Device for cooling at least one integrated circuit and vehicle having such device

Abstract

The present invention provides a device for cooling at least one integrated circuit. [Solution] The device (1) comprises: a heat conduction plate (10) that is in thermal contact with integrated circuits (IC1, IC2, IC3); a casing (20) to which the heat conduction plate is attached, the casing having: an inlet section (30) including an inlet (31) for receiving a cooling fluid (CL); a manifold section for controlling the flow (F) of the cooling fluid from the inlet section and changing the direction of the cooling fluid flow from a first direction (D1) to a second direction (D2); a flow input control section (50) having a plurality of solid flow input control segments (51) that form a flow input passage (52) and control the flow of the cooling fluid in the second direction; a cooling section (60) having heat sink elements (61, 64) for transferring heat from the heat conduction plate to the cooling fluid; and an outlet section (70) having an outlet (71) for discharging the cooling fluid from the cooling section.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an apparatus for cooling at least one integrated circuit with at least one cooling fluid and a vehicle having such an apparatus.

Background Art

[0002] Vehicles include an increasing number of electronic devices such as an electronic control unit (ECU) having one or more data processing units such as a CPU or GPU including one or more integrated circuits. For reliable operation of these electronic devices, it is important to provide a method for efficiently dissipating excess heat generated by one or more integrated circuits during operation.

[0003] Conventional cooling devices are known in the art, for example, as described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2021-144978 (Patent Document 1). Patent Document 1 describes a heating element cooling device that can reduce pressure loss in an inlet-side header portion and an outlet-side header portion and cool a plurality of discrete heating elements. The cooling device includes an inlet-side header portion including a plurality of first tapered portions whose cross-sectional area continuously decreases as the distance from the refrigerant inlet increases, and a second tapered portion having a smaller change in cross-sectional area than the first tapered portion, and an outlet-side header portion including a plurality of third tapered portions whose cross-sectional area continuously decreases as the distance from the refrigerant outlet increases, and a fourth tapered portion having a smaller change in cross-sectional area than the third tapered portion. This cooling device can cool an integrated circuit chip on one side of the casing.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an improved apparatus for cooling at least one integrated circuit with at least one cooling fluid and a vehicle having such an apparatus.

[0006] This disclosure relates to an apparatus for cooling at least one integrated circuit with at least one cooling fluid as defined in the claims, and a vehicle having such an apparatus. Embodiments are disclosed in the respective dependent claims.

[0007] One aspect of the present invention is an apparatus for cooling at least one integrated circuit with at least one cooling fluid, comprising: at least one heat conduction plate configured to be in thermal contact with at least one integrated circuit; and a casing to which the at least one heat conduction plate is mounted, the casing comprising: an inlet section having an inlet for receiving a cooling fluid; and a manifold section, which is tapered to control the flow of the cooling fluid from the inlet section to the manifold section and to change the direction of the flow of the cooling fluid from a first direction from the inlet section to the manifold section to a second direction lateral to the first direction, and the first and second directions. The present invention relates to a casing and an apparatus having a manifold section whose direction is parallel to the main plane of at least one heat conduction plate; a flow input control section having a plurality of solid flow input control segments configured to form a flow input passage between them and to control the flow of cooling fluid in a second direction from the manifold section to the cooling section of the casing; a cooling section having a plurality of heat sink elements, at least a portion of which are thermally in contact with at least one heat conduction plate and configured to transfer heat from the at least one heat conduction plate to the cooling fluid flowing from the flow input control section through the cooling section; and an outlet section having an outlet for discharging cooling fluid from the cooling section.

[0008] The apparatus of the present invention provides a method for more efficiently cooling at least one integrated circuit with at least one cooling fluid. According to various embodiments, the at least one cooling fluid is a liquid, such as water, or contains a liquid, and may contain one or more additives. According to further embodiments, the at least one cooling fluid is a gaseous fluid (or simply a gas) such as air or any other suitable gas, or contains a gaseous fluid (or simply a gas), and may contain one or more additives. The apparatus provides the beneficial effect of being able to achieve a particularly uniform flow of the cooling fluid in a large portion or throughout the entire cooling section. Thus, the uniformity and performance of the cooling surface of at least one heat conduction plate can be improved.

[0009] Furthermore, the flow of the cooling fluid can be customized to suit, for example, the location of at least one integrated circuit on a PCB, thereby making the fluid cooling of at least one integrated circuit more flexible and efficient. The device allows, for example, the definition of different flow zones or cooling regions along at least one heat conduction plate.

[0010] Furthermore, the device may be provided in a particularly compact form and / or in a cost-effective manner.

[0011] According to one embodiment, the cooling fluid inlet and outlet are openings and / or passages located in the casing, respectively. Through the inlet, the cooling fluid can be introduced into the inlet section of the device. Through the outlet, the cooling fluid can exit the device. The inlet and outlet may be located on the sides of the casing, respectively. They may be located on different sides of the casing, respectively. They may be located on the same side of the casing such that the inlet direction of the cooling fluid at the inlet is substantially parallel to the outlet direction of the cooling fluid at the outlet.

[0012] According to one embodiment, at least one heat conduction plate is a wall and / or cover of the casing, or at least a part thereof. At least one heat conduction plate may be a seal of the casing. At least one heat conduction plate may cover at least a cooling section. At least one heat conduction plate may be an integral part of the casing of the device, or it may be a separate element. At least one heat conduction plate may be attached to the casing by screws and corresponding mounting holes in the casing, or by adhesive. At least one heat conduction plate may include a heat conduction material.

