UNCONTINUOUS COOLING FIN GEOMETRY FOR INCREASED THERMAL PERFORMANCE

Abstract

According to various embodiments, a heat sink comprises: a plurality of cooling fins, wherein a first cooling fin contained in the plurality of cooling fins has a first section with a first height and a second section with a second height which is less than the first height, and wherein the first height and the second height are defined in a direction which is parallel to a direction of cooling air which flows over the plurality of cooling fins.

Description

BACKGROUND Area of ​​the various designs

[0001] The various embodiments generally relate to computer systems and thermal management technology, and in particular to a non-uniform cooling fin geometry for increased thermal performance. Description of the state of the art

[0002] In modern computing devices, central processing units (CPUs), graphics processing units (GPUs), and other integrated circuits (ICs) generate significant amounts of heat during operation. This heat must be dissipated from the computing device so that the integrated circuits and the computing device as a whole can operate effectively. For example, a single high-performance chip, such as a CPU or GPU, can generate hundreds of watts of heat during operation. If this heat is not dissipated from the computing device, the chip's temperature can rise so high that it is permanently damaged. To prevent thermal damage during operation, many computing devices therefore incorporate various cooling systems that dissipate heat generated by the chip and other electronic components within the computing device.In addition to conventional cooling systems, many computing devices also implement clock speed throttling when a processor's operating temperature exceeds a certain threshold. Therefore, in these computing devices, the processing speed of the high-performance chip is limited by the efficiency of heat dissipation, which can reduce the overall computing power of the device.

[0003] For many card-based processing subsystems, such as a graphics card with a high-performance chip or GPU, the dissipation of heat generated by the chip is facilitated by the use of a fan-based cooling system. Typically, in these types of cooling systems, one or more axial fans direct air across the cooling fins of a heat sink, drawing heat away from the electronic components contained within the card-based processing subsystem and thus greatly increasing the heat sink's cooling capacity.

[0004] One disadvantage of fan-based cooling systems is that the air directed over the cooling fins of a heat sink generally exhibits a highly uneven velocity distribution, ranging from a high outflow velocity at the edge of the fan to a low or even nonexistent outflow velocity in the center. This uneven velocity distribution of the air exiting the axial fans of a fan-based cooling system is caused by each fan blade generating more pressure at its tip than at its base. Typically, an axial fan blade generates pressure as a function of the blade's linear velocity at any point along its length.Since the linear velocity of a point along the blade is directly proportional to the radial position of that point, a fan blade farther from the center of the fan generates higher pressure, and a fan blade closer to the center generates lower pressure. Consequently, an axial fan generally blows air at a higher velocity near the blade tips and air at a lower velocity near the center of the fan.

[0005] Given the above, significant portions of a heat sink's cooling fins may draw in little or no cooling air, while other portions draw in cooling air at high velocity. The fin sections that draw in little or no cooling air provide limited heat transfer from the heat sink. This underutilization of the cooling fins reduces the cooling efficiency of the heat sink and the fan-based cooling system as a whole, typically resulting in less heat being dissipated from the heat sink. Since the overall airflow rate for fan-based cooling systems is usually limited to avoid generating undesirable fan noise levels, the airflow rate of the fans included in these types of systems cannot simply be increased to compensate for the loss of cooling efficiency caused by such underutilization of the cooling fins.

[0006] To even out the velocity distribution across the diameter of an axial fan, the blades are sometimes configured with a variable angle of attack, increasing from a minimum angle at the blade tip to a maximum at the blade base. However, the compact axial fans typically used in many card-based processing subsystems operate at relatively high speeds, for example, on the order of 3,000 revolutions per minute or more. At such speeds, incorporating a variable angle of attack into the blade geometry generally cannot eliminate or even sufficiently reduce the uneven velocity distribution of the air exiting these fans.

[0007] As the above illustrates, more effective techniques for removing heat from card-based processing subsystems are needed in the prior art. SUMMARY

[0008] According to various embodiments, a heat sink comprises: a plurality of cooling fins, wherein a first cooling fin contained in the plurality of cooling fins has a first section with a first height and a second section with a second height which is less than the first height, and wherein the first height and the second height are defined in a direction which is parallel to a direction of cooling air which flows over the plurality of cooling fins.

[0009] At least one technical advantage of the disclosed design over the prior art is that the disclosed design can increase the thermal performance of a fan-based cooling system by distributing the cooling airflow more uniformly across the cooling fins of a heat sink. Specifically, the disclosed design locally modifies the flow resistance of the heat sink's cooling fins, thereby reducing the pressure drop caused by the cooling fins in a region of the heat sink facing the center of the fan, compared to the pressure drop caused by the cooling fins in a region of the heat sink facing the fan's edge. Consequently, the velocity distribution of air flowing through the cooling fins of a heat sink according to the disclosed design is more uniform compared to the velocity distribution of air flowing through the cooling fins of a conventional heat sink.As a result, the thermal performance of the heat sink and the fan-based cooling system as a whole is increased. These technical advantages represent one or more technological advancements compared to state-of-the-art approaches. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] To better understand the features of the various embodiments mentioned above, a more detailed description of the inventive concepts summarized above can be provided with reference to various embodiments, some of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. It should be noted, however, that the accompanying drawings represent only typical embodiments of the inventive concepts and are therefore in no way intended to limit the scope of the invention, and that other equally effective embodiments exist. Fig. 1 is a conceptual representation of a computer system configured to implement one or more aspects of the various embodiments. Fig. 2 is another representation of the computer system of Fig. 1 according to various embodiments. Fig. Figure 3 is a more detailed representation of the map-based processing subsystem of Fig. 2 according to different embodiments. Fig. Figure 4 is a closer perspective view of a section of the map-based processing subsystem of Fig. 3 according to different embodiments. Fig. Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the map-based processing subsystem of Fig. 3 according to different embodiments. Fig. Figure 6 illustrates an outflow velocity profile of a cooling fan used in the map-based processing subsystem of Fig. 3 is included, according to various embodiments. Fig. Figure 7 illustrates a velocity profile of cooling air entering a finned arrangement of a heat sink, according to various embodiments. Fig. Figure 8 illustrates a cooling fin of a heat sink which has stepwise changes in fin height, according to different embodiments. Fig. Figure 9 illustrates a cooling fin of a heat sink having an arc-shaped leading edge, according to various embodiments. Fig. Figure 10 illustrates a cooling fin of a heat sink which has both an arcuate leading edge and an arcuate trailing edge, according to various embodiments.

