Integrated 3D vapor chamber and liquid-cooling heat dissipation module comprising integrated 3D vapor chamber

Abstract

Provided in the present invention is an integrated 3D vapor chamber, comprising: an upper metal cover plate and a lower metal cover plate. A plurality of hollow heat dissipation pillars are provided on a heat dissipation outer surface of the upper metal cover plate, a plurality of first support structures are provided on an evaporation inner surface of the lower metal cover plate, and the upper metal cover plate and the lower metal cover plate are joined to form the integrated 3D vapor chamber. The entire upper metal cover plate, including the hollow heat dissipation pillars, is integrally formed and manufactured from a metal sheet, and the entire lower metal cover plate, including the first support structures, is integrally formed and manufactured from a metal sheet. Further provided in the prevent invention is a liquid-cooling heat dissipation module, comprising the integrated 3D vapor chamber and a liquid-cooling cover, wherein the liquid-cooling cover is joined to the heat dissipation outer surface of the upper metal cover plate, the hollow heat dissipation pillars are arranged in a liquid-cooling space, and a cooling liquid enters the liquid-cooling space from a liquid inlet, flows between the hollow heat dissipation pillars and flows out from a liquid outlet.

Description

Integrated 3D vapor chamber and liquid cooling module including the integrated 3D vapor chamber Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a 3D vapor chamber, and more particularly to an integrated 3D vapor chamber, wherein the integrated 3D vapor chamber is formed by forging and machining multiple hollow heat dissipation columns into a single piece. This invention also includes a liquid cooling module using the integrated 3D vapor chamber. Background Technology

[0002] The explosive growth of generative artificial intelligence (AI) or AI-generated content (AIGC) has significantly increased the demand for high-speed computing power and high-end computing chip modules. The massive amounts of data and processing speeds required by AIGC applications continue to drive the demand for high-end AI servers. High-end AI servers utilize a large number of central processing units (CPUs) and graphics processing units (GPUs), and to meet the high-speed, high-volume computing demands of generative AI (e.g., ChatGPT), the number of transistors used in high-end chips has reached an all-time high. For example, the NVIDIA GB200 chip has 208 billion transistors, enabling it to handle extremely complex AI and high-performance computing tasks with both performance and efficiency. Corresponding to the high efficiency and high power consumption of AI server chips, the resulting large number and high density of heat sources pose a significant challenge to heat dissipation. For example, in 2018, server processors consumed only about 180W to 280W. However, in 2022, NVIDIA's A100 chip consumed as much as 400W, about 40% to 50% more than its predecessor. In 2023, NVIDIA's new generation of high-end GPUs, the H100 chip, designed specifically for AI servers, had a maximum power consumption of up to 700W. In 2024, NVIDIA's Blackwell B200 chip consumed 1000W to 1200W per chip, while the super chip GB200, composed of one Grace CPU and two Blackwell GPUs, reached a high power consumption of 2700W. As customers use more and more chips for servers, the power consumption increases further, and the complexity of the thermal solution module design also increases.

[0003] With the upgrade of next-generation GPUs and CPUs, server computing, AI image generation, and e-sports applications will become the main growth drivers for the heat dissipation industry. From the perspective of server cooling technology, it is mainly divided into air cooling, liquid cooling, and immersion cooling. Currently, mid-range computing servers primarily use air cooling.

[0004] Due to the ever-increasing computing power of high-end AI servers, 3D Vapor Chamber (3DVC) technology is widely used in these applications, requiring efficient cooling solutions to handle the high power consumption of CPUs and GPUs. Generally, a 3D vapor chamber cooling module contains multiple heat pipes connected to a vapor chamber at the bottom. Depending on the design and application, the number of heat pipes used in a 3D vapor chamber can vary, typically ranging from 6 to 14. These heat pipes, combined with the vapor chamber (VC), enable the 3D vapor chamber to conduct heat in the X, Y, and Z directions after absorbing heat, providing more efficient cooling. Currently, 3D vapor chamber technology can handle power consumption up to 700W to 800W. However, because the heat pipes of 3D vapor chambers require the addition of numerous finned heatsinks and fans for cooling, the overall 3D vapor chamber cooling module is extremely large, occupying approximately four standard rack units (U) or more within a server rack. This is detrimental to the cooling of high-end servers with high-density computing units. Furthermore, the Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) of 3D vapor chamber air cooling reaches over 1.5, which does not meet regulatory standards. Currently, countries such as the EU and China stipulate that newly built data centers must have a PUE below 1.3. In addition, 3D vapor chambers still cannot avoid the use of indoor air conditioning (HVAC) systems within data centers, and the high power consumption limits their energy efficiency, inevitably posing an increasingly severe challenge to their cooling capacity.

[0005] A vapor chamber heat exchanger utilizes the phase change of the working fluid within its sealed chamber for rapid heat dissipation, representing the most efficient heat transfer method currently available. It leverages the substantial latent heat of vaporization involved in the rapid vaporization and condensation of the working liquid within the near-vacuum chamber to achieve rapid heat dissipation. The thermal conductivity of a vapor chamber heat exchanger can reach 10000 W / (m²). 2 With a heat transfer efficiency of over 100°C, the heat transfer efficiency is dozens of times higher than that of traditional air convection or liquid convection. When the above-mentioned 3D heat exchange plate comes into contact with a heat source, a large amount of heat from inside the heat exchange plate can be quickly and effectively conducted and dispersed to the heat pipe structure, greatly improving the heat dissipation efficiency.

[0006] However, even so, due to the larger number and higher energy consumption of chip modules in the aforementioned AI servers, and the fact that these AI servers are often set up in high density in the data center, the ambient temperature is often high. This can easily cause the air cooling of the heat pipe fin heat sink of the 3D heat sink to be unable to effectively dissipate a large amount of heat from the heat sink, making the heat dissipation efficiency of the heat dissipation module insufficient to meet the demand.