[0013] According to one embodiment, the main plane of at least one heat conduction plate corresponds to the main extension of the plate structure, for example, the horizontal extension of at least one heat conduction plate (when the casing is placed on the ground). It may be a plane parallel to the bottom of the casing.

[0014] In this specification, the expression “thermally in contact with” or “thermally in contact with” may include two components being in direct contact with each other, for example by attaching or mounting one component to the other using screws or by pressing them together, and / or two components being indirectly in contact via a thermal interface material (TIM), such as a thermally conductive adhesive, paste, resin, or other thermally conductive element between the two components, so as to allow heat to be transferred from one component to the other.

[0015] For example, at least one integrated circuit may consist of a chip package on a PCB. The chip package (with or without a PCB) may be attached to at least one thermally conductive plate by a thermal interface material (TIM), in particular by a thermally conductive adhesive or glue.

[0016] According to one embodiment, the manifold section is located downstream of the inlet section. The flow input control section is located downstream of the manifold section. The cooling section is located downstream of the flow input control section. The outlet section is located downstream of the cooling section.

[0017] According to one embodiment, the inlet section, manifold section, flow input control section, cooling section, and outlet section are recesses within the casing. These sections may be formed within the casing by injection molding or die casting.

[0018] According to one embodiment, the casing may include a polymer material or a metallic material. The casing may also include a thermal conductive material. The casing can be manufactured from copper, aluminum, or other thermal conductive materials.

[0019] According to one embodiment, the first direction of the cooling fluid at the inlet and the inlet direction are parallel to each other and spaced apart. The inlet section may extend from the inlet to the manifold section and may have at least two kinks or bends.

[0020] According to one embodiment, the second direction may be substantially perpendicular to the first direction. In addition, it may be substantially perpendicular to the inlet direction.

[0021] According to one embodiment, the second direction may be substantially perpendicular to the exit direction.

[0022] According to one embodiment, the second direction may be substantially perpendicular to the first direction, the inlet direction, and the outlet direction. This allows for a very compact form factor of the device, so that the device can be used in very limited space.

[0023] According to one embodiment, the inlet section further has an expansion chamber configured to equalize the pressure of the cooling fluid from the inlet over time. The expansion chamber can provide enhanced protection of seal elements such as O-rings from abrupt pressure changes in the flow of the cooling fluid, particularly in the inlet section.

[0024] According to one embodiment, at least one side wall of the manifold section has a shape that tapers gradually along a first direction. The manifold section provides an even distribution of the cooling fluid flowing from the inlet section towards the flow input control section. The at least one side wall can be a vertical wall of the casing. It can be particularly a part of the side wall of the casing.

[0025] According to one embodiment, at least one side wall of the manifold section has alternating straight sections and inclined sections along a first direction. This ensures that the flow of the cooling fluid along the first direction can be changed into a second direction towards the flow input control section that is substantially perpendicular to the first direction. Thereby, a particularly compact design of the device is also possible.

[0026] According to one embodiment, each inclination angle between adjacent inclined sections and straight sections varies along the first direction. The inclination angle can be in the range from about 120° to about 170°. By varying the inclination angle, the cooling fluid flowing towards the flow input control section along the second direction can obtain different flow rates. By varying the inclination angle, the flow of the cooling fluid can be controlled and adjusted according to technical requirements along the first and / or second directions, for example, depending on the distribution of integrated circuits on the PCB to be cooled.

[0027] According to one embodiment, the length of the straight section and / or the inclined section can vary along the first direction. By varying the length, the flow of the cooling fluid can be controlled and adjusted according to technical requirements along the first and / or second directions.

[0028] According to one embodiment, the flow input control segments of the plurality of flow input control segments are arranged at distances that change sequentially along a first direction. By changing the distance, the flow of the cooling fluid in a second direction can be controlled and adjusted along the first direction according to technical requirements.

[0029] According to one embodiment, the plurality of flow input control segments includes columnar or wall-like elements. These elements may have a substantially cuboid shape.

[0030] According to one embodiment, the flow input control segments of the plurality of flow input control segments have a width that changes in a first direction and / or a thickness that changes in a second direction along the first direction.

[0031] According to one embodiment, at least one of the plurality of flow input control segments has an edge curvature, particularly an edge fillet. The edge curvature can affect and control the flow of the cooling fluid in the second direction into the cooling section.

[0032] According to one embodiment, at least one of the plurality of flow input control segments has at least one flow direction changing surface inclined with respect to the second direction of the cooling fluid. Inclining the surface or side of the flow input control segment can affect, control, and particularly change the direction of the flow of the cooling fluid in the second direction. The flow direction changing surface can be, for example, the side or surface of the flow input control segment facing or opposite to at least one tapered side wall of the manifold section. The flow direction changing surface can also be one of the other sides or surfaces of the flow input control segment. The flow direction changing surface can be angled with respect to a line along the second direction.

[0033] According to one embodiment, at least one of the plurality of flow input control segments is integrally formed with the casing.

[0034] According to one embodiment, the flow input passage may be a channel that extends in a second direction between adjacent flow input segments of a plurality of flow input segments.

[0035] According to one embodiment, the flow input passage of the flow input control section has a width and / or length that varies along a first direction. By varying the width and / or length, the flow of cooling fluid in a second direction to the cooling section can be controlled and adjusted along the first direction as technically necessary.