[0011] For the sake of clarity, identical reference numerals have been used wherever possible to denote identical elements that appear in multiple figures. It is possible that features of one embodiment may be incorporated into other embodiments without further reference. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0012] The following description sets out numerous specific details to provide a more thorough understanding of the various embodiments. However, it is obvious to a person skilled in the art that the inventive concepts can be implemented without one or more of these specific details. Introduction

[0013] According to various embodiments, a fin arrangement for a heat sink in a fan-based cooling system is configured to increase the heat sink's thermal performance by more evenly distributing the cooling airflow directed by a fan over the heat sink's cooling fins. In these embodiments, the fin arrangement includes a first region corresponding to a high-speed exhaust region of the fan (such as a peripheral region of the fan) and a second region corresponding to a low-speed exhaust region of the fan (such as a hub or central region of the fan). In such embodiments, the first region of the fin arrangement faces the high-speed exhaust region of the fan and draws cooling air from it, while the second region of the fin arrangement faces the low-speed exhaust region of the fan and draws cooling air from it.Furthermore, in the fin arrangement, cooling fins and / or sections of cooling fins located in the first region of the fin arrangement exhibit a higher flow resistance than cooling fins and / or sections of cooling fins located in the second region. Therefore, for a given velocity of the cooling air flowing through the fin arrangement, a greater pressure drop is generated by the cooling fins and / or sections of cooling fins located in the first region compared to the pressure drop generated by the cooling fins and / or sections of cooling fins located in the second region. Consequently, the airflow from the fan tends to flow towards the second region (with the lower pressure drop) of the fin arrangement, which is closer to the center of the fan, thus making the velocity distribution of the air flowing through the fin arrangement more uniform. System overview

[0014] Fig. Figure 1 is a conceptual representation of a computer system 100 configured to implement one or more aspects of the various embodiments. As shown, the system 100 includes a central processing unit (CPU) 102 and system memory 104, which communicate via a bus path that may include a memory bridge 105. The CPU 102 includes one or more processing cores, and in operation, the CPU 102 is the main processor of the system 100, controlling and coordinating the operations of other system components. The system memory 104 stores software applications and data for use by the CPU 102. The CPU 102 executes software applications and, optionally, an operating system. The memory bridge 105, which may be, for example, a northbridge chip, is connected via a bus or other communication path (e.g., a HyperTransport link) to an I / O (input / output) bridge 107. The I / O bridge 107, which may be, for example, a memory chip, is connected to the system's memory.a Southbridge chip receives user input from one or more user input devices 108 (e.g. keyboard, mouse, joystick, digitizer tablets, touchpads, touchscreens, still or video cameras, motion sensors and / or microphones) and forwards the input to the CPU 102 via the memory bridge 105.

[0015] A display processor 112 is coupled to the memory bridge 105 via a bus or other communication path (e.g., a PCI Express, Accelerated Graphics Port, or HyperTransport connection); in one embodiment, the display processor 112 is a graphics subsystem comprising at least one graphics processing unit (GPU) and graphics memory. The graphics memory includes a display memory (e.g., a frame buffer) used to store pixel data for each pixel of an output image. The graphics memory can be integrated in the same device as the GPU, connected to the GPU as a separate device, and / or implemented within the system memory 104.

[0016] The display processor 112 periodically delivers pixels to a display device 110 (e.g., a screen or a conventional CRT, plasma, OLED, SED, or LCD-based monitor or television). Additionally, the display processor 112 can output pixels to film recorders designed to reproduce computer-generated images on photographic film. The display processor 112 can provide an analog or digital signal to the display device 110. In various embodiments, a graphical user interface is displayed to one or more users via the display device 110, and the one or more users can input data into the graphical user interface and receive visual output from it.

[0017] A system disk 114 is also connected to the I / O bridge 107 and can be configured to store content, applications, and data for use by the CPU 102 and the display processor 112. The system disk 114 provides non-volatile storage for applications and data and can include fixed or removable hard disk drives, flash memory devices, and CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, Blu-ray, HD-DVD, or other magnetic, optical, or solid-state storage devices.

[0018] A switch 116 provides connections between the I / O bridge 107 and other components, such as a network adapter 118 and various add-on cards 120 and 121. The network adapter 118 enables the system 100 to communicate with other systems via an electronic communications network and can include wired or wireless communication over local area networks and wide area networks, such as the Internet.