[0007] To address the heat dissipation problems of high heat consumption, insufficient heat dissipation capacity, and excessive wattage of high-speed computing components, the introduction of "liquid cooling" technology has become a new trend in heat dissipation solutions. Liquids (water) have a thermal conductivity 25 times that of air, and the same volume of liquid can carry away nearly 3000 times more heat than the same volume of air. Liquid cooling involves introducing a liquid cooling system into the server, utilizing the property that liquids conduct heat more easily than gases (water's thermal conductivity is approximately 23.5 times that of air). This allows the high-density heat generated by the heat-generating components to be rapidly transferred to the cooling liquid through the liquid-cooled host. The cooled liquid, having absorbed heat, is then guided to an outdoor cooling tower or heat dissipation module, further dissipating the heat into the atmosphere, achieving rapid cooling and reduced energy consumption.

[0008] Common liquid cooling modules typically consist of a liquid cooling shroud enclosing the heatsink's cooling structure. The shroud and heatsink are then secured together with screws to form a cavity. The shroud has an inlet and an outlet. Coolant enters the cavity through the inlet, flows through the cooling structure, and exits through the outlet, then travels through pipes to an external cooling system to dissipate the heat carried by the coolant. This continuous and rapid circulation of the coolant quickly removes the large amount of heat generated by the heat-generating elements, achieving rapid heat dissipation. However, when the heatsink's metal base plate contacts the heat-generating elements, the lateral thermal conductivity of the metal base plate is limited by its cross-sectional area. The large amount of heat generated by the heatsink cannot be efficiently conducted laterally to the entire metal base plate, causing a large amount of heat to accumulate in the localized area where the heatsink and heat-generating elements are in contact. Even with liquid cooling, the improved heat dissipation capacity is significantly limited. Summary of the Invention

[0009] In view of the above problems, the purpose of this invention is to provide an integrated 3D vapor chamber that integrates / combines numerous hollow heat dissipation columns, resembling small heat pipes, with the vapor chamber's heat dissipation surface in a single molding process using cold forging technology and CNC machining. When the heating element attached to the heat-absorbing surface of the vapor chamber generates a large amount of heat, the heat is rapidly conducted to the vapor chamber. At this time, the working fluid existing in the internal space of the vapor chamber quickly absorbs the heat and rapidly vaporizes to form steam. Because the heat dissipation surface of the vapor chamber has these small heat pipes, the steam can quickly diffuse in the X, Y, and Z directions. When it comes into contact with a cooler metal surface, the steam condenses back into the working fluid, and through this liquid-gas-liquid phase change cycle, it rapidly absorbs and releases a large amount of heat. Compared with a conventional 3D vapor chamber (3D VC), the overall thickness (or height) of the integrated 3D vapor chamber of this invention is only about 1U or no more than 2U, so multiple integrated 3D vapor chambers can be used for heat dissipation in each server rack. In addition, since the overall thickness of the integrated 3D heat sink of the present invention is relatively small, a liquid cooling cover can be added to the integrated 3D heat sink of the present invention to form a liquid cooling heat dissipation module including the integrated 3D heat sink of the present invention.

[0010] The purpose of this invention is to provide a liquid cooling module that includes the integrated 3D heat sink. The liquid cooling module can directly contact the integrated 3D heat sink of this invention with the heat-generating chip and dissipate heat through liquid cooling. It has low power consumption and cost. By circulating the cooling liquid to the outside for heat dissipation, it does not require the use of the indoor air conditioning (HVAC) system in the data center for heat dissipation. At the same time, it can be installed side by side with traditional air-cooled racks without changing the data center-level infrastructure. It can be quickly deployed and is compatible with the existing server racks in today's data centers. It can also effectively reduce cooling power consumption by 70%, helping customers to seamlessly upgrade to liquid-cooled infrastructure.

[0011] In view of the above problems, the present invention provides an integrated 3D vapor chamber, which integrates a plurality of hollow heat dissipation columns with heat pipe-like properties on the heat dissipation surface of the vapor chamber in a one-piece molding manner. This integrated 3D vapor chamber, due to the presence of numerous hollow heat dissipation columns with heat pipe-like properties, can further improve the heat dissipation efficiency of the vapor chamber. Further, the integrated 3D vapor chamber of the present invention includes: a metal upper cover plate, a metal lower cover plate, a first capillary structure, a second capillary structure, a first working chamber, a second working chamber, and a working fluid. The metal upper cover plate includes a heat dissipation outer surface and a condensation inner surface on opposite sides. The heat dissipation outer surface includes a plurality of hollow heat dissipation columns, each hollow heat dissipation column being integrally formed as a hollow structure recessed from the condensation inner surface and protruding from the heat dissipation outer surface. Each hollow heat dissipation column has a closed end protruding from the heat dissipation outer surface and an open end recessed from the condensation inner surface. The first working chamber is located between the closed end and the open end inside the hollow heat dissipation column. The condenser inner surface includes an upper joint portion surrounding its periphery; wherein the metal upper cover plate, including each hollow heat dissipation column, is integrally formed from a single metal sheet. The metal lower cover plate includes a heat-absorbing outer surface and an evaporating inner surface on opposite sides. The heat-absorbing outer surface is used to contact at least one heat-dissipating electronic component. The evaporating inner surface includes a plurality of first support structures protruding from its surface, and a lower joint portion with an appropriate height surrounding its periphery; wherein the metal lower cover plate, including the first support structures, is integrally formed from a single metal sheet. The upper joint portion of the metal upper cover plate and the lower joint portion of the metal lower cover plate are joined together and evacuated to form an airtight second working chamber, which communicates with the first working chamber. The plurality of first support structures abut against the condenser inner surface to support the second working chamber. A first capillary structure is disposed on the surface of the first working chamber within each hollow heat dissipation column. A second capillary structure is disposed on the surface of the second working chamber and connected to the first capillary structure. The working fluid is present in the first working chamber, the second working chamber, the first capillary structure, and the second capillary structure.