[0036] According to one embodiment, at least one of the flow input passages in the flow input control section has a width that varies along a second direction. According to one embodiment, at least one flow input passage is tapered. At least one flow input passage may be tapered in a second direction or may widen in a second direction. A flow input passage having a width that varies in a second direction can change the flow rate of cooling fluid toward the cooling section in a second direction, resulting in flow adjustment in a second direction.

[0037] According to one embodiment, at least one of the flow input passages is positioned at least partially opposite one of the inclined sections of the manifold section. The at least one flow input passage may be positioned mostly opposite one of each of the inclined sections. A portion of the at least one flow input passage may be positioned opposite a straight section adjacent to each of the inclined sections. This arrangement of the at least one flow input passage ensures that the flow of cooling fluid can be guided or redirected through the flow input passage from a first direction to a second direction.

[0038] According to one embodiment, at least one of the flow input control segments may be positioned at least partially opposite one of the straight sections of the manifold section. At least one of the flow input control segments may be positioned for the most part opposite one of each of the straight sections. A portion of at least one of the flow input control segments may face an inclined section adjacent to each of the straight sections. This arrangement of at least one of the flow input control segments ensures that the flow of cooling fluid can be guided or redirected from a first direction to a second direction through adjacent flow input passages passing through at least one of the flow input control segments.

[0039] According to one embodiment, the distance between a linear section and each of its opposing flow input control segments varies along a first direction.

[0040] According to one embodiment, the cooling section has at least two cooling regions extending parallel to the main plane of at least one heat conduction plate, wherein one of the at least two cooling regions is configured such that the cooling fluid flowing through the cooling region has a higher flow rate than the cooling fluid flowing through the other of the at least two cooling regions. The at least two cooling regions are further configured to cool each integrated circuit of at least two integrated circuits that generate different amounts of heat during operation. Thus, for example, the integrated circuit that generates the most heat during operation of multiple integrated circuits on a PCB can be placed above the cooling region with the highest flow rate of cooling fluid. This device can provide optimal heat dissipation.

[0041] According to one embodiment, the cooling section is a cooling chamber in which a plurality of heat sink elements are arranged, and further comprising a cooling chamber in which a plurality of turbulence segments may be additionally arranged to generate or increase turbulence of a cooling fluid within the cooling chamber.

[0042] For example, the gap between each heat sink element and its adjacent elements can be controlled by arranging some of the heat sink elements (e.g., pins) on a thermal conductive plate and some of them as part of the body / casing. By having a reduced gap, the flow velocity of the cooling fluid is higher in that region compared to regions with a larger gap. According to one embodiment, turbulence can be achieved by arranging the heat sink elements in a checkerboard layout.

[0043] Multiple turbulence segments may protrude from the bottom of the casing through the cooling chamber, particularly toward at least one heat conduction plate. At least one of the multiple turbulence segments has a pin shape. At least one of the multiple turbulence segments may be formed integrally with the casing.

[0044] According to one embodiment, the plurality of heat sink elements include at least one of thermal conduction pins, thermal conduction fins, and separate thermally conductive laminates such as thermal conduction spheres and / or polyhedra. At least one of the plurality of heat sink elements may be formed integrally with a casing or at least one thermal conduction plate. At least one of the plurality of heat sink elements and at least one thermal conduction plate may be separate parts.

[0045] According to one embodiment, the casing further comprises a flow output control section having a plurality of solid flow output control segments configured to form flow output passages and control the flow of cooling fluid from the cooling section to the outlet section. The plurality of flow output control segments and flow output passages provide further control of the flow of cooling fluid through the device.

[0046] All advantages, features, embodiments, and descriptions relating to the multiple flow input control segments and flow input passages apply accordingly to the multiple flow output control segments and flow output passages.

[0047] According to one embodiment, the flow output control section is located downstream of the cooling section. The outlet section is located downstream of the flow output control section.

[0048] According to one embodiment, the flow output control section is a recess within the casing. The section may be formed within the casing by injection molding or die casting.

[0049] According to one embodiment, the flow output control segments of a plurality of flow output control segments are arranged on the opposite side of the flow input control segment from the cooling section at a distance that changes sequentially along a first direction.

[0050] According to one embodiment, the flow output control segments of a plurality of flow output control segments have a width that changes in a first direction along a first direction and / or a thickness that changes in a second direction along a first direction.

[0051] According to one embodiment, at least one of the plurality of flow output control segments has an edge curved portion, in particular an edge chamfered portion.

[0052] According to one embodiment, at least one of the plurality of flow output control segments has at least one flow direction deflection surface inclined with respect to a second direction of the cooling fluid.

[0053] According to one embodiment, at least one of the flow output control segments is formed integrally with the casing.

[0054] According to one embodiment, the flow output passage of the flow output control section has a width and / or length that varies along a first direction.

[0055] According to one embodiment, at least one of the flow output passages in the flow output control section has a width that varies along a second direction.

[0056] According to one embodiment, at least one of the flow output passages is tapered.

[0057] According to one embodiment, the outlet section further includes an outlet chamber configured to equalize the pressure of the cooling fluid before it is output at the outlet. This allows the outlet chamber to slow down the cooling fluid and mitigate abrupt pressure changes.

[0058] According to one embodiment, the device has an O-ring to make it fluid-tight, and the casing has a recess (so-called gland) in which the O-ring is placed, the recess extending at least around the cooling section. When FSW (Friction Stir Welding) or brazing is used, an O-ring is not required because airtightness can be ensured by the welding or brazing itself.

[0059] According to one embodiment, the device has a rectangular parallelepiped shape, particularly a plate shape.

