Clustered Fluid-Cooled Plates for Multi-Chip Module Thermal Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional fluid-cooled plate technology is too large and cumbersome for small-scale multi-chip modules and struggles to achieve sufficient thermal coupling with non-coplanar electronic components due to warping and deflection during production.
Innovation Solution
The use of clustered fluid-cooled plates with source and return conduits and a spring-loaded assembly that thermally couples to individual electronic components, allowing for efficient heat transfer and compensation for non-coplanarity issues.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If traditional fluid-cooled plate technology is used, then heat transfer capability is improved, but device size becomes too large and cumbersome for multi-chip modules
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides a single large fluid-cooled plate into multiple smaller fluid-cooled plates, each designed to cool specific electronic components on the multi-chip module. This segmentation allows the cooling system to be scaled down to fit the limited space on multi-chip modules while maintaining effective heat transfer capability through distributed thermal management.
2Reliability
If traditional fluid-cooled plate technology is used, then cooling function is provided, but insufficient thermal coupling is achieved with non-coplanar electronic components due to warping and deflection
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a spring-loaded assembly that provides dynamic, adjustable pressure to the fluid-cooled plates. The spring mechanism automatically compensates for variations in component height and coplanarity caused by warping and deflection during production, maintaining consistent thermal coupling without requiring precise manufacturing tolerances.
Solution Approach 2:
The spring-loaded assembly allows the contact pressure between the fluid-cooled plates and electronic components to be adjusted within an acceptable tolerance range. This parameter adjustment capability enables the system to adapt to non-coplanar components and maintain optimal thermal coupling despite manufacturing variations.
3Power
If traditional fluid-cooled plate technology is used, then cooling is provided, but non-coplanarity of electronic components prevents appropriate load application within acceptable tolerance range
Solution Approach 1:
The spring-loaded assembly transforms the rigid contact requirement into a dynamic system that can adapt to manufacturing variations. The spring mechanism provides continuous pressure adjustment capability, allowing the system to maintain appropriate load application on electronic components even when coplanarity is within a broader tolerance range.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution enables effective thermal management of multi-chip modules by reducing size constraints and maintaining thermal contact with non-coplanar components, improving heat transfer efficiency and reliability.
Implementation Method 1
fluid-cooled plates that thermally couple to a plurality of electronic components included on a multi-chip module
Implementation Method 2
feeds cooling fluid from a condenser to the fluid-cooled plate
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosed apparatus may include (1) a plurality of fluid-cooled plates that thermally couple to a plurality of electronic components included on a multi-chip module, (2) at least one source conduit that (A) is operatively coupled to at least one fluid-cooled plate within the plurality of fluid-cooled plates and (B) feeds cooling fluid from a condenser to the fluid-cooled plate, (3) at least one return conduit that (A) is operatively coupled to at least one additional fluid-cooled plate within the plurality of fluid-cooled plates and (B) returns the cooling fluid from the additional fluid-cooled plate toward the condenser, and (4) an assembly that (A) is mechanically coupled to the fluid-cooled plates and (B) reinforces the thermal couplings between the fluid-cooled plates and the electronic components included on the multi-chip module. Various other apparatuses, systems, and methods are also disclosed.