[0019] Other components (not shown), including USB or other port connections, movie recording devices, and the like, can also be connected to the I / O bridge 107. For example, an audio processor can be used to generate analog or digital audio output from instructions and / or data provided by the CPU 102, system memory 104, or system disk 114. Communication paths connecting the various components in Fig. 1. Connections between devices can be implemented using any suitable protocols, such as PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect), PCI-Express (PCI-E), AGP (Accelerated Graphics Port), HyperTransport or any other bus or point-to-point communication protocol(s), and connections between different devices can use different protocols, as is known in the prior art.

[0020] In one embodiment, the display processor 112 is configured as a processing subsystem that integrates circuits optimized for graphics and video processing, including, for example, video output circuits, and constitutes a graphics processing unit (GPU). In another embodiment, the display processor 112 is configured as a processing subsystem that integrates circuits optimized for general-purpose processing. In yet another embodiment, the display processor 112 can be integrated with one or more other system elements, such as the memory bridge 105, the CPU 102, and the I / O bridge 107, to form a system-on-a-chip (SoC). In still further embodiments, the display processor 112 is omitted, and software executed by the CPU 102 performs the functions of the display processor 112.

[0021] Pixel data can be provided directly to the display processor 112 by the CPU 102. In some embodiments, instructions and / or data representing a scene are provided to a render farm or a set of server computers, each similar to the System 100, via the network adapter 118 or the system disk 114. The render farm produces one or more rendered images of the scene using the provided instructions and / or data. These rendered images can be stored on computer-readable media in a digital format and optionally returned to the System 100 for display. Similarly, stereo image pairs processed by the display processor 112 can be output to other systems for display, stored on the system disk 114, or saved on computer-readable media in a digital format.

[0022] Alternatively, the CPU 102 provides the display processor 112 with data and / or instructions defining the desired output images, from which the display processor 112 generates the pixel data for one or more output images, including characterizing and / or adjusting the offset between stereo image pairs. The data and / or instructions defining the desired output images can be stored in system memory 104 or graphics memory within the display processor 112. In one embodiment, the display processor 112 includes 3D rendering capabilities for generating pixel data for output images from instructions and data defining the geometry, lighting, texturing, motion, and / or camera parameters for a scene. The display processor 112 can further include one or more programmable execution units capable of executing shader programs, tone mapping programs, and the like.

[0023] Furthermore, in other embodiments, the CPU 102 or the display processor 112 can be replaced or supplemented by any technically feasible form of processing device configured to process data and execute program code. Such a processing device could, for example, be a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), and so on. In various embodiments, any of the operations and / or functions described herein can be performed by the CPU 102, the display processor 112, or one or more other processing devices, or any combination of these different processors.

[0024] The CPU 102, the render farm and / or the display processor 112 can use any surface or volume rendering technique known in the prior art to produce one or more rendered images from the provided data and instructions, including rasterization, scanline rendering REYES or micropolygon rendering, ray casting, ray tracing, image-based rendering techniques and / or combinations of these and any other rendering or image processing techniques known in the prior art.

[0025] In other considered embodiments, the system can accommodate 100 other components. Fig. The elements shown in section 1 may or may not be included. System memory 104 and / or other memory units or devices in System 100 may contain instructions which, when executed, cause a robot or robotic device represented by System 100 to perform one or more operations, steps, tasks, or the like.

[0026] It is understood that the system shown herein is for illustrative purposes only and that variations and modifications are possible. The connection topology, including the number and arrangement of bridges, can be modified as required. For example, in some embodiments, the system memory 104 is directly connected to the CPU 102 instead of via a bridge, and other devices communicate with the system memory 104 via the memory bridge 105 and the CPU 102. In other alternative topologies, the display processor 112 is connected to the I / O bridge 107 or directly to the CPU 102 instead of the memory bridge 105. In still other embodiments, the I / O bridge 107 and the memory bridge 105 could be integrated on a single chip. The specific components shown herein are optional; for example, any number of add-in cards or peripheral devices could be supported.In some embodiments, the switch 116 is not present and the network adapter 118 and the add-on cards 120, 121 are directly connected to the I / O bridge 107.

[0027] Fig. Figure 2 is another representation of the computer system 100 according to various embodiments. As shown, the computer system 100 includes a chassis 201 (also referred to as a "housing" or "case") with one or more system cooling fans 202 mounted thereon and one or more cooling inlets 203 formed therein. The cooling fans 202 are configured to draw cooling air into the chassis 201 to dissipate heat generated by various electronic components of the computer system 100, for example, via the cooling inlets 203. In the Fig. In the embodiment illustrated in Figure 2, the computer system 100 further includes a power supply 204 mounted inside the chassis 201, a plurality of chassis expansion slots 205 typically located on a rear surface of the chassis 201, and a mainboard 206 arranged inside the chassis 201.

[0028] The computer system 100 further includes various external connections (omitted for clarity) mounted on a rear and / or front surface of the chassis 201, such as a power connection, Universal Serial Bus (USB) connections, an audio input jack, an audio output jack, one or more video output connections, and / or other connections. In some embodiments, one or more of these external connections are associated with the mainboard 206 or with an expansion card that is coupled to the mainboard 206 and installed in a chassis expansion slot 205, such as a card-based processing subsystem 220.

[0029] In the Fig. In the illustrated embodiment 2, the mainboard 206 is configured with a central processing unit (CPU) and one or more edge card connectors, such as Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (PCIe) slots, each positioned to correspond to another chassis expansion slot 205. For clarity, the CPU and edge card connectors of the mainboard 206 are shown in Fig. 2 omitted. In general, the computer system 100 is configured with one or more expansion cards or other card-based processing subsystems, each mounted in a separate chassis expansion slot 205 and communicatively coupled to the mainboard 206 via a corresponding card edge connector. Examples of such card-based processing subsystems include card-based processing subsystems 220, such as wireless adapters, sound cards, graphics cards, the network adapter 118, the add-in cards 120, 121, or the display processor 112 of Fig. 1 and / or the like. In the Fig. In the illustrated embodiment 2, a single card-based processing subsystem 220 is coupled to the mainboard 206, but in other embodiments, multiple card-based processing subsystems 220 can be coupled to the mainboard 206.