[0060] The cooling fluid used for cooling by the device may be water or other liquids suitable for fluid cooling, or it may be a gas, such as air, and may also be called a coolant or refrigerant.

[0061] Another aspect of the present invention relates to a vehicle having the device according to the present invention.

[0062] All features, embodiments, advantages and further descriptions described herein with respect to the apparatus shall apply to the vehicle as appropriate.

[0063] Further embodiments can be obtained by combining the embodiments and individual features of the apparatus described herein. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0064] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Further embodiments can be formed by combining the embodiments shown in the drawings. [Figure 1]The diagram shows a top view of a cross-section along the main plane of at least one heat conduction plate of an apparatus for fluid cooling at least one integrated circuit according to aspects and embodiments of the present invention. [Figure 2] A perspective view of a device for fluid cooling at least one integrated circuit according to one embodiment is shown. [Figure 3] An exploded view of a device for fluid cooling at least one integrated circuit according to one embodiment is shown. [Figure 4] This shows the flow of a cooling fluid through a device for fluidly cooling at least one integrated circuit according to one embodiment. [Figure 5] The flow of the cooling fluid through the apparatus shown in Figure 4 is further illustrated. [Figure 6] The diagram shows the flow of a cooling fluid through a device for fluidly cooling at least one integrated circuit according to one embodiment, where the flow forms several cooling regions within the cooling section. [Figure 7] The diagram shows a manifold section and a flow input control section of a device for fluid cooling at least one integrated circuit according to one embodiment, and the flow of cooling fluid through these sections. [Figure 8] The following illustrates different configurations of the flow input control segment of a device for fluid cooling at least one integrated circuit according to one or more embodiments, and the respective flows of the cooling fluid. [Figure 9] This shows a vehicle based on one embodiment of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0065] Figure 1 is a top view of a cross-section along the main plane 11 of at least one heat conduction plate 10 (see Figure 2) of an apparatus 1 for fluid cooling at least one integrated circuit (not shown) according to an aspect and embodiment of the present invention.

[0066] A device 1 for cooling at least one integrated circuit with at least one cooling fluid includes at least one heat conduction plate 10 configured to be in thermal contact with at least one integrated circuit, and a casing 20 to which the at least one heat conduction plate 10 is mounted. The casing 20 has an inlet section 30 having an inlet 31 for receiving a cooling fluid CL (see Figure 4), such as a cooling liquid or expector, and a manifold section 40 configured to control the flow F of the cooling fluid CL (e.g., a flow of liquid or a flow of gas) from the inlet section 30 to the manifold section 40, and to be tapered to change the direction of the flow of the cooling fluid CL from a first direction D1 from the inlet section 30 to the manifold section 40 to a second direction D2 that is perpendicular to the first direction D1. The first direction D1 and the second direction D2 are parallel to the main plane 11 of the at least one heat conduction plate 10. For example, the cooling fluid CL is a coolant in this embodiment. The casing 20 further includes a flow input control section 50 (shown as a dashed rectangle) having a plurality of solid flow input control segments 51 configured to form a flow input passage 52 between them and to control the flow F of the cooling fluid CL in a second direction D2 from the manifold section 40 of the casing 20 to the cooling section 60 (dotted rectangle). The cooling section 60 has a plurality of heat sink elements 61 configured so that at least a portion thereof is in thermal contact with at least one heat conduction plate 10 and to transfer heat from at least one heat conduction plate 10 to the cooling fluid CL flowing from the flow input control section 50 through the cooling section 60. Furthermore, the casing 20 has an outlet section 70 having an outlet 71 for outputting the cooling fluid CL from the cooling section 60. According to one embodiment, the arrangement and mounting of the heat sink elements 61 are “divided” into a checkerboard pattern between the bottom of the casing 20 and the heat conduction plate 10. Such a pattern may be selected to improve or enhance manufacturability. Depending on the thickness of the plate 10, the gap between the heat sink elements (e.g., pins and / or fins) is, for example, 5 mm or more.As described above, by overlapping and dividing the heat sink elements, the gap can be easily controlled without manufacturing limitations.

[0067] The inlet section 30 may further include an expansion chamber 32 configured to equalize the pressure of the cooling fluid CL coming from the inlet 31 over time. In the direction from the inlet 31 to the manifold section 40, the inlet section 30, and in particular the expansion chamber 32, may have two kinks or bends, such as a right kink and a left kink.

[0068] At least one side wall 41 of the manifold section 40 may have a shape that is gradually tapered (narrows) along the first direction D1. At least one side wall 41 of the manifold section 40 may have alternating straight sections 42 and inclined sections 43 along the first direction D1, as shown in more detail in Figure 7.

[0069] As illustrated, according to one embodiment, in Figure 7, at least one of the flow input passages 52 may be positioned at least partially opposite one of the inclined sections 43 of the manifold section 40. At least one of the flow input control segments 51 may be positioned at least partially opposite one of the straight sections 42 of the manifold section 40.

[0070] The first direction D1 corresponds to the main longitudinal extension of the manifold section 40.

[0071] The cooling section 60 may further have a cooling chamber 63 in which a plurality of heat sink elements 61 may be arranged and a plurality of solid turbulence segments 64 may be arranged within the cooling chamber 63 to generate turbulence of the cooling fluid CL. The turbulence segments 64 may be formed integrally with the casing 20 or may be separate elements.