[0012] This invention also provides a liquid cooling heat dissipation module, which is a high-efficiency liquid cooling heat dissipation module composed of a liquid cooling cover and an integrated 3D heat dissipation plate. Further, in one embodiment, the liquid cooling heat dissipation module of this invention includes: a liquid cooling cover and the aforementioned integrated 3D heat dissipation plate. The liquid cooling cover includes a top and a sidewall connected to the top, the sidewall surrounding the top to form a liquid cooling space. The liquid cooling cover is provided with at least one liquid inlet and at least one liquid outlet, the liquid inlet and the liquid outlet communicating with the liquid cooling space. The integrated 3D heat dissipation plate, as described above, includes: a metal upper cover plate, a metal lower cover plate, a first working chamber, a second working chamber, a first capillary structure, a second capillary structure, and a working fluid. The upper joint of the metal upper cover plate and the lower joint of the metal lower cover plate are joined together and a vacuum is drawn to form the aforementioned integrated 3D heat dissipation plate. The liquid cooling heat dissipation module of the present invention is to attach the above-mentioned liquid cooling cover to the heat dissipation outer surface of the metal upper cover plate of the integrated 3D heat dissipation plate, and the plurality of hollow heat dissipation columns are arranged in the liquid cooling space of the liquid cooling cover so that a cooling liquid enters the liquid cooling space from the liquid inlet, flows through the space between the hollow heat dissipation columns and flows out from the liquid outlet.

[0013] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a liquid cooling module is provided. A liquid cooling cover is attached to the heat dissipation surface of a metal upper cover plate, and hollow heat dissipation columns are disposed within a liquid cooling space, forming a sealed liquid cooling chamber. Cooling liquid can enter this liquid cooling space through the inlet, flow between the hollow heat dissipation columns for heat exchange to accelerate cooling, and then flow out through the outlet. External piping guides the heat-absorbing cooling liquid to an external heat dissipation system for heat dissipation and cooling, and then the system circulates again. The liquid cooling module of the present invention is composed of a liquid cooling cover combined with an integrated 3D heat spreader (formed by the joining of a metal upper cover plate and a metal lower cover plate). This liquid cooling module utilizes circulating cooling liquid to provide a more efficient heat dissipation solution, improving the poor air cooling efficiency of high-end servers and large server room systems. Attached Figure Description

[0014] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of an integrated 3D heat spreader according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0015] Figure 2 is a side cross-sectional view of an integrated 3D heat spreader according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0016] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the metal top cover structure of an integrated 3D heat spreader according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0017] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the metal top cover structure of the integrated 3D heat spreader according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0018] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the metal lower cover structure of the integrated 3D heat spreader of the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0019] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of the metal lower cover structure of the integrated 3D heat spreader of the second embodiment of the present invention.

[0020] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of the metal lower cover structure of the integrated 3D heat spreader of the third embodiment of the present invention.

[0021] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of the metal lower cover structure of the integrated 3D heat spreader according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention.

[0022] Figure 9 is a schematic diagram of the metal lower cover structure of the integrated 3D heat spreader according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention.

[0023] Figure 10 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a liquid cooling heat dissipation module according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0024] Reference numerals: 10: Integrated 3D heat spreader; 100, 101: Metal upper cover; 110: Heat dissipation outer surface; 120: Condensation inner surface; 130: Hollow heat dissipation column; 133: First working chamber; 140: Upper joint; 150: First capillary structure; 160: Third capillary structure; 200, 300, 400, 500, 600: Metal lower cover; 210, 310, 410, 510, 610: Heat absorption outer surface; 220, 320, 420... 520, 620: Evaporation inner surface; 230: First support structure; 240: Lower joint; 250: Second working chamber; 260: Second capillary structure; 311, 411: Recessed space; 511, 611: Protrusion; 521, 621: Recess; 530, 630: Second support structure; 700: Liquid cooling cover; 710: Top; 720: Side wall; 730: Liquid cooling space; 740: Liquid inlet; 750: Liquid outlet; W: Working fluid. Detailed Implementation

[0025] The following description, with reference to the accompanying drawings, illustrates various embodiments of the integrated 3D vapor chamber and the liquid cooling module comprising the integrated 3D vapor chamber of the present invention. For clarity and convenience of illustration, the dimensions and proportions of the components in the drawings may be exaggerated or reduced. In the following description and / or claims, the technical terms used should be interpreted in the sense commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. For ease of understanding, the same elements in the following embodiments are indicated by the same symbols. In this specification, the term "about" generally refers to an actual value within plus or minus 10%, 5%, 1%, or 0.5% of a specific value or range. The term "about" herein means that the actual value falls within the acceptable standard error of the average value, as determined by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains. Except as otherwise expressly stated, ranges, quantities, values, and percentages used herein are understood to be modified by the term "about". Therefore, unless otherwise stated, the numerical values ​​or parameters disclosed in this specification and the accompanying claims are approximate values ​​and may be changed as needed.