[0030] In some embodiments, the computer system 100 further includes one or more peripheral devices (not shown) that are communicatively coupled to the mainboard 206 and / or a specific expansion card coupled to the mainboard 206. For example, in some embodiments, the computer system 100 includes one or more devices such as a keyboard, mouse, joystick, digitizer tablet, touchpad, touchscreen, display device, external hard disk, still or video cameras, motion sensors, microphones, and / or the like.

[0031] In the Fig. In the illustrated embodiment 2, the computer system 100 is depicted as a desktop computer system in a tower configuration. In other embodiments, the computer system 100 can have any configuration that may include a card-based processing subsystem, such as a tower server computer system, a blade server computer system, a rack server computer system, a laptop computer, and / or the like. Map-based processing subsystem

[0032] Fig. Figure 3 is a more detailed representation of the map-based processing subsystem 220 according to various embodiments. In particular, Fig. Figure 3 shows a perspective view of the card-based processing subsystem 220 according to various embodiments. As shown, the card-based processing subsystem 220 includes a housing 350 and one or more fin arrangements 330 arranged within the housing 350 to cool one or more integrated circuits (ICs) contained within the card-based processing subsystem 220. In some embodiments, the one or more ICs are mounted on a printed circuit board (PCB) 302, which is at least partially located within the housing 350.

[0033] In some embodiments, the card-based processing subsystem 220 can be configured to access an area near the mainboard 206 (in Fig. 2) occupies one, two, three, or more chassis expansion slots 205. In such embodiments, the backplate bracket 305 can have a suitable width (e.g., 20 mm, 40 mm, 60 mm, etc.). Additionally or alternatively, in some embodiments, the enclosure 350 has a form factor and electrical and mechanical connections (e.g., edge conductors, mechanical connection features, and a backplate bracket) that allow the installation of the card-based processing subsystem 220 on a computer motherboard, such as the motherboard 206 in Fig. 2, enable. In such embodiments, the housing 350 can have a form factor that occupies an area corresponding to an integer number of expansion slots on the mainboard.

[0034] In some embodiments, to increase heat dissipation from the ICs, a fan-based cooling system is included in the card-based processing subsystem 220. In such embodiments, the fan-based cooling system includes one or more cooling fans (in Fig. 3 not visible), which are aligned to force cooling air 301 (or any other suitable cooling fluid) through the fin arrangements 330. In the Fig. In the illustrated embodiment 3, the card-based processing subsystem 220 includes two cooling fans, each cooling fan directing cooling air 301 through a different fin arrangement 330 of the card-based processing subsystem 220. In other embodiments, the card-based processing subsystem 220 may include a single cooling fan or three or more cooling fans. In some embodiments, a portion of the cooling air 301 may exit the card-based processing subsystem 220 through one or more lateral vents 360, as shown.

[0035] In some embodiments, the fan-based cooling system of the card-based processing subsystem 220 further includes a multi-phase thermal solution (in Fig. 3 not visible), such as heat pipes and / or a vapor chamber. In such embodiments, the multiphase thermal solution is thermally coupled to some or all of the ICs contained in the card-based processing subsystem 220, such as a GPU, a CPU, and / or a memory device or memory devices. Additionally, the multiphase thermal solution is coupled to some or all of the cooling fins 331 contained in each fin assembly 330. In such embodiments, each fin assembly 330 acts as a heat sink for the fan-based cooling system of the card-based processing subsystem 220. In some embodiments, the enclosure 350 facilitates the positioning of the cooling fans relative to the PCB 302, which is located within the enclosure 350, the multiphase thermal solution, and the fin assemblies 330.

[0036] In some embodiments, the housing 350 can have one or more connection ports 354 (in Fig. 3 shown as dashed lines) include connections located on a front wall 355 of the enclosure 350, such as a USB connection, an audio input jack, an audio output jack, one or more video output connections, and / or other connections. For example, in embodiments where the card-based processing subsystem 220 is configured as a graphics card, the one or more connection ports 354 may include a video connection, such as a video graphics arrangement (VGA) connection, a digital video interface (DVI) connection, a high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI) connection, a DisplayPort, and / or the like.In general, the front wall 355 is a surface of the card-based processing subsystem 220 that corresponds to a chassis expansion slot 205 of the card-based processing subsystem 220 when the card-based processing subsystem 220 is installed on the mainboard 206 of the computer system 100 (the chassis expansion slots 205 and the mainboard 206 are in . Fig. 2 shown).

[0037] According to various embodiments, each fin assembly 330 is configured to increase the thermal performance of the fan-based cooling system of the card-based processing subsystem 220 by distributing the cooling airflow more evenly over the cooling fins 331 of each fin assembly 330. One such embodiment is described below in conjunction with Fig. 4 described.