[0072] According to one embodiment, the heat sink element 61 can also act as a turbulence segment, and vice versa. For example, the turbulence segment 64 may be a heat sink element attached to the side of the bottom of the casing 20. Such an embodiment may be advantageous in avoiding manufacturing limitations due to gaps that are too small. If the gaps between the elements 61 are too small, manufacturing may be difficult or impossible. According to one embodiment, a checkerboard layout may be used (one element 61 on the side of the plate 10, the next element being an element or segment 64 on the side of the bottom of the casing 20, and so on). In Figure 2b), the heat conduction plate 10 is not shown.

[0073] According to one embodiment, referring to Figure 3, positioning elements (e.g., half-pins / dowel locators) may be placed on the sides of the plate 10 and / or the bottom of the casing 20 to ensure proper alignment of the chess layout and spacing of the aisles 52 and 82. Providing these elements can improve uniform and as-designed spacing between elements 61 and 64, between segments 51, and between segments 81.

[0074] As additional mounting options beyond screws and adhesives, FSW (Friction Stir Welding) and brazing are also possible. These two methods work particularly well when both plate 10 and casing 20 are manufactured from metal. If cooling is performed only on one side of the casing, one of the two parts, either plate 10 or casing 20, may be manufactured from plastic material, in which case only screw fastening and mechanical fastening such as O-rings will work.

[0075] The casing 20 may further have a flow output control section 80 (second dashed rectangle) having a plurality of solid flow output control segments 81 configured to control the flow F of the cooling fluid CL from the cooling section 60 to the outlet section 70, forming a flow output passage 82 between them. The flow output control segments 81 and the flow output passage 82 may have similar or identical characteristics and / or features to the flow input control segments 51 and the flow input passage 52. The flow output control segments 81 of the plurality of flow output control segments 81 may be arranged sequentially at different distances along a first direction D1 on the opposite side of the flow input control segments 51 relative to the cooling section 60. According to one embodiment, some of the flow output control segments 81 may be, for example, part of the plate 10 and part of the bottom of the casing 20, depending on the distance between each segment 81. If the distance is less than 5 mm, it is advantageous that one or more segments are shifted to the opposite side of the plate 10 or to the bottom of the casing 20, respectively.

[0076] In one embodiment, it is preferable that there is a minimum distance between segments 51 and 81 or elements 61 and 64. If the distance is less than 5 mm, each segment or element should be moved to the opposite side of the casing, i.e., to either the plate 10 or the other side of the casing 20. This results in a small gap, such as 1 mm (for example, in the flow output control section 80). If die casting is not possible, it is also possible to alternate the elements between the plate 10 and the other side of the casing 20. In this way, it can be ensured that die casting is possible, and thus manufacturing costs can be significantly reduced.

[0077] By optimizing the shape and pattern of elements 61 and 64, a clearance of just 1 mm can be achieved, and there is also the option to control the gap between elements 61 and 64. This is desirable in the case of custom cooling regions or when locally increasing thermal mass and flow velocity. This also has advantages in die casting or injection molding, for example, by CNC post-processing.

[0078] The outlet section 70 may further include an outlet chamber 72 configured to equalize the pressure of the cooling fluid CL before it is output at the outlet 71. The outlet chamber 72 may have two kinks or bends. In the direction from the flow output control section 80 to the outlet 71, it may have a left kink and a right kink.

[0079] The inlet 31 and outlet 71 may be located on the same side of the casing 20 of the apparatus. The first direction D1 may be the same as or identical to the inlet direction of the cooling fluid at the inlet 31. The second direction D2 may be substantially perpendicular to the first direction D1. The outlet direction of the cooling fluid at the outlet 71 may be substantially perpendicular to the second direction D2. The inlet direction and the outlet direction may be substantially parallel to each other.

[0080] Figure 2 shows different partial perspective views of a device 1 for fluid cooling of at least one integrated circuit according to one embodiment. Device 1 may be similar to or identical to the device shown in Figure 1. Figure 2a) shows a perspective view of device 1 with at least one heat conduction plate 10 assembled and attached to the top of the casing 20 via screws 21. The inlet 31 and outlet 71 are located on the same side of the casing 20. Figure 2b) shows device 1 with at least one heat conduction plate 10 not assembled. The casing 20 may have mounting holes 24 that receive screws 21 when the at least one heat conduction plate 10 is attached to the casing 20. The casing 20 may further have recesses 22 (so-called glands) where O-rings can be placed to fluidize and seal device 1. The recesses 22 may extend around the inlet section 30, the manifold section 40, the flow input control section 50, the cooling section 60, the flow output control section 80, and the outlet section 70. Figure 2c) shows the at least one heat conduction plate 10 of Figure 2a) removed from the casing 20 and rotated (inverted) by 180°. The main plane 11 of the at least one heat conduction plate 10 may be or correspond to the bottom side of the at least one heat conduction plate 10 that faces the cooling section when assembled. The at least one heat conduction plate 10 may have mounting through holes 12 for receiving screws when the at least one heat conduction plate 10 is attached to the casing 20. The at least one heat conduction plate 10 may have a plurality of heat sink elements 61, such as pins. The heat sink elements 61 may be integral parts of the at least one heat conduction plate 10 or may be separate elements attached thereto.

[0081] According to some embodiments, cooling can be performed on either side of the casing 20, i.e., the side of the heat conduction plate 10 or the opposite side of the casing 20 (in this case, its bottom), or on both sides, as in a so-called dual PWB setup (sandwich setup; PWB: printed circuit board). In such a sandwich setup, both the plate 10 and the opposite side of the casing 20 are manufactured from a heat conduction material. Another option is to provide cooling only to the side of the plate 10, for example, when only one PWB is cooled, and to manufacture the casing 20 from plastic (e.g., not a heat conduction material to reduce manufacturing costs). This setup is less expensive in terms of manufacturing costs.

