Server

Abstract

A server includes a casing, a circuit board, at least one main heat source, at least one secondary heat source and at least one heat sink. The casing has a bottom plate. The circuit board is disposed on the bottom plate, and has a bottom surface and a top surface facing away from each other. The bottom surface faces the bottom plate. The at least one main heat source is disposed on the bottom surface. The at least one secondary heat source is disposed on the top surface. The heating amount of the at least one secondary heat source is less than the heating amount of the at least one main heat source. The at least one heat sink is disposed on the bottom plate, and is thermally coupled to the at least one main heat source.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a server, and more particularly to a server in which the main heat source is located on the bottom surface of a circuit board. Prior Technology

[0002] With the advent of the big data era and the continuous development of cloud technology, various industries have increasingly higher requirements for high-performance servers, and the amount of data that needs to be processed by servers is becoming larger and larger, which has greatly increased the heat flux density and heat generation of servers. Therefore, the heat dissipation problem urgently needs to be solved.

[0003] Generally, servers can be cooled using air-cooling systems. However, current cooling efficiency for high-power electronic components within servers is still insufficient, which can affect server operation. Therefore, improving the cooling efficiency for high-power electronic components within servers is one of the problems that developers should address. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The present invention provides a server that improves the heat dissipation efficiency of heat sources within the server.

[0005] An embodiment of the present invention discloses a server comprising a housing, a circuit board, at least one main heat source, at least one secondary heat source, and at least one heat sink. The housing has a base plate. The circuit board is disposed on the base plate and has a bottom surface and a top surface facing away from each other. The bottom surface faces the base plate. At least one main heat source is disposed on the bottom surface. At least one secondary heat source is disposed on the top surface. The heat output of the at least one secondary heat source is less than the heat output of the at least one main heat source. At least one heat sink is disposed on the base plate and thermally coupled to the at least one main heat source.

[0006] In the server according to the above embodiment, since the main heat sources and secondary heat sources are respectively located on the bottom and top surfaces of the circuit board, the main heat sources can be kept away from the secondary heat sources, thus defining dedicated heat dissipation areas for the main heat sources. Therefore, the main heat sources have more space for heat dissipation, preventing the heat generated by the main and secondary heat sources from concentrating in one place and becoming difficult to dissipate. This improves the heat dissipation efficiency of the main heat sources within the server.

[0007] The above description of the content of this invention and the following description of the embodiments are used to demonstrate and explain the principles of this invention, and to provide a further explanation of the scope of the patent application of this invention. Simple Explanation of the Diagram

[0008] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a server according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 is an exploded view of the server in Figure 1. Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the server in Figure 1. Figure 4 is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the heat sink of the server in Figure 1. Figure 5 is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the heat sink of the server in Figure 1, omitting the heat-conducting substrate. Implementation

[0009] Please refer to Figures 1 to 3. Figure 1 is a perspective view of the server according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 is an exploded view of the server in Figure 1. Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the server in Figure 1.

[0010] The server 10 in this embodiment includes a housing 11, a tray 12, a circuit board 13, multiple main heat sources 14, multiple secondary heat sources 15, multiple secondary heat sources 16, multiple heat sinks 17, and multiple fans 18. The housing 11 has a base plate 111. The tray 12 is disposed inside the housing 11 and supports the circuit board 13. The circuit board 13 has a bottom surface 131 and a top surface 132 facing each other. The bottom surface 131 faces the base plate 111.

[0011] The main heat sources 14 are, for example, CPU chips. The secondary heat sources 15 are, for example, electronic components such as VR MOS chips. The main heat sources 14 and the secondary heat sources 15 are disposed on the bottom surface 131. The secondary heat sources 16 are, for example, low-power electronic components such as DIMMs, as well as capacitors and inductors with relatively high heights, and are disposed on the top surface 132. That is, the main heat sources 14, the secondary heat sources 15, and the secondary heat sources 16 are respectively disposed on opposite sides of the circuit board 13, that is, the main heat sources 14, the secondary heat sources 15, and the secondary heat sources 16 are arranged in layers, and the main heat sources 14 and the secondary heat sources 15 are located on the bottom side (lower layer) of the circuit board 13. The heat generated by the secondary heat sources 16 is less than the heat generated by the main heat sources 14. The heat sinks 17 are disposed on the base plate 111 and are thermally coupled to the main heat sources 14 and the secondary heat sources 15, respectively.

[0012] Please refer to Figures 4 and 5 together. Figure 4 is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the heat sink of the server in Figure 1. Figure 5 is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the heat sink of the server in Figure 1 without the thermally conductive substrate.