[0038] Fig. Figure 4 is a closer perspective view of a section of the map-based processing subsystem 220 according to various embodiments. As shown, the fin arrangement 330 includes a plurality of cooling fins 331. In the Fig. In the illustrated embodiment 4, the cooling fins 331 can be thin, flat, metallic fins, such as stamped, machined, or extruded fins, and can be made of aluminum, copper, or any other suitable fin material. As shown, the cooling fins 331 are arranged parallel to the flow of cooling air 301 supplied by an associated cooling fan (in Fig. (4 not visible) flows out and through the fin arrangement 330. Furthermore, the fin arrangement 330 includes a first area 410, which corresponds to a high-speed outflow area of ​​the cooling fan (such as an edge region of the fan and an area near the edge region of the fan), and a second area 420, which corresponds to a low-speed outflow area of ​​the fan (such as a hub region or central region of the fan and an area near the hub region of the fan). Thus, the first area 410 faces the high-speed outflow area of ​​the fan and receives cooling air from it, while the second area 420 faces the low-speed outflow area of ​​the fan and receives cooling air from it.In some embodiments, an outer section of the second region 420, for example the outer third of the second region 420, can also face the high-speed outflow region of the cooling fan and receive cooling air from it, as in . Fig. 5 shown.

[0039] In the Fig. In the embodiment illustrated in Figure 4, the first region 410 comprises several interrupted sub-regions arranged around the edge of the rib arrangement 330. In other embodiments, the first region 410 may be implemented as a single continuous region around the edge of the rib arrangement 330. In contrast, the second region 420 is a single region located in a central section of the rib arrangement 330, corresponding to a hub or central region of the cooling fan.

[0040] According to various embodiments, in the rib arrangement 330, sections of cooling fins 331 located in the first region 410 exhibit a higher flow resistance than sections of cooling fins 331 located in the second region 420. In particular, sections of cooling fins 331 in the second region 420 have a lower height than sections of cooling fins 331 located in the first region 410. Therefore, for a given velocity of the cooling air 301 flowing through the rib arrangement 330, a greater pressure drop is generated by the sections of cooling fins 331 located in the first region 410 compared to the pressure drop generated by sections of cooling fins 331 located in the second region 420. In some embodiments, each cooling fin 331 that has a section in the second region 420 can have a different height profile.As a result, the exposed edges of the cooling fin sections in the second area 420 can form a three-dimensional area that has been “cut out” of the normally flat surface of a conventional fin arrangement. For example, in the area shown in the diagram, this is formed in the diagram shown ... Fig. In the embodiment shown in Figure 4, the second area 420 has a spherical "cutout" from the rib arrangement 330. The different heights of the cooling fins 331 in the first area 410 and the second area 420 are described below in conjunction with Fig. 5 described. Uneven heatsink fin geometry

[0041] Fig. Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the map-based processing subsystem 220 according to various embodiments. Fig. 5 corresponds to the cross-sectional view of a cross-sectional view of section AA in Fig. 4. In the Fig. In the embodiment shown in Figure 5, the card-based processing subsystem 220 includes a cooling fan 540, a multiphase thermal solution, and a fin assembly 330. Section AA shows a single cooling fin 530 of the fin assembly 330. The cooling fin 530 in Fig. 5 can be used with the cooling fins 330 of the Fig. 3 and Fig. 4 match.

[0042] In the Fig. In the embodiment shown in Figure 5, the multiphase thermal solution includes several heat pipes 550 coupled to the cooling fin 530 and to one or more ICs (not shown) of the card-based processing subsystem 220. In other embodiments, the multiphase thermal solution may include a vapor chamber coupled to the cooling fin 530 and the one or more ICs. The heat pipes 550 use evaporative cooling to transfer heat from the one or more ICs to the cooling fins of the fin assembly 330. As shown, the cooling fins of the fin assembly 330 are oriented substantially parallel to the flow of cooling air 301 (or other cooling fluid) supplied by the cooling fan 440 to facilitate the flow of cooling air 301 over the cooling fins.

[0043] In the Fig. In the embodiment shown in Figure 5, the cooling fan 540 is an axial fan comprising a hub 541 and several fan blades 542. During operation, the cooling fan 540 rotates about a shaft 545 coupled to the hub 541 and directs cooling air 301 over the cooling fin 530 and the other cooling fins of the fin assembly 330. As mentioned above, the cooling air 301 exhibits a highly uneven velocity profile as it exits the cooling fan 540. Thus, the cooling fan 540 in the embodiment shown in Figure 5 exhibits a highly uneven velocity profile. Fig. Figure 5 illustrates a high-speed outlet area 510 located near an edge 546 of the cooling fan 540 and a low-speed outlet area 520 located near the hub 541 of the cooling fan 540. An exemplary speed profile of the cooling fan 540 is shown below in conjunction with Fig. 6 described.

[0044] Fig. Figure 6 illustrates an outflow velocity profile 600 of the cooling fan 540 according to various embodiments. The outflow velocity profile 600 conceptually represents the velocity of the cooling air 301 in Fig. 5 as a function of the radial position relative to the hub 545 and the edge 546 of the cooling fan 540 in Fig. Figure 5. As shown, the outflow velocity profile 600 exhibits high velocity values ​​601 for the cooling air in the high-velocity outflow region 510 and low velocity values ​​602 for the cooling air in the low-velocity outflow region 520. In many map-based processing subsystems, cooling fans that direct air over the cooling fins of a heat sink are positioned very close to the cooling fins. Therefore, the velocity distribution of the cooling air exiting the cooling fan has little or no opportunity to equalize before passing through the cooling fins of the heat sink and resembles velocity profile 600.When the cooling air flows through the cooling fins of a heat sink with such a non-uniform velocity profile, the sections of the cooling fins facing the low-velocity outlet area 520 are underutilized and transfer significantly less heat to the cooling air than the sections of the cooling fins facing the high-velocity outlet area 510.