[0082] Figure 3 shows an exploded view of a device 1 for fluid cooling of at least one integrated circuit according to one embodiment. The device 1 shown in Figure 3 is similar to or identical to the one shown in Figure 2. Figure 3 further shows an O-ring 23 which may be placed in a recess 22 to fluidize the device 1 when at least one heat conduction plate 10 is attached to the casing 20, for example by screws 21, corresponding mounting through holes 12 in the at least one heat conduction plate 10 and mounting holes 24 in the casing 20.

[0083] Figure 4 shows an exemplary flow of cooling fluid CL through a device 1 for fluid cooling at least one integrated circuit according to one embodiment. In Figure 4a), the cooling fluid CL (shown in black) flows through the inlet 31 into the expansion chamber 32, where it slows down and its pressure is homogenized. In Figure 4b), the cooling fluid CL is shown flowing from the expansion chamber 32 into the manifold section 40 and through the manifold section, which guides and homogenizes the flow of the cooling fluid in a first direction D1 along the length of the manifold section 40. This can balance the distribution of the cooling fluid to the flow input control section 50.

[0084] Figure 4c) shows a further embodiment of the cooling section 60 within the casing 20. This shows a waving shape on the sidewall of the casing 20 in the region of the cooling chamber 63 of the cooling section 60. In particular, at least one or both sidewalls of the cooling section 60 have a waving shape 65 in at least a portion thereof in the region of the cooling chamber 63 in the direction of the cooling fluid flow within the cooling chamber 63. Advantageously, such a waving shape prevents laminar flow from occurring near the sidewall. In the case of a straight wall, the cooling fluid tends to "adhere" to the flat side of the wall, which can lead to a magnetic-like effect, meaning that adjacent cooling fluid flows are attracted to this laminar flow and thus the flow within the cooling section 60 is affected. In this case, the cooling efficiency is lower in the center of the cooling section 60, and the flow balance is affected, making it more difficult to control through sections 40, 50, and 80.

[0085] Figure 5 further illustrates the flow of the cooling fluid CL through the apparatus 1 shown in Figure 4. In Figure 5a), the cooling fluid CL flows from the manifold section 40, through the flow input passage 52 of the flow input control section 50, over the flow input control segment 51 which further adjusts the pressure and flow, and into the cooling section 60. Depending on the position and arrangement of the heat sink elements 61 and / or turbulence segments 64 (which may also act as heat sink elements as described herein) within the cooling section 60, the shape of each individual flow input control segment 51 and / or passage 52 can be customized to adjust and direct higher or lower cooling fluid flows into the cooling section 60. This can be used, for example, when a higher cooling fluid flow is required in a particular area of ​​the cooling section 60 to place an IC with high heat generation on a PCB that is in thermal contact with at least one heat conduction plate 10 or the opposite portion of the casing 20. Such a cooling surface of the casing 20, as shown in the example in Figure 2d), is, according to some embodiments, an inverted version of the heat conduction plate 10, as shown in Figure 2a).

[0086] In this way, based on the PCB layout, a cooling pattern can be provided on (or below, respectively) at least one heat conduction plate 10: for example, a lower flow region where one or more ICs with lower heat generation are located, and a higher flow region where one or more ICs with higher heat generation are located (see Figure 6). In Figure 5b), the cooling fluid CL flows through the cooling section 60, which is the region where most of the heat transfer occurs. The cooling fluid CL flows through the flow output passage 82, over the flow output control segment 81, into the flow output control section 80, which allows for further control of the flow and pressure before the cooling fluid enters the outlet chamber 72 of the outlet section 70. The outlet chamber 72 balances the velocity and pressure of the cooling fluid CL before it exits the apparatus 1 through the outlet 71.

[0087] Figure 6 shows an exemplary flow of cooling fluid through a device 1 for fluid cooling at least one integrated circuit (IC1, IC2, IC3) according to one embodiment, where this flow forms several cooling regions 62A, 62B, 62C within the cooling section 60, caused by the respective combinations of the inlet, manifold, flow control, cooling, and outlet structures and the sections 30, 40, 50, 60, 70 and various elements thereof as described herein. From top to bottom in Figure 6, the distance between adjacent flow input control segments 51 decreases such that the flow rate of cooling fluid CL flowing from the flow input control segments 50 to the cooling section 60 decreases similarly from top to bottom. Depending on the arrangement of the flow input control segments 51, a continuous transition of flow rate from top to bottom can be achieved in the cooling section 60. Additionally or alternatively, regions with different flow rates that are constant in each region may be provided. Cooling region 62A may exist, in which the flow of cooling fluid may have the highest flow rate. The IC with the highest heat generation among those being cooled (such as IC1) may be located on the heat conduction plate 10 in region 62A (adjacent or above, respectively). In region 62A, cooling performance can be maximized. As shown in Figure 6, there may be an additional cooling region 62B adjacent to region 62A. In region 62B, the cooling fluid flow rate may be lower than in region 62A, and an IC with lower heat generation (IC2) may be located on the heat conduction plate 10 in this region (adjacent or above, respectively). In region 62B, cooling performance may be lower than in region 62A. A third cooling region 62C may also exist. In region 62C, the cooling fluid flow rate may be the lowest, and the IC with the lowest heat generation (IC3) may be located on the heat conduction plate 10 in this region (adjacent or above, respectively). In region 62C, cooling performance may be the lowest.