[0013] In detail, each heat sink 17 includes a thermally conductive substrate 171, a fin 172, a plurality of heat pipes 173, a plurality of first thermally conductive elements 174, and a plurality of second thermally conductive elements 175. The fins 172 and the heat pipes 173 are disposed on the thermally conductive substrate 171. The heat pipes 173 are disposed, for example, in layers on the thermally conductive substrate 171, but are not limited thereto. The tray 12 has a plurality of first clearance openings 121, 121A, and the thermally conductive substrate 171 has a plurality of second clearance openings 1711. The second clearance openings 1711 correspond to the first clearance openings 121 respectively. The main heat sources 14 pass through the first clearance openings 121 and the second clearance openings 1711 and are thermally coupled to the heat pipes 173.

[0014] In this embodiment, the thermally conductive substrate 171 has a plurality of protrusions 1712, and the secondary heat sources 15 pass through the first relief openings 121A and are thermally coupled to the protrusions 1712 respectively. Since the height of the secondary heat sources 15 is less than the height of the main heat sources 14, by providing the protrusions 1712, the heat sink 17 can be thermally coupled more tightly to the secondary heat sources 15.

[0015] The first thermally conductive element 174 is, for example, a thermally conductive interface material such as thermally conductive adhesive, and is thermally coupled between the main heat sources 14 and the heat pipes 173. The second thermally conductive element 175 is, for example, a thermally conductive pad, and is thermally coupled between the secondary heat sources 15 and the protrusions 1712.

[0016] The housing 11 has an air inlet 112 and an air outlet 113. The air inlet 112 allows a cooling airflow to flow into the housing 11 to dissipate heat from the main heat sources 14 and the secondary heat sources 16, while the air outlet 113 allows the cooling airflow to exit the housing 11. The fans 18, for example in the form of exhaust fans 18, are disposed at the air outlet 113. When the cooling airflow flows into the housing 11 from the air inlet 112, it can flow through the main heat sources 14 and the secondary heat sources 16 for heat dissipation, and then the cooling airflow is drawn out of the housing 11 from the air outlet 113 by the fans 18.

[0017] In this embodiment, since the main heat sources 14 and the secondary heat sources 16 are respectively disposed on the bottom surface 131 and the top surface 132 of the circuit board 13, the main heat sources 14 can be positioned away from the secondary heat sources 16 to distinguish the heat dissipation areas dedicated to the main heat sources 14. Therefore, the main heat sources 14 have more space for heat dissipation, preventing the heat generated by the main heat sources 14 and the secondary heat sources 16 from concentrating in one place and becoming difficult to dissipate. This improves the heat dissipation efficiency of the main heat sources 14 within the server 10.

[0018] In this embodiment, the server 10 may further include two flow restrictors 19. The two flow restrictors 19 are disposed between the air inlet 112 and the secondary heat sources 16. Specifically, one of the two flow restrictors 19 is disposed on the housing 11 near the air inlet 112, and the other of the two flow restrictors 19 is disposed on the top surface 132 of the circuit board 13. The material of the flow restrictors 19 is, for example, metal.

[0019] Each flow-limiting plate 19 has multiple flow-limiting holes 191. These flow-limiting holes 191 are used to limit the flow rate of the cooling airflow through the secondary heat sources 16. In this way, some of the cooling airflow can be diverted to the primary heat sources 14. Since the cooling capacity required by the primary heat sources 14 is higher than that required by the secondary heat sources 16, by setting the flow-limiting plate 19, more cooling airflow can be allocated to the primary heat sources 14, thereby improving the cooling capacity of the primary heat sources 14.

[0020] In this embodiment, the server 10 may also include multiple airflow guides 110. These airflow guides 110 are, for example, baffles and are disposed on the top surface 132 of the circuit board 13. By providing these airflow guides 110, the flow path of the heat dissipation airflow can be blocked and changed to guide the heat dissipation airflow to these secondary heat sources 16. In this way, heat dissipation to these secondary heat sources 16 can be performed more precisely.

[0021] In this embodiment, the server 10 includes a tray 12, and the tray 12 carries the circuit board 13, but this is not a limitation. In other embodiments, the server may not include a tray, and the circuit board may be disposed, for example, on a base plate.

[0022] In this embodiment, the number of main heat source 14, secondary heat source 15, secondary heat source 16, first clearance port 121, 121A, second clearance port 1711, and heat sink 17 is multiple, but not limited to this. In other embodiments, the number of main heat source, secondary heat source, secondary heat source, first clearance port, second clearance port, and heat sink may be only a single one.