[0045] According to various embodiments, the cooling fins of a fan-based cooling system are configured to ensure that the velocity profile of the cooling air as it flows over the cooling fins of a heat sink is more uniform than the velocity profile of the cooling air as it exits a cooling fan. Various cooling fin embodiments are described below in conjunction with the Fig. 5 and 8-10 described.

[0046] With renewed reference to Fig. Figure 5 shows that the cooling fin 530 has one or more sections arranged in the first region 410 of the fin arrangement 330 and one section arranged in the second region 420 of the fin arrangement 330. As shown, the section of the cooling fin 530 arranged in the first region 410 has a first fin height 531, while the section of the cooling fin 530 arranged in the second region 420 has a second fin height 532, which is less than the first height 531. In the Fig. In the illustrated embodiment 5, the first rib height 531 and the second rib height 532 are each measured between a leading edge 533 of the cooling rib 530 and a trailing edge 534 of the cooling rib 530.

[0047] As shown, the first fin height 531 and the second fin height 532 are each measured in a direction parallel to a direction of the cooling air 301 flowing over the fin arrangement 330. Thus, the first fin height 531 indicates a distance over which the cooling air 301 flows over the cooling fin 530 in the first region 410, and the second fin height 532 indicates a distance over which the cooling air 301 flows over the cooling fin 530 in the second region 420. Since the pressure drop generated by the cooling fin 530 is proportional to the distance over which the cooling air 301 flows over the cooling fin 530, the pressure drop generated by the cooling fin 530 in the second region 520 is less than the pressure drop generated by the cooling fin 530 in the first region 510.Consequently, more cooling air 301 flows through the fin assembly 330 over the second area 520 than if the section of cooling fin 530 in the second area 520 had the same fin height as the section of cooling fin 530 in the first area 510. As a result, the cooling air 301 enters the fin assembly 330 with a more uniform velocity profile than the velocity profile of the cooling air 301 as it exits the cooling fan 540. An exemplary velocity profile of the cooling fan 540 is shown below in conjunction with... Fig. 7 described.

[0048] Fig. Figure 7 illustrates a velocity profile 700 of the cooling air entering the fin assembly 330 according to various embodiments. Conceptually, the velocity profile 700 represents the velocity of the cooling air 301 entering the fin assembly 330 as a function of its radial position relative to the center or hub 545 and the edge 546 of the cooling fan 540 (the cooling air 301, the fin assembly 330, and the cooling fan 540 are in Fig. 5 shown). For reference, the outflow velocity profile 600 (dashed line) is shown. Fig. 6 also in Fig. Figure 7 shows that velocity profile 700 is more uniform and / or consistent than outflow velocity profile 600. Thus, velocity profile 700 is more uniform and / or consistent than outflow velocity profile 600, even though the cooling fan 540 is located near the fin assembly 300. Alternative cooling fin geometries

[0049] In the embodiments described above, a section of a cooling fin in a cooling fin assembly has an arcuate trailing edge in a region of the cooling fin assembly that corresponds to a low-velocity outlet area of ​​a cooling fan. In other embodiments, cooling fins with different geometries can be used to compensate for a cooling air velocity profile or to make the cooling air velocity profile more uniform. Exemplary embodiments are described below in conjunction with the Fig. 8-10 described.

[0050] Fig. Figure 8 illustrates a cooling fin 830 having stepwise changes in fin height according to various embodiments. The cooling fin 830 can be a cooling fin included in a fin arrangement of a card-based processing subsystem, such as the card-based processing subsystem 220, and can be combined with the cooling fins 330 in the Fig. 3 and Fig. 4 agree. As shown, the cooling fin 830 has a first fin height 831 in the first region 410 (which corresponds to a high-speed outflow region of a cooling fan) and a second fin height 832 in the second region 420 (which corresponds to a low-speed outflow region of the cooling fan). In the Fig. In the illustrated embodiment 8, the second height 832 above the second area 420 varies, for example as a function of an outflow velocity profile of the cooling fan, such as the outflow velocity profile 600 of Fig. 6. Furthermore, the second height 832 varies in steps between several different values, each smaller than the first rib height 831, and not as in a smooth curve. In some cases, the cooling fin 830 can be manufactured more easily than a cooling fin with an arcuate trailing edge or leading edge.

[0051] Fig. Figure 9 illustrates a cooling fin 930 having an arcuate leading edge, according to various embodiments. The cooling fin 930 can be a cooling fin included in a fin arrangement of a card-based processing subsystem, such as the card-based processing subsystem 220, and can be combined with the cooling fins 330 in the Fig. 3 and Fig. 4 agree. As shown, the cooling fin 930 has a first fin height 931 in the first area 410 and a second fin height 932 in the second area 420. In the Fig. In the illustrated embodiment 9, the second height 932 varies above the second area 420, for example as a function of an outflow velocity profile of the cooling fan, such as the outflow velocity profile 600 of Fig. 6. Furthermore, the second height 932 varies due to an arc-shaped leading edge 933 of the cooling fin 930 in the second area 420.

[0052] Fig. Figure 10 illustrates a cooling fin 1030 having both an arcuate leading edge and an arcuate trailing edge, according to various embodiments. The cooling fin 1030 can be a cooling fin included in a fin arrangement of a card-based processing subsystem, such as the card-based processing subsystem 220, and can be combined with the cooling fins 330 in the Fig. 3 and Fig. 4 agree. As shown, the cooling fin 1030 has a first fin height 1031 in the first area 410 and a second fin height 1032 in the second area 420. In the Fig. In the illustrated embodiment 10, the second height 1032 varies above the second area 420, for example as a function of an outflow velocity profile of the cooling fan. Furthermore, the second height 1032 varies due to an arcuate leading edge 1033 and an arcuate trailing edge 1034 of the cooling fin 1030.