[0088] The cooling fluid flow can be customized to fit the PCB-IC layout while ensuring it does not exceed the maximum flow rate requirements demanded by the OEM. For example, 50% of the total maximum flow rate could be directed to cooling area 62A, 35% to cooling area 62B, and 15% to cooling area 62C.

[0089] The apparatus according to the present invention offers the possibility of customizing how the cooling fluid flows within the apparatus.

[0090] Figure 7 shows a manifold section 40 and a flow input control section 50 of a device 1 for fluid cooling at least one integrated circuit according to one embodiment, and the flow of the cooling fluid CL F through these sections.

[0091] The side walls 41 of the manifold section 40 (for example, forming the outer side walls of the casing 20) may have a shape that gradually tapers along a first direction D1. The side walls 41 may alternate straight sections 42 and inclined sections 43 along the first direction D1. The respective inclination angles 44 between adjacent inclined sections 43 and straight sections 42 may vary along the first direction D1. Some or each of the flow input control segments 51 of the flow input control section 50 may be positioned opposite each of the straight sections 42. The flow input control segments 51 and each of the opposing straight sections 42 form a channel through which the flow F of the cooling fluid CL propagates. The clearance between each straight section 42 and the opposing flow input control segment 51 can control the volume flow F and pressure of the cooling fluid downstream. Thus, the volume flow can be altered by each flow input control segment 51 through which it passes, as the clearance can decrease from right to left.

[0092] Some or each of the flow input passages 52 may be positioned at least partially opposite one of each of the inclined sections 43. These flow input passages may further be positioned partially opposite a straight section adjacent to each inclined section 43. That is, some of the flow input passages 52 may be offset in a first direction D1 relative to each inclined section 43. The inclined sections 43 may cause the cooling fluid CL to be directed or redirected toward the flow input passages 52. The lengths of the straight sections 42 and / or inclined sections 43 along the first direction D1 may vary. Furthermore, the gradient of the inclined sections 43 may vary.

[0093] Figure 8 shows different configurations of the flow input control segment 51 of the apparatus 1 for fluid cooling at least one integrated circuit according to one or more embodiments, and the respective flows F of the cooling fluid CL.

[0094] In Figure 8a), adjacent flow input control segments 51 may have opposing, parallel, inclined flow direction changing surfaces 54 that form a flow input passage 52 and guide the cooling fluid flow F in a direction inclined with respect to the first direction D1.

[0095] In Figure 8b), one of the two adjacent flow input control segments 51 may have an inclined flow direction redirection surface 54 that forms one side wall of the flow input passage 52 and guides the flow F into the interior of each flow input passage 52.

[0096] In Figure 8c), one of the two adjacent flow input control segments 51 may have an inclined flow direction reversal surface 54 that faces one straight section 42 of the manifold section 40 and is formed to narrow the channel width through the manifold section 40 in a first direction D1 after the flow input passage 52.

[0097] In Figure 8d), one of two adjacent flow input control segments 51 may have an inclined flow direction deflection surface 54 that faces one straight section 42 of the manifold section 40 and is formed to narrow the channel width through the manifold section 40 in a first direction D1 in front of the flow input passage 52.

[0098] In Figures 8e) to 8h), one of two adjacent flow input control segments 51 may have an edge curved portion 53, in particular an edge chamfer. The edge curved portion 53 may contribute to accelerating and / or increasing the flow F around the edge curved portion 53 and may have a flow directing function as shown.

[0099] The depiction in Figure 8 is applicable equally or similarly to the flow output control segment 81 and the flow output passage 82. The flow output control segment 81 may have a flow direction redirection surface 84 or edge curve 83 similar to or identical to that of the flow input control segment 51. The flow output control segment 81 may be formed similarly to the flow input control segment 51, as described.

[0100] Figure 9 shows a vehicle 1000 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The vehicle 1000 may be a passenger car, in particular a smart car. It has apparatus 1 according to various embodiments described herein.

[0101] A smart car can generally refer to a technologically advanced vehicle designed to enhance efficiency, safety, and convenience through features such as connectivity, advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS), and environmentally friendly powertrains. This could include any car equipped with intelligent systems such as AI-powered navigation, autonomous driving capabilities, and real-time diagnostics. Smart cars are often integrated with smartphones and the internet, providing remote access, personalized settings, and over-the-air updates.

[0102] Apparatus 1 may be configured to cool one or more integrated circuits of electronic devices, such as an electronic control unit (ECU) of a vehicle, which may be located in the trunk of a vehicle, for example. In such applications, the compact design of the apparatus according to embodiments of the present invention proves advantageous, as described herein.

