fixed to the receiving groove 13 through the adhesive fixing layer. The adhesive fixing layer uses a high thermal conductivity insulating adhesive, filling all gaps between the bottom and sides of the heating component 4 and the groove wall, and is fully filled without air bubbles. The adhesive fixing layer has three functions: first, it realizes the mechanical fixation of the heating component in the groove, preventing displacement during transportation and vibration; second, it fills the assembly gap, eliminates the contact thermal resistance caused by air layers, and improves heat conduction efficiency; and third, it provides auxiliary insulation, further enhancing the electrical insulation performance between the heating element and the base.

[0031] The control module 5 is fixedly mounted on one side of the base 1, and is detachably fixed by means of screw fastening or snap-fit ​​connection. The plate surface is arranged parallel to the side of the base, without occupying the space for the fins and heat pipes. The control module 5 integrates a temperature acquisition unit 51, a temperature control unit 52, an external power supply interface 53, and a status indication unit 54. The units are electrically connected through printed circuits on the board.

[0032] The temperature acquisition unit 51 is a patch-type temperature sensor, mounted on the edge face of the base 1, in close thermal contact with the base body. It is used to acquire the temperature signal of the edge area of ​​the base in real time and transmit the temperature analog signal to the sampling end of the temperature control unit 52. By setting the temperature acquisition point at the edge of the base rather than near the heating area, the temperature near the heating element is higher than the edge temperature due to the thermal conductivity of the base metal. The maximum temperature of the heating core can be indirectly controlled by the edge temperature, which can leave sufficient safety margin and avoid local overheating of the heating element and damage to surrounding devices. At the same time, the temperature sensing element is far away from the heating area, making its own operation more stable and the temperature measurement accuracy higher.

[0033] The temperature control unit 52 is an integrated control chip connected in series in the power supply circuit of the heating component. It contains internal temperature control logic and preset temperature thresholds. The temperature control unit 52 receives temperature data transmitted from the temperature acquisition unit 51 in real time and compares it with the internally preset safe temperature thresholds. When the measured temperature is below the threshold, the temperature control unit keeps the power supply circuit connected, and the heating component continues to heat up. When the measured temperature reaches the threshold, the temperature control unit automatically cuts off the power supply circuit and stops heating, forming a complete overheat protection closed loop. This temperature control logic requires no manual intervention and automatically maintains the heating temperature within a safe range, ensuring that the phase change sheet softens sufficiently without exceeding the tolerance temperature of the chip, pads, and surrounding electronic components, resulting in extremely high safety.

[0034] The external power supply interface 53 is a Type-C interface, embedded on the outer side panel of the control module 5, with the interface facing outwards for easy connection of external devices. As a unified power supply access point, the Type-C interface can be adapted to various external power supply devices such as universal power banks, mobile phones with reverse power supply function, and portable power adapters. It does not rely on the device's own internal power supply. In the case of on-site maintenance in the cabinet, it can be directly connected to a portable power supply device to start heating without disassembling the device or turning it on, which greatly reduces the threshold of operation and maintenance and has extremely strong adaptability.

[0035] The status indicator unit 54 is a light-emitting indicator device connected in series in the output circuit of the temperature control unit, with its light-emitting surface exposed on the surface of the control module. When the heating component is powered on and heating, the status indicator unit 54 lights up synchronously; when the heating component is powered off and stops heating, the status indicator unit 54 turns off synchronously. Maintenance personnel can intuitively judge the heating working status by the on / off state of the indicator light, without the need for additional temperature measuring tools, making the operation convenient and intuitive.

[0036] The invention operates in two modes: normal heat dissipation and disassembly / maintenance. These two modes operate independently and do not interfere with each other. 1. Normal heat dissipation: During normal operation, the control module 5 is not connected to an external power source, and the heating component 4 is in a non-working state and does not participate in the heat dissipation process. The heat generated by the chip is conducted to the central area of ​​the first side 11 of the base 1 through the large-area phase change plate, and then conducted radially and in the thickness direction of the base body to the evaporation end of the heat pipe 2 on the second side 12. The heat pipe 2 rapidly transports the heat to the heat dissipation fins 3 at the condensation end through the liquid-gas phase change of the internal working fluid. Finally, under the forced air cooling of the cabinet, the heat is dissipated into the environment, completing a complete heat dissipation cycle.

[0037] Under this condition, because the receiving slot 13 and the heat pipe mounting position are spatially misaligned, the metal body of the core heat conduction area of ​​the base remains continuous and intact, and the main heat dissipation path is not damaged in any way. Therefore, the overall heat dissipation performance of the radiator is completely consistent with that of a traditional radiator, and the addition of the heating structure will not have any negative impact on the heat dissipation effect during normal operation of the equipment.

[0038] 2. Disassembly and maintenance: When the equipment requires maintenance or the radiator needs to be disassembled, perform the following steps: (1) External power supply start-up: The maintenance personnel insert the external power supply equipment into the external power supply interface 53 of the control module 5, the power supply circuit is connected, the status indicator unit 54 lights up, and the heating component enters the working state.

[0039] (2) Uniform heating around the heating element: The temperature control unit 52 connects the power supply circuit of the heating element 41. When the current flows through the heating element, Joule heating is generated based on the current heating effect. The heat is transferred outward from the heating element, and then conducted to the wall of the receiving groove 13 through the insulating and thermally conductive coating layer 42 and the adhesive fixing layer. It is then uniformly conducted to the central phase change plate area through the annular metal body of the base. Since the heating element is arranged in a closed loop around the phase change plate, the heat is transferred synchronously from the entire outer periphery to the center. The phase change plate is heated uniformly as a whole, and there will be no local overheating or local unsoftening.