[0053] In summary, the various embodiments shown and provided herein represent techniques for improved cooling in card-based processing subsystems. In particular, a fin arrangement for a heat sink is configured in a fan-based cooling system to increase the heat sink's thermal performance by more evenly distributing the cooling airflow directed by a fan over the heat sink's cooling fins.In the embodiments, the fin arrangement comprises a first region corresponding to a high-speed outlet region of the fan and a second region corresponding to a low-speed outlet region of the fan. The first region of the fin arrangement faces the high-speed outlet region of the fan and draws cooling air from it, while the second region of the fin arrangement faces the low-speed outlet region of the fan and draws cooling air from it. Furthermore, in the fin arrangement, cooling fins and / or sections of cooling fins located in the first region of the fin arrangement exhibit a higher flow resistance than cooling fins and / or sections of cooling fins located in the second region of the fin arrangement.As a result, the airflow from the fan tends to flow towards the second area (with lower pressure drop) of the fin arrangement, which faces the central area of ​​the fan, thus making the velocity distribution of the air flowing through the fin arrangement more even or uniform.

[0054] At least one technical advantage of the disclosed design over the prior art is that the disclosed design can increase the thermal performance of a fan-based cooling system by distributing the cooling airflow more uniformly across the cooling fins of a heat sink. Specifically, the disclosed design locally modifies the flow resistance of the heat sink's cooling fins, thereby reducing the pressure drop caused by the cooling fins in a region of the heat sink facing the center of the fan, compared to the pressure drop caused by the cooling fins in a region of the heat sink facing the fan's edge. Consequently, the velocity distribution of the air flowing through the cooling fins of a heat sink according to the disclosed design is more uniform compared to the velocity distribution of the air flowing through the cooling fins of a conventional heat sink.As a result, the thermal performance of the heat sink and the fan-based cooling system as a whole is increased. These technical advantages represent one or more technological advancements compared to state-of-the-art approaches. 1. In some embodiments, a heat sink has a plurality of cooling fins, wherein a first cooling fin contained in the plurality of cooling fins has a first section with a first height and a second section with a second height which is less than the first height, and wherein the first height and the second height are defined in a direction which is parallel to a direction of cooling air which flows over the plurality of cooling fins. 2. Heat sink according to sentence 1, wherein: the first section of the first cooling fin is located near a first outlet area of ​​a fan; and the second section of the first cooling fin is located near a second outlet area of ​​the fan. 3. Heat sink according to sentence 1 or 2, wherein in the first outlet area of ​​the fan the cooling air is directed at a first velocity in the direction of the plurality of fins and in the second outlet area of ​​the fan the cooling air is directed at a second velocity which is lower than the first velocity in the direction of the plurality of fins. 4. Heat sink according to one of sentences 1-3, wherein the first outlet area of ​​the fan corresponds to an edge area of ​​the fan and the second outlet area of ​​the fan corresponds to a central area of ​​the fan. 5. Heat sink according to one of sentences 1-4, wherein: the first cooling fin has a leading edge and a trailing edge; and both the first height and the second height are measured between the leading edge and the trailing edge of the first cooling fin. 6. Heat sink according to one of the sets 1-5, wherein the leading edge is straight and the trailing edge is curved over the second section of the first cooling fin. 7. Heat sink according to one of the sentences 1-6, wherein the leading edge is curved and the trailing edge is straight over the second section of the first cooling fin. 8. Heat sink according to one of sentences 1-7, wherein the leading edge and the trailing edge are curved over the second section of the first cooling fin. 9. Heat sink according to one of the sets 1-8, wherein the leading edge is straight and the trailing edge is straight over the first section of the first cooling fin. 10. Heat sink according to one of sentences 1-9, wherein the leading edge of the first cooling fin has one or more stepwise changes in fin height over the second section of the first cooling fin. 11. Heat sink according to one of sentences 1-10, wherein the trailing edge of the first cooling fin has one or more stepwise changes in fin height over the second section of the first cooling fin. 12. Heat sink according to one of sentences 1-11, wherein a second cooling fin in the plurality of cooling fins has a third section with a third fin height and a fourth section with a fourth fin height which is less than the third fin height, and wherein the third fin height and the fourth fin height are each measured in a direction which is parallel to a direction of the cooling air which flows over the plurality of cooling fins. 13. In some embodiments, a card-based processing subsystem features a case; a processor mounted on a circuit board located inside the housing; and a heat sink coupled to the processor, wherein the heat sink comprises: a large number of cooling fins, wherein a first cooling fin contained in the plurality of cooling fins has a first section with a first height and a second section with a second height which is less than the first height, and wherein the first height and the second height are each measured in a direction which is parallel to a direction of cooling air which flows over the plurality of cooling fins. 14. Card-based processing subsystem according to sentence 13, further comprising a fan oriented to direct cooling air over the plurality of cooling fins. 15. Card-based processing subsystem according to sentence 13 or 14, wherein the fan is arranged inside the housing. 16. Card-based processing subsystem according to one of sentences 13-15, wherein: the first section of the first cooling fin is located near a first outlet area of ​​the fan; and the second section of the first cooling fin is located near a second outlet area of ​​the fan. 17. Card-based processing subsystem according to one of sentences 13-16, wherein in the first exhaust area of ​​the fan the cooling air is directed at a first velocity towards the plurality of fins and in the second exhaust area of ​​the fan the cooling air is directed at a second velocity which is lower than the first velocity towards the plurality of fins. 18. Card-based processing subsystem according to one of sentences 13-17, wherein the first exhaust area of ​​the fan corresponds to an edge area of ​​the fan and the second exhaust area of ​​the fan corresponds to a central area of ​​the fan. 19. Card-based processing subsystem according to one of sentences 13-18, wherein: the first cooling fin has a leading edge and a trailing edge; and both the first height and the second height are measured between the leading edge and the trailing edge of the first cooling fin. 20. Card-based processing subsystem according to any one of sentences 13-19, wherein a second cooling fin in the plurality of cooling fins has a third section with a third fin height and a fourth section with a fourth fin height less than the third fin height, and wherein the third fin height and the fourth fin height are each measured in a direction parallel to a direction of the cooling air flowing over the plurality of cooling fins.