[0103] A vehicle's ECU can generally refer to a control unit that can be configured to manage vehicle functions such as engine performance, fuel injection, ignition timing, and emissions to ensure optimal efficiency and compliance with regulations. It can be configured to control the gear shifts of an automatic transmission for smooth and efficient operation. It can be configured to control the anti-lock braking system (ABS) and electronic stability control to improve safety. It can manage electrical systems such as lighting, wipers, windows, and door locks. It can be configured to activate airbags and seat belt pretensioners in the event of a collision. Furthermore, the ECU can be configured to manage vehicle connectivity, GPS navigation, emergency communication systems, and / or entertainment / audio systems. The ECU can be configured to control autonomous driving functions and / or features and surrounding detection using systems such as LIDAR, cameras, or other sensors. [Explanation of symbols]

[0104] 1 device 10 Heat Conduction Plates 11 Principal plane 12 Mounting holes for the heat conduction plate 20 Casing 21 screws 22 Recess for O-ring 23 O-rings 24 mounting holes for the casing 30 Entrance Section 31 Entrance 32 Expansion Chamber 40 Manifold Section 41 Side wall of manifold section 42 Straight Section 43 Inclined Sections 44 Inclination angle 50 Flow Input Control Section 51 Flow Input Control Segment 52 Flow input passage 53 Edge curved section 54 Flow direction change surface 60 Cooling Sections 61 Heatsink Element 62A, 62B, 62C cooling area 63 Cooling Chamber 64 Turbulence Segments 65 Wavy shape 70 Exit Section 71 Exit 72 Outlet Chamber 80 Flow output control section 81 Flow output control segment 82 Flow output passage 83 Edge curved section 84 Flow direction change surface 1000 vehicles IC1, IC2, IC3 Integrated Circuit CL cooling fluid F flow D1 First direction D2 Second direction

Claims

1. A device for cooling at least one integrated circuit with at least one cooling fluid, the device comprising: The at least one integrated circuit and at least one heat conductive plate configured to be in thermal contact with it; A casing to which at least one of the heat conduction plates is attached: An inlet section including an inlet for receiving the cooling fluid; A manifold section, wherein the manifold section is tapered to control the flow of the cooling fluid from the inlet section to the manifold section and to change the direction of the cooling fluid flow from a first direction from the inlet section to the manifold section to a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and the first and second directions are parallel to the main plane of the at least one heat conduction plate; A flow input control section having a plurality of solid flow input control segments configured to form a flow input passage between them and to control the flow of the cooling fluid in the second direction from the manifold section to the cooling section of the casing; The cooling section having a plurality of heat sink elements configured such that at least a portion of them is in thermal contact with the at least one heat conduction plate and that heat from the at least one heat conduction plate is transferred to the cooling fluid flowing from the flow input control section through the cooling section; and An outlet section having an outlet for discharging the cooling fluid from the aforementioned cooling section; A casing having; Having, Device.

2. The inlet section further comprises an expansion chamber configured to equalize the pressure of the cooling fluid from the inlet section over time. The apparatus according to claim 1.

3. At least one side wall of the manifold section has a shape that gradually tapers along the first direction. The apparatus according to claim 1.

4. The at least one side wall of the manifold section alternates between a straight section and an inclined section along the first direction. The apparatus according to claim 3.

5. The respective inclination angles between adjacent inclined sections and straight sections vary along the first direction. The apparatus according to claim 4.

6. The flow input control segments of the plurality of solid flow input control segments are arranged at distances that change sequentially along the first direction; and / or At least one of the plurality of solid flow input control segments has an edge curved portion; and / or At least one of the plurality of solid flow input control segments has at least one flow direction changing surface inclined with respect to the second direction of the cooling fluid. The apparatus according to claim 1.

7. The flow input passage of the flow input control section has a width and / or length that varies along the first direction; At least one of the flow input passages of the flow input control section has a width that varies along the second direction; and / or At least one of the flow input passages is tapered. The apparatus according to claim 1.

8. At least one of the flow input passages is positioned at least partially opposite one of the inclined sections of the manifold section; and / or At least one of the flow input control segments is positioned at least partially opposite one of the linear sections of the manifold section. The apparatus according to claim 4.

9. The cooling section has at least two cooling regions that extend parallel to the main plane of the at least one heat conduction plate, one of the at least two cooling regions is configured such that the cooling fluid flowing through the cooling region has a higher flow rate than the other of the at least two cooling regions, and the at least two cooling regions are configured to cool each of the at least two integrated circuits of the integrated circuits, each of which generates different amounts of heat during operation. The apparatus according to claim 1.

10. The cooling section further comprises a cooling chamber in which a plurality of heat sink elements are arranged and / or a plurality of solid turbulence segments are arranged in such a manner that turbulence of the cooling fluid is generated within the cooling chamber, and in particular, the side walls of the cooling section have a wavy shape in at least a portion of the region of the cooling chamber. The apparatus according to claim 1.

11. The casing further comprises a flow output control section having a plurality of solid flow output control segments configured to form a flow output passage and control the flow of the cooling fluid from the cooling section to the outlet section. The apparatus according to claim 1.

12. The flow output control segments of the plurality of solid flow output control segments are arranged on the opposite side of the flow input control segments from the cooling section at a distance that changes sequentially along the first direction; and / or At least one of the plurality of solid flow output control segments has an edge curved portion; and / or At least one of the plurality of solid flow output control segments has at least one flow direction changing surface inclined with respect to the second direction of the cooling fluid. The apparatus according to claim 11.

13. The flow output passage of the flow output control section has a width and / or length that varies along the first direction; and / or At least one of the flow output passages of the flow output control section has a width that varies along the second direction; and / or; At least one of the flow output passages is tapered. The apparatus according to claim 11.

14. The outlet section further comprises an outlet chamber configured to equalize the pressure of the cooling fluid before it is output at the outlet. The apparatus according to claim 1.

15. The at least one cooling fluid is a liquid or a gas, or contains a liquid or a gas. The apparatus according to claim 1.

16. The at least one cooling fluid is water or contains water, or the at least one cooling fluid is air or contains air. The apparatus according to claim 15.

17. A vehicle having the device described in any one of claims 1 to 16.

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