[0026] Please refer to Figures 1 to 5. Figure 1 is a structural schematic diagram of an integrated 3D heat spreader 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 is a side cross-sectional structural schematic diagram of Figure 1. Figure 3 is a structural schematic diagram of the metal upper cover plate 100 of the integrated 3D heat spreader 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 4 is a structural schematic diagram of the metal upper cover plate 101 of the integrated 3D heat spreader 10 according to another embodiment of Figure 3. Figure 5 is a structural schematic diagram of the metal lower cover plate 200 of the integrated 3D heat spreader 10 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. Please refer to Figures 1 and 2 first. As shown in the figures, the integrated 3D heat spreader 10 of the present invention includes: a metal upper cover plate 100 and a metal lower cover plate 200. The metal top cover 100 (see Figures 1 to 3) includes a heat dissipation outer surface 110 and an opposing condensation inner surface 120. The heat dissipation outer surface 110 includes a plurality of hollow heat dissipation columns 130, each of which is integrally formed into a hollow structure that is recessed from the condensation inner surface 120 towards the heat dissipation outer surface 110 and protrudes from it. Each hollow heat dissipation column 130 has a closed end protruding from the heat dissipation outer surface 110 and an open end recessed from the condensation inner surface 120. A first working chamber 133 is located inside the hollow heat dissipation column 130 between the closed end and the open end. The condensation inner surface 120 includes an upper joint portion 140 surrounding its periphery. The metal top cover 100, including all the hollow heat dissipation columns 130, is integrally formed from a single metal sheet. The upper joint 140 may be a frame with an appropriate height, or simply a planar joint area or a bent joint area with a width surrounding the inner surface 120 of the condenser. The upper joint 140 is configured to fit together with the lower joint 240.

[0027] Please refer to Figures 1, 2, and 5. The metal lower cover 200 of the integrated 3D vapor chamber of the present invention includes a heat-absorbing outer surface 210 and an evaporating inner surface 220 on the opposite side. The heat-absorbing outer surface 210 is used to contact at least one heat-generating electronic component. The evaporating inner surface 220 includes a plurality of first support structures 230 protruding from the evaporating inner surface 220, and the evaporating inner surface 220 includes a lower joint portion 240, which has an appropriate height and is arranged around the periphery of the evaporating inner surface 220. The metal lower cover 200, including the first support structures 230, is integrally formed from a single metal sheet. The lower joint portion 240 is a solid frame or a bent height.

[0028] It should be understood that the phrase "one-piece metal sheet molding" as used herein means that the aforementioned upper metal cover 100 and lower metal cover 200 are each made from only the same metal sheet, and are not formed by welding or fusion (referring to the fusion of solid metals into one piece) two or more metal sheets to create the shape or structure of the upper metal cover 100 or lower metal cover 200. In other words, "one-piece molding" means that the plurality of hollow heat dissipation columns 130 protruding from the heat dissipation outer surface 110 are not joined to the heat dissipation outer surface 110 by welding or fusion. For example, in this invention, a metal sheet (or a metal block) is placed on a mold using a cold forging method. A plurality of solid heat dissipation pillars protruding from the outer heat dissipation surface 110 are forged. Then, corresponding to the positions of each solid heat dissipation pillar, holes are drilled from the inner cooling surface 120 using CNC or other machining methods to form a first working chamber 133 recessed from the inner cooling surface 120 to the outer heat dissipation surface 110, thereby forming a hollow heat dissipation pillar 130. Furthermore, in the integrated 3D heat spreader 10 of this invention, the shape and structural features of the metal lower cover plate 200 are directly forged integrally from the same metal sheet (or metal block), particularly using a cold forging method. In other words, the plurality of first support structures 230 on the inner surface 220 of the metal lower cover plate 200 of the integrated 3D heat spreader 10 in this embodiment are directly formed on the inner surface 220 of the evaporation. They are the same metal as the inner surface 220 of the metal lower cover plate 200 and cannot be separated. There is no heterogeneous or homogeneous interface. Unlike the common prior art, the first support structures 230 are not sintered onto the inner surface 220 of the evaporation by sintering.

[0029] The integrated 3D vapor chamber of this invention includes an upper joint 140 of a metal upper cover plate 100 and a lower joint 240 of a metal lower cover plate 200 joined together and evacuated to form an airtight second working chamber 250. The second working chamber 250 communicates with a first working chamber 133, and the plurality of first support structures 230 abut against the condensation inner surface 120 to support the second working chamber 250. A first capillary structure 150 is disposed on the surface of the first working chamber 133 within each hollow heat dissipation column 130; a second capillary structure 260 is disposed on the surface of the second working chamber 250 and connected to the first capillary structure 150. A working fluid W is present in the first working chamber 133, the second working chamber 250, the first capillary structure 150, and the second capillary structure 260.

[0030] It should be understood that after the metal upper cover plate 100 with a plurality of hollow heat dissipation columns 130 and the metal lower cover plate 200 with a plurality of first support structures 230 are joined, the upper and lower joint portions of the two are first welded together by laser welding (or other welding or joining methods). Then, working fluid W is added to the first working chamber 133 and the second working chamber 250 through an extraction pipe or extraction pipeline (not shown in the figure) and a vacuum is drawn. The extraction pipe is then cut off with a tool, sealed, and further welded to form the integrated 3D heat spreader 10 of the present invention. In another embodiment, the metal upper cover plate 100 or the metal lower cover plate 200 is provided with a pre-reserved extraction channel or extraction pipeline (not shown in the figure) for vacuuming, and is sealed after extraction to form a heat spreader. The above-mentioned extraction, sealing, welding, and other processes are common knowledge in the technical field to which this invention pertains, and are not described in detail or limited here.

[0031] In addition, to ensure that the integrated 3D vapor chamber 10 of the present invention will not expand and crack due to excessive vapor pressure caused by high temperature during operation, in some embodiments, laser welding can be used to weld a portion (e.g., 3 to 5, 6 to 10) of the first support structure 230 (or / and the second support structure 530, 630) to the condensation inner surface 120 from the heat dissipation outer surface 110 of the metal top cover plate 100 to the condensation inner surface 120, thereby enhancing the expansion resistance of the integrated 3D vapor chamber 10.