[0055] All combinations of the claim elements mentioned in the claims and / or the elements described in this application fall within the intended scope of the present invention and the protection in any form.

[0056] The descriptions of the various embodiments are provided for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the disclosed embodiments. Many modifications and variations are apparent to the person skilled in the art without deviating from the scope and concept of the described embodiments.

[0057] While the foregoing is directed to embodiments of the present disclosure, other and further embodiments of the disclosure may be developed without deviating from its basic scope, and their scope is determined by the following claims.

Claims

[1] Heat sink encompassing: a large number of cooling fins, wherein a first cooling fin, which is contained in the plurality of cooling fins, has a first section with a first height and a second section with a second height that is less than the first height, and where the first height and the second height are defined in a direction parallel to a direction of cooling air flowing over the plurality of cooling fins. [2] Heat sink according to claim 1, wherein: the first section of the first cooling fin is located near a first outlet area of ​​a fan; and the second section of the first cooling fin is located near a second outlet area of ​​the fan. [3] Heat sink according to claim 2, wherein in the first outlet area of ​​the fan the cooling air is directed at a first velocity in the direction of the plurality of fins and in the second outlet area of ​​the fan the cooling air is directed at a second velocity which is lower than the first velocity in the direction of the plurality of fins. [4] Heat sink according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the first outlet area of ​​the fan corresponds to an edge area of ​​the fan and the second outlet area of ​​the fan corresponds to a central area of ​​the fan. [5] Heat sink according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: the first cooling fin has a leading edge and a trailing edge; and both the first height and the second height are measured between the leading edge and the trailing edge of the first cooling fin. [6] Heat sink according to claim 5, wherein the front edge is straight and the rear edge is curved over the second section of the first cooling fin. [7] Heat sink according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the leading edge of the second section of the first cooling fin is curved and the trailing edge is straight. [8] Heat sink according to one of claims 5 to 7, wherein the front edge and the rear edge of the second section of the first cooling fin are arc-shaped. [9] Heat sink according to claim 8, wherein the leading edge is straight and the trailing edge is straight over the first section of the first cooling fin. [10] Heat sink according to one of claims 5 to 9, wherein the leading edge of the second section of the first cooling fin has one or more stepwise changes in fin height. [11] Heat sink according to one of claims 5 to 10, wherein the trailing edge of the second section of the first cooling fin has one or more stepwise changes in fin height. [12] Heat sink according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a second cooling fin in the plurality of cooling fins has a third section with a third fin height and a fourth section with a fourth fin height which is less than the third fin height, and wherein the third fin height and the fourth fin height are each measured in a direction which is parallel to a direction of the cooling air which flows over the plurality of cooling fins. [13] Map-based processing subsystem, comprising: a case; a processor mounted on a circuit board located inside the housing; and a heat sink coupled to the processor, wherein the heat sink comprises: a large number of cooling fins, wherein a first cooling fin, which is contained in the plurality of cooling fins, has a first section with a first height and a second section with a second height that is less than the first height, and where the first height and the second height are each measured in a direction parallel to a direction of cooling air flowing over the multitude of cooling fins. [14] Card-based processing subsystem according to claim 13, further comprising a fan oriented to direct cooling air over the plurality of cooling fins. [15] Card-based processing subsystem according to claim 14, wherein the fan is arranged inside the housing. [16] Card-based processing subsystem according to claim 14 or 15, wherein: the first section of the first cooling fin is located near a first outlet area of ​​the fan; and the second section of the first cooling fin is located near a second outlet area of ​​the fan. [17] Card-based processing subsystem according to claim 16, wherein in the first outlet area of ​​the fan the cooling air is directed at a first velocity in the direction of the plurality of fins and in the second outlet area of ​​the fan the cooling air is directed at a second velocity which is lower than the first velocity in the direction of the plurality of fins. [18] Card-based processing subsystem according to claim 16 or 17, wherein the first outlet area of ​​the fan corresponds to an edge area of ​​the fan and the second outlet area of ​​the fan corresponds to a central area of ​​the fan. [19] Card-based processing subsystem according to any one of claims 14 to 18, wherein: the first cooling fin has a leading edge and a trailing edge; and both the first height and the second height are measured between the leading edge and the trailing edge of the first cooling fin. [20] Card-based processing subsystem according to any one of claims 14 to 19, wherein a second cooling fin in the plurality of cooling fins has a third section with a third fin height and a fourth section with a fourth fin height that is less than the third fin height, and wherein the third fin height and the fourth fin height are each measured in a direction that is parallel to a direction of the cooling air flowing over the plurality of cooling fins.

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