[0040] (3) Phase change softening: As the temperature continues to rise, the phase change sheet reaches its phase change temperature and gradually softens from solid to paste. Its self-adhesion decreases significantly, and the bonding force between the heat sink and the chip is significantly reduced.

[0041] (4) Automatic overheat protection: The temperature acquisition unit 51 collects the temperature of the base edge in real time and feeds it back to the temperature control unit 52. When the temperature reaches the preset safety threshold, the temperature control unit 52 automatically cuts off the heating circuit, the status indicator unit 54 turns off, and heating stops. At this time, the phase change sheet has softened sufficiently, and the overall temperature is within the safe tolerance range of the device, which will not cause thermal damage to the chip, pads and surrounding electronic components.

[0042] (5) Safe disassembly: After the maintenance personnel confirm that the indicator light is off, they can remove the heat sink vertically and steadily. As the phase change sheet softens as a whole and the bonding force decreases evenly, the force is stable during disassembly, and there will be no hardware damage such as chip breakage, substrate pad detachment, or plating scratches caused by local adhesion and pulling. At the same time, there is less residue after the phase change sheet softens, making subsequent cleaning more convenient and greatly shortening the maintenance downtime.

[0043] After disassembly, simply disconnect the external power supply equipment. The entire operation requires no special tools or skills, effectively reducing the maintenance difficulty and cost of large-area phase change plate heat sinks.

[0044] The above are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention in any way. Although the present invention has been disclosed above with reference to preferred embodiments, it is not intended to limit the present invention. Any person skilled in the art can make some modifications or alterations to the above-disclosed technical content to create equivalent embodiments without departing from the scope of the present invention. Any simple modifications, equivalent changes and alterations made to the above embodiments based on the technical essence of the present invention without departing from the scope of the present invention shall still fall within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A heat sink facilitating the removal of large-area phase change plates, comprising a base, heat pipes, and heat dissipation fins, wherein a first side of the base is used to attach the phase change plate, and the heat pipes are disposed on a second side of the base; characterized in that, It also includes a heating component and a control module; a receiving groove is provided on the first side of the base, the receiving groove is arranged along the outer periphery of the phase change sheet, the heating component is disposed in the receiving groove and arranged around the phase change sheet, and the heating component forms thermal contact with the base; the heating component includes a heating element and an insulating and thermally conductive coating layer covering the heating element; the control module is fixedly assembled on the edge of the base, and the control module forms an electrical connection with the heating component; the control module is equipped with a temperature acquisition unit, a temperature control unit and an external power supply interface, the temperature acquisition unit acquires the temperature signal of the base and transmits it to the temperature control unit, and the temperature control unit performs conduction and cut-off control on the power supply circuit of the heating component according to the received temperature signal.

2. A heat sink for easy disassembly of large-area phase change plates according to claim 1, characterized in that, The heating element is a sheet-shaped heating component, and the insulating and thermally conductive coating layer is a sleeve-type component. The insulating and thermally conductive coating layer is completely sleeved on the periphery of the heating element. The insulating and thermally conductive coating layer realizes electrical isolation between the heating element and the base, and at the same time conducts the heat generated by the heating element to the base side.

3. A heat sink for easy disassembly of large-area phase change plates according to claim 2, characterized in that, The outer contour of the heating element is arranged in a frame-like manner around the phase change plate. The heating element is provided with a conductive lead-out end, which is bent and extended toward the edge of the base. The conductive lead-out end is electrically connected to the control module.

4. A heat sink for easy disassembly of large-area phase change plates according to claim 1, characterized in that, The receiving groove is formed on the outer periphery of the phase change plate on the first side of the base. The spatial orientation of the receiving groove is adapted to the outer contour of the phase change plate. A heat pipe mounting position for embedding and positioning the heat pipe is provided on the second side of the base. The heat pipe is embedded and fixed inside the heat pipe mounting position. The receiving groove and the heat pipe mounting position are spatially staggered on the base body.

5. A heat sink for easy disassembly of large-area phase change plates according to claim 1, characterized in that, The control module also integrates a status indicator unit, which is electrically connected to the temperature control unit. The status indicator unit receives the working signal output by the temperature control unit and outputs a corresponding working status indication indicating whether the power supply circuit of the heating component is on or off.

6. A heat sink for easy disassembly of large-area phase change plates according to claim 1, characterized in that, The external power supply interface is a Type-C interface. The Type-C interface serves as the access point for external power supply devices, which provide operating power to the heating components via the Type-C interface.

7. A heat sink for easy disassembly of large-area phase change plates according to claim 1, characterized in that, The temperature acquisition unit is a temperature sensor, which is mounted on the edge of the base. The temperature control unit is configured with a preset temperature threshold. The temperature control unit compares the measured temperature of the base acquired by the temperature sensor with the preset temperature threshold, and performs the on / off operation of the power supply circuit of the heating component based on the comparison result.

8. A heat sink for easy disassembly of large-area phase change plates according to claim 1, characterized in that, An adhesive fixing layer is provided inside the cavity of the receiving tank. The heating component is fixed to the inner wall of the cavity of the receiving tank through the adhesive fixing layer, and the outer wall of the heating component is in thermal contact with the wall of the receiving tank.

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