[0032] In one embodiment, the integrated 3D vapor chamber 10 of the present invention comprises a first capillary structure 150, which is at least one or a combination of a porous capillary structure formed by chemical etching, a trench capillary structure, a damaged layer capillary structure formed by machining, a capillary structure formed by laser etching or plasma etching, or a porous capillary structure formed by electroplating; and a second capillary structure 260, which is at least one or a combination of a porous capillary structure formed by chemical etching, a trench capillary structure, a damaged layer capillary structure formed by machining, a capillary structure formed by laser etching or plasma etching, or a porous capillary structure formed by electroplating. Generally, the capillary structure in a vapor chamber or heat pipe is typically a capillary structure formed by sintering copper powder, a fine-mesh copper mesh capillary structure, or capillary trenches. To avoid the high temperature generated during sintering of the capillary structure, which could soften the cold-forged metal (e.g., copper) and damage or deform the crystal lattice, in one embodiment of the present invention, a method that does not require high-temperature sintering is used to fabricate the capillary structure. For example: forming a porous capillary structure with a thickness of approximately 1 to 5 micrometers on the surface of copper metal using chemical etching (e.g., etching with etching solution from MEC COMPANY LTD.); forming a mechanically damaged capillary structure on the metal surface using machining; forming a capillary structure using laser etching or plasma etching; or forming a porous capillary structure with a thickness between approximately 1 to 500 or 1000 micrometers using electroplating (e.g., TWI642816B). Machining methods, such as form milling with a form cutter, refer to using a specific milling cutter to complete multiple machining operations in a single milling operation. It is a special milling cutter that combines multiple milling functions and can achieve complex shapes in one milling operation, such as machining a complex shape with irregular contours, straight lines, curved surfaces, concave shapes, and convex shapes. In one embodiment, the first capillary structure 150 is a porous capillary structure with a thickness of about 1 to 5 micrometers formed on the copper metal surface by chemical etching, and the second capillary structure 260 is a porous capillary structure with a thickness of about 1 to 5 micrometers formed on the copper metal surface by chemical etching as a base layer, followed by the formation of a porous capillary structure with a thickness of about 1 to 500 micrometers or about 1 to 1000 micrometers on the base layer by electroplating. The porous capillary structure at the base layer roughens the surface, allowing the copper to adhere more tightly to the surface of the base layer during electroplating. In another embodiment, the first capillary structure 150 is formed by first chemically etching a porous capillary structure with a thickness of about 1 to 5 micrometers on the copper metal surface, and then using a forming tool to create a groove capillary structure, thus forming a first capillary structure 150 with two composite morphologies.In one embodiment, both the first capillary structure 150 and the second capillary structure 260 include two capillary structures fabricated by different methods. For example, a porous capillary structure with a thickness of about 1 micrometer to 5 micrometers is first formed on the surface of copper metal by chemical etching as a bottom layer, and then a porous capillary structure with a thickness of about 1 micrometer to 500 micrometers or about 1 micrometer to 1000 micrometers is formed on the bottom layer by electroplating.

[0033] Laser etching, or plasma etching, is frequently used in semiconductor manufacturing processes. The small linewidth of a laser beam allows for the formation of regular or irregular trenches or capillary structures on metal surfaces. Plasma etching is also commonly used for roughening or surface modification of metal surfaces, creating capillary structures (or roughening structures) ranging from approximately 0.1 micrometers to tens of micrometers.

[0034] Referring to Figure 4, in another embodiment, the metal top cover 101 of the integrated 3D heat sink 10 of the present invention has a third capillary structure 160 disposed on the outer surface of the heat dissipation outer surface 110, which includes the outer surface of the plurality of hollow heat dissipation columns 130. The third capillary structure 160 is at least one or a combination of a porous capillary structure formed by chemical etching, a trench capillary structure, a damaged layer capillary structure formed by mechanical processing, a capillary structure formed by laser etching or plasma etching, or a porous capillary structure formed by electroplating. Further, adding a porous third capillary structure 160 to the outer surface of the heat dissipation outer surface 110, which includes the plurality of hollow heat dissipation columns 130, can increase the heat dissipation area of ​​the heat dissipation outer surface 110 by several times to tens of times, greatly increasing the heat exchange area between the heat dissipation outer surface 110 and the environment, thereby further improving the heat dissipation capacity of the integrated 3D heat sink of the present invention.

[0035] Please refer to Figure 6, which is a structural schematic diagram of the metal lower cover plate 300 of the integrated 3D heat spreader 10 according to the second embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the heat-absorbing outer surface 310 of the metal lower cover plate 300 includes at least one recessed space 311 for accommodating at least one heat-dissipating electronic component, and the recessed space 311 is recessed from the heat-absorbing outer surface 310 toward the evaporating inner surface 320 but does not protrude from the corresponding evaporating inner surface 320.

[0036] Please refer to Figure 7, which is a structural schematic diagram of the metal lower cover plate 400 of the integrated 3D heat spreader 10 according to the third embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the heat-absorbing outer surface 410 of the metal lower cover plate 400 includes a plurality of recessed spaces 411 for accommodating a plurality of heat-generating electronic components. Each recessed space 411 is recessed from the heat-absorbing outer surface 410 toward the evaporating inner surface 420 but does not protrude from the corresponding evaporating inner surface 420. Each recessed space 411 has the same or different shapes and volumes to simultaneously accommodate a plurality of heat-generating electronic components with the same or different shapes and volumes.

[0037] Please refer to Figure 8, which is a structural schematic diagram of the metal lower cover plate 500 of the integrated 3D heat spreader 10 according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the evaporation inner surface 520 of the metal lower cover plate 500 includes at least one recessed portion 521, which is recessed from the evaporation inner surface 520 toward the heat absorption outer surface 510, and at least one protruding portion 511 is formed on the corresponding heat absorption outer surface 510 for contacting at least one heat-generating electronic element; the bottom surface of the recessed portion 521 includes a plurality of second support structures 530 protruding from the bottom surface of the recessed portion 521 and abutting against the condensation inner surface 120.