[0023] In this embodiment, each heat sink 17 has multiple heat pipes 173, but this is not a limitation. In other embodiments, the number of heat pipes may be only a single one.

[0024] In this embodiment, each heat sink 17 includes a heat pipe 173, but is not limited thereto. In other embodiments, the heat pipe may be replaced with a vapor chamber.

[0025] In this embodiment, each heat sink 17 has multiple protrusions 1712, but this is not a limitation. In other embodiments, the number of protrusions may be only a single one, as long as the number of protrusions corresponds to the number of secondary heat sources.

[0026] In this embodiment, there are multiple first heat-conducting elements 174 and second heat-conducting elements 175, but this is not a limitation. In other embodiments, the number of first heat-conducting elements and second heat-conducting elements may be only a single one.

[0027] In this embodiment, there are two flow limiting plates 19, one of which is disposed on the housing 11 near the air inlet 112, and the other is disposed on the top surface 132 of the circuit board 13, but this is not a limitation. In other embodiments, the number of flow limiting plates may be only one, and the flow limiting plate may be disposed on the housing near the air inlet or on the top surface of the circuit board, or the number of flow limiting plates may be three or more.

[0028] In this embodiment, the number of fans 18 is multiple, but not limited to this. In other embodiments, the number of fans may be only a single one.

[0029] In the server according to the above embodiment, since the main heat sources and secondary heat sources are respectively located on the bottom and top surfaces of the circuit board, the main heat sources can be kept away from the secondary heat sources, thus defining dedicated heat dissipation areas for the main heat sources. Therefore, the main heat sources have more space for heat dissipation, preventing the heat generated by the main and secondary heat sources from concentrating in one place and becoming difficult to dissipate. This improves the heat dissipation efficiency of the main heat sources within the server.

[0030] Although the present invention has been disclosed above with reference to the foregoing embodiments, it is not intended to limit the present invention. Anyone skilled in the art can make some modifications and refinements without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of patent protection of the present invention shall be determined by the scope of the patent application attached to this specification.

[0031] 10: Server 11: Shell 111: Base Plate 112: Air Inlet 113: Air vent 12: Pallet 121, 121A: First yielding opening 13: Circuit board 131: Bottom surface 132: Top surface 14: Main heat source 15: Secondary heat source 16: Secondary heat source 17: Radiator 171: Thermally conductive substrate 1711: Second yield point 1712: Protrusion 172: Fins 173: Heat pipe 174: First heat-conducting component 175: Second heat-conducting component 18: Fan 19: Current limiting plate 191: Flow limiting orifice 110: Flow guide

Claims

1. A server, comprising: a housing having a base plate; a circuit board disposed on the base plate and having a bottom surface and a top surface facing away from each other, the bottom surface facing the base plate; at least one main heat source disposed on the bottom surface; at least one secondary heat source disposed on the top surface, wherein the heat output of the at least one secondary heat source is less than the heat output of the at least one main heat source; at least one heat sink disposed on the base plate and thermally coupled to the at least one main heat source; and a tray disposed within the housing and supporting the circuit board, the tray having at least one first clearance opening through which the at least one main heat source passes.

2. The server as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one heat sink includes a thermally conductive substrate, a fin, and at least one heat pipe, the fin and the at least one heat pipe being disposed on the thermally conductive substrate, the thermally conductive substrate having a second clearance opening corresponding to the at least one first clearance opening, and the at least one main heat source passing through the second clearance opening and thermally coupled to the at least one heat pipe.

3. The server as described in claim 2 further includes at least one heat source disposed on the bottom surface, and the thermally conductive substrate has at least one protrusion, the at least one heat source being thermally coupled to the at least one protrusion.

4. The server as claimed in claim 3, wherein the at least one heat sink further includes at least one first heat conductor and at least one second heat conductor, the at least one first heat conductor being thermally coupled between the at least one main heat source and the at least one heat pipe, and the at least one second heat conductor being thermally coupled between the at least one secondary heat source and the at least one protrusion.

5. The server as claimed in claim 1, wherein the housing further comprises an air inlet and an air outlet, the air inlet being for a cooling airflow to flow into the housing and the air outlet being for the cooling airflow to flow out of the housing.

6. The server as described in claim 5 further includes at least one flow restrictor plate disposed between the air inlet and the at least one primary heat source, and having a plurality of flow restrictor holes for restricting the flow rate of the heat dissipation airflow through the at least one primary heat source.

7. The server as described in claim 5 further includes at least one fan disposed at the air outlet.

8. The server as described in claim 1 further includes at least one airflow guide disposed on the top surface to guide a cooling airflow toward the at least one primary heat source.

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