[0038] Please refer to Figure 9, which is a structural schematic diagram of the metal lower cover plate 600 of the integrated 3D vapor chamber plate 10 according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the evaporation inner surface 620 of the metal lower cover plate 600 includes a plurality of recesses 621. Each recess 621 is recessed from the evaporation inner surface 620 toward the heat-absorbing outer surface 610, and a plurality of protrusions 611 are formed on the corresponding heat-absorbing outer surface 610 for contacting a plurality of heat-generating electronic components. The bottom surface of each recess 621 includes a plurality of second support structures 630 protruding from the bottom surface of each recess 621 and abutting against the condensation inner surface 120. It should be understood that each protrusion 611 may have a different protrusion height depending on the environmental requirements of the actual application.

[0039] It should be understood that, in the above embodiments, the shape and structural features of the metal lower cover plate (200, 300, 400, 500, 600) of the integrated 3D heat spreader plate 10 of the present invention are integrally molded from the same metal sheet (or metal block). In other words, the recessed spaces (311, 411), recessed portions (521, 621), protrusions (511, 611), first support structure 230, second support structure (530, 630) and other structures of the metal lower cover plate (200, 300, 400, 500, 600) are integrally molded from the same metal and cannot be separated, and there are no heterogeneous or homogeneous interfaces.

[0040] In one embodiment, the integrated 3D heat spreader 10 of the present invention is manufactured using a cold forging method to create the shape and structure of the upper metal cover plate 100 and the lower metal cover plates (200, 300, 400, 500, 600), and then further refined using CNC machining or other machining methods. The cold forging method involves placing the metal sheet (or metal block) to be processed in a master die, and then continuously forging the metal sheet at room temperature using a male die to shape it. Those skilled in the art will understand that the cold forging method does not require preheating and softening the metal and annealing as in a conventional stamping process. Therefore, the internal grain structure of the forged metal will not suffer from reduced thermal conductivity due to annealing, which would otherwise result in porosity or enlarged structure. Metals that have undergone cold forging, without being heated, can still maintain a fairly dense internal grain structure and reduce internal defects such as porosity. The surface of the forged metal is smoother and has the advantages of improved rigidity and density, and is less prone to deformation. Tests have shown that the thermal conductivity and thermal diffusivity of the forged metal are higher than those before forging. In other words, in this embodiment, the heat dissipation efficiency of the integrated 3D heat sink 10 of the present invention is higher than that of conventional processes.

[0041] In any embodiment, the metal upper cover plate 100 and metal lower cover plates (200, 300, 400, 500, 600) of the integrated 3D heat spreader 10 of the present invention are integrally formed by cold forging using metal sheets (e.g., pure copper, aluminum, or aluminum alloy) with high thermal conductivity and thermal diffusivity. In one embodiment, the metal sheet is pure copper.

[0042] In any embodiment, the heat dissipation outer surface 110 of the metal upper cover plate 100 of the integrated 3D heat dissipation plate 10 of the present invention, wherein the number of the plurality of hollow heat dissipation columns 130 is not less than 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, 150, 200, 250, 300, 350, or 400, and the length of the hollow heat dissipation column 130 is not greater than 40mm, 35mm, 30mm, 25mm, 20mm, 15mm, 10mm, 9mm, 8mm, 7mm, 6mm, 5mm, 4mm, 3mm, or 2mm, and the outer diameter of the hollow heat dissipation column 130 is not greater than 10mm, 9mm, 8mm, 7mm, 6mm, 5mm, 4mm, or 3mm. In one embodiment, the number of the plurality of hollow heat dissipation columns 130 is not less than 30, and the length of the hollow heat dissipation column 130 is not greater than 30mm and the outer diameter is not greater than 10mm.

[0043] To further explain, the integrated 3D vapor chamber 10 of the present invention can be structurally considered as an integrated 3D vapor chamber composed of a vapor chamber in the second working chamber 250 and a plurality of hollow heat dissipation columns 130 on the heat dissipation outer surface 110 of the metal top cover 100. These hollow heat dissipation columns 130, having a first working chamber 133 and a first capillary structure 150, can function as small heat pipes. However, unlike commercially available 3D vapor chambers, which typically weld heat pipes to the heat dissipation surface of the vapor chamber using welding or reflow soldering methods, rather than integrally forming them with the heat dissipation surface, heat pipes are usually made of very thin (e.g., 0.1 mm) metal sheets, so welding may cause damage or breakage. Reflow soldering may soften the overall metal material of the 3D vapor chamber, making it prone to deformation during operation and leading to increased thermal resistance.

[0044] In addition, the heat pipes used in commercially available 3D vapor chambers are typically long and have large diameters. Specifically, based on a standard rack unit (U) (1U is approximately 4.445 cm high), a 3D vapor chamber usually occupies 4U or more of the server chassis height, approximately 17.78 cm or higher, and the number of heat pipes is approximately 6 to 16. This design of heat pipe height and number is mainly because heat dissipation fins are installed on the outside of these heat pipes, thereby providing better heat dissipation, but it also occupies more rack space. The integrated 3D vapor chamber 10 of this invention has hollow heat dissipation columns 130 that function similarly to small heat pipes and are integrally formed with the heat dissipation surface of the vapor chamber. The height (or length) of these small heat pipes (hollow heat dissipation columns 130) is no greater than 40 mm. Even with the addition of the thickness of the heat spreader (from the heat absorption outer surface 210 to the heat dissipation outer surface 110, approximately 3 mm to 5 mm, or no more than 10 mm, or no more than 20 mm, depending on the embodiment), the overall thickness of the integrated 3D heat spreader 10 of the present invention is only about 1 U or no more than 2 U in height. Furthermore, since the hollow heat dissipation columns 130 of the integrated 3D heat spreader 10 of the present invention are relatively short, their inner diameter does not need to be too large to allow the working fluid W to flow. Therefore, the integrated 3D heat spreader 10 of the present invention can contain a larger number of hollow heat dissipation columns 130, increasing the heat exchange area.

[0045] In any of the above embodiments, the working fluid W used in the integrated 3D vapor chamber 10 of the present invention is pure water.

[0046] Please refer to Figure 10, which is a schematic diagram of the structure of a liquid cooling heat dissipation module 20 according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the figure, a liquid cooling heat dissipation module 20 of the present invention includes: an integrated 3D heat spreader 10 as described in any of the above embodiments, and a liquid cooling cover 700, including a top 710 and a side wall 720 connected to the top. The side wall surrounds the top to form a liquid cooling space 730, and the liquid cooling cover 700 has at least one liquid inlet 740 and at least one liquid outlet 750. The liquid inlet 740 and the liquid outlet 750 are connected to the liquid cooling space 730. The liquid cooling cover 700 is attached to the heat dissipation outer surface 110 of the metal upper cover plate 100, and a plurality of hollow heat dissipation columns 130 are disposed in the liquid cooling space 730 so that a cooling liquid enters the liquid cooling space 730 from the liquid inlet 740, flows between the hollow heat dissipation columns 130, and flows out from the liquid outlet 750.

[0047] In one embodiment, the liquid cooling module 20 of the present invention has a liquid inlet 740 disposed on the top 710 or side wall 720 of the liquid cooling cover 700, and a liquid outlet 750 disposed on the top 710 or side wall 720 of the liquid cooling cover 700. In this embodiment, as shown in the figure, the liquid inlet 740 and the liquid outlet 750 are disposed on opposite sides of the side wall 720 of the liquid cooling cover 700.

[0048] In one embodiment, the liquid cooling heat dissipation module 20 of the present invention has a plurality of liquid inlets 740, which are disposed on the top 710 or side wall 720 of the liquid cooling cover 700; and a plurality of liquid outlets 750, which are disposed on the top 710 or side wall 720 of the liquid cooling cover 700.

[0049] It should be understood that, in order to accommodate the arrangement or stacking of server units, the liquid cooling heat dissipation module 20 of the present invention has at least one liquid inlet 740 and at least one liquid outlet 750. The liquid inlet 740 and liquid outlet 750 can be located on the same side or different sides of the side wall 720, or on the top 710 of the liquid cooling module 700, according to customer requirements. In another embodiment, to accelerate the flow rate of the cooling liquid and improve cooling efficiency, the number of liquid inlets 740 is two or more, and the number of liquid outlets 750 is also two or more. The number of liquid inlets 740 and liquid outlets 750 can be equal or unequal, and the liquid inlets 740 and liquid outlets 750 can be located partially on the same side or partially on different sides of the side wall 720 or the top 710.

[0050] It should be understood that the liquid cooling module 20, integrated 3D heat sink 10, and liquid cooling cover 700 disclosed in any of the above embodiments are illustrative and are not intended to limit the scope of the integrated 3D heat sink 10 and the liquid cooling module 20 including the integrated 3D heat sink 10 of the present invention. Those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains can make equivalent modifications in quantity, position, size, shape, etc., depending on the actual application after referring to the embodiments of the present invention, in order to improve the flow pattern of the cooling liquid, allowing the cooling liquid to flow more smoothly and thus improving heat dissipation efficiency.

[0051] The embodiments described above are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the patent of this invention. Any equivalent modifications or alterations made to the liquid cooling heat dissipation module 20, integrated 3D heat spreader 10, and liquid cooling cover 700 disclosed in the above embodiments should still be included within the scope of the patent of this invention.

[0052] It is worth mentioning that most existing 3D vapor chamber modules (3D VC) use welded heat pipes with external heat sinks. This combination adds a thermal resistance at the heat conduction interface before the heat sink, reducing heat dissipation efficiency. Furthermore, most existing 3D vapor chamber modules use gas cooling, resulting in long heat pipes and an excessively large overall volume, making them unsuitable for liquid cooling and limiting their heat dissipation capacity. The integrated 3D vapor chamber provided by this invention integrates the metal top cover of the vapor chamber with small heat pipes (hollow heat dissipation columns) into a single unit, further improving heat dissipation efficiency. Simultaneously, because its overall thickness is only about one standard rack unit (1U) or no more than two standard rack units (2U), a liquid cooling shroud 700 can be incorporated, allowing the already highly efficient integrated 3D vapor chamber to be combined with more efficient liquid cooling, further enhancing heat dissipation efficiency. Furthermore, the setup of large server rooms and high-density, high-end chip modules often results in excessively high ambient gas temperatures, leading to low air cooling efficiency. The liquid cooling module 20 of this invention utilizes liquid cooling, which is unaffected by the ambient gas temperature of the server room or equipment, thus improving cooling efficiency. Simultaneously, the placement and number of liquid inlets and outlets can be adjusted according to the stacking of equipment or chip modules, making the overall cooling solution more systematic and efficient. Moreover, the metal upper and lower cover plates of the liquid cooling module 20 of this invention can be manufactured using etching or composite processing processes (e.g., casting, forging, milling, stamping, or extrusion), or cold forging. This results in a finer grain structure, reducing internal porosity defects and giving the material higher strength, deformation resistance, and fatigue resistance, as well as improved thermal conductivity and heat diffusion efficiency. The resulting integrated 3D heat sink exhibits superior cooling efficiency, durability, and reliability compared to similar general cooling modules.

[0053] It is evident that this invention, by breaking through previous technologies, has indeed achieved the desired improved effects, and is not something that would be easily conceived by those skilled in the art. Its progressiveness and practicality clearly meet the requirements for applying for an invention patent.

[0054] The above description is merely illustrative and not restrictive. Any equivalent modifications or alterations made without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention should be included in the appended claims.

Claims

1. An integrated 3D vapor chamber, characterized in that, include: A metal top cover includes a heat dissipation outer surface and a condensation inner surface on the opposite side; the heat dissipation outer surface includes a plurality of hollow heat dissipation columns, each hollow heat dissipation column being integrally formed into a hollow structure that is recessed from the condensation inner surface to the heat dissipation outer surface and protrudes from the heat dissipation outer surface; each hollow heat dissipation column has a closed end protruding from the heat dissipation outer surface and an open end recessed from the condensation inner surface, and a first working chamber located inside the hollow heat dissipation column between the closed end and the open end; the condensation inner surface includes an upper joint portion surrounding the periphery of the condensation inner surface; wherein, the metal top cover, including each hollow heat dissipation column, is integrally formed from a single metal sheet; A metal lower cover plate includes a heat-absorbing outer surface and an evaporating inner surface on the opposite side; the heat-absorbing outer surface is used to contact at least one heat-releasing electronic component; the evaporating inner surface includes a plurality of first support structures protruding from the evaporating inner surface, and the evaporating inner surface includes a lower joint portion, the lower joint portion having an appropriate height and surrounding the periphery of the evaporating inner surface; wherein the metal lower cover plate, including the first support structure, is integrally formed from a metal sheet; wherein the upper joint portion of the metal upper cover plate and the lower joint portion of the metal lower cover plate are joined together and vacuumed to form an airtight second working chamber, the second working chamber communicating with the first working chamber, and the plurality of first support structures abutting the condensing inner surface to support the second working chamber; A first capillary structure is disposed on the surface of the first working chamber within each of the hollow heat dissipation columns; A second capillary structure is disposed on the surface of the second working chamber and connected to the first capillary structure; and A working fluid exists in the first working chamber, the second working chamber, the first capillary structure, and the second capillary structure.

2. The integrated 3D heat spreader as described in claim 1, wherein, The first capillary structure is at least one or a combination thereof, formed by chemical etching, a porous capillary structure, a trench capillary structure, a damaged layer capillary structure formed by mechanical processing, a capillary structure formed by laser etching or plasma etching, or a porous capillary structure formed by electroplating. The second capillary structure is at least one or a combination of a porous capillary structure formed by chemical etching, a trench capillary structure, a damaged layer capillary structure formed by mechanical processing, a capillary structure formed by laser etching or plasma etching, or a porous capillary structure formed by electroplating.

3. The integrated 3D heat spreader as described in claim 1, wherein, The heat-absorbing outer surface includes at least one recessed space for accommodating at least one heat-releasing electronic component, and the recessed space is recessed from the heat-absorbing outer surface toward the evaporating inner surface but does not protrude from the corresponding evaporating inner surface.

4. The integrated 3D vapor chamber as described in claim 1, wherein, The heat-absorbing outer surface includes a plurality of recessed spaces for accommodating a plurality of heat-generating electronic components. Each recessed space is recessed from the heat-absorbing outer surface toward the evaporating inner surface but does not protrude from the corresponding evaporating inner surface. Each recessed space has the same or different shapes and volumes to simultaneously accommodate a plurality of heat-generating electronic components of the same or different shapes and volumes.

5. The integrated 3D heat spreader as described in claim 1, wherein, The evaporation inner surface includes at least one recessed portion, which is recessed from the evaporation inner surface toward the heat-absorbing outer surface, and forms at least one protruding portion on the corresponding heat-absorbing outer surface for contacting at least one heat-generating electronic component; the bottom surface of the recessed portion includes a plurality of second support structures protruding from the bottom surface of the recessed portion and abutting against the condensation inner surface.

6. The integrated 3D vapor chamber as described in claim 1, wherein, The evaporation inner surface includes a plurality of recesses, each of which is recessed from the evaporation inner surface toward the heat-absorbing outer surface, and forms a plurality of protrusions on the corresponding heat-absorbing outer surface for contact with a plurality of heat-generating electronic components. Each of the recesses has a plurality of second support structures protruding from the bottom surface of each recess and abutting the condensation inner surface.

7. The integrated 3D vapor chamber as described in claim 1, wherein, The heat dissipation outer surface includes a third capillary structure on the outer surface of the plurality of hollow heat dissipation columns. The third capillary structure is at least one or a combination of a porous capillary structure formed by chemical etching, a trench capillary structure, a damaged layer capillary structure formed by mechanical processing, a capillary structure formed by laser etching or plasma etching, or a porous capillary structure formed by electroplating.

8. The integrated 3D vapor chamber as described in claim 1, wherein, The metal sheet is made of pure copper, aluminum, or aluminum alloy.

9. The integrated 3D heat spreader as described in claim 1, wherein, The number of hollow heat dissipation columns shall not be less than 30, and the length of each hollow heat dissipation column shall not exceed 40 mm and the outer diameter shall not exceed 10 mm.

10. A liquid-cooled heat dissipation module, characterized in that, include: Any of the integrated 3D heat spreader plates as described in claims 1 to 9 and A liquid cooling cover includes a top and a side wall connected to the top. The side wall surrounds the top to form a liquid cooling space. The liquid cooling cover has at least one liquid inlet and at least one liquid outlet, which are connected to the liquid cooling space. The liquid cooling cover is attached to the heat dissipation outer surface of a metal upper cover plate. A plurality of hollow heat dissipation columns are disposed in the liquid cooling space so that a cooling liquid enters the liquid cooling space from the liquid inlet, flows between the hollow heat dissipation columns, and flows out from the liquid outlet.

11. The liquid cooling heat dissipation module of claim 10, wherein, The liquid inlet is located at the top or side wall of the liquid cooling shroud, and the liquid outlet is located at the top or side wall of the liquid cooling shroud.

12. The liquid cooling heat dissipation module of claim 10, wherein, The number of liquid inlets is multiple, and they are located on the top or side wall of the liquid cooling shroud; the number of liquid outlets is multiple, and they are located on the top or side wall of the liquid cooling shroud.

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