DIMM Cooling Assembly with Intermediary Heat Spreaders
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increasing heat dissipation requirements of high-performance DRAM DIMMs, combined with the challenge of cooling in close proximity, pose significant cooling challenges for systems designers due to the small air gaps between DIMMs.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of thermally conductive heat spreaders coupled with a heat sink structure, which can be composed of multiple mechanical components or a single bulk material, effectively transfers heat from memory chips to a heat sink that enhances heat dissipation through increased surface area and ambient air flow.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If DIMMs are placed closer together to increase density, then space utilization is improved, but heat dissipation becomes more difficult due to reduced air gaps
Solution Approach 1:
A heat spreader component is introduced as an intermediary between the DIMM memory chips and the ambient environment. The heat spreader conducts heat away from the DIMMs through its thermally conductive material, enabling effective heat dissipation even when DIMMs are placed in close proximity with minimal air gaps between them.
Solution Approach 2:
The thermal conductivity parameter of the heat spreader material is optimized to enhance heat transfer efficiency. By selecting materials with high thermal conductivity and designing the heat spreader with specific geometric parameters (thickness, surface area), the system achieves effective heat dissipation in high-density configurations where traditional air-gap-based cooling would fail.
2Temperature
If heat spreader thickness is increased to improve heat transfer, then heat dissipation is improved, but the overall assembly height increases
Solution Approach 1:
The heat spreader is constructed using composite material structures, such as stacked layers of thermally conductive materials with different properties. This allows optimization of thermal performance while controlling the overall thickness, as different material layers can be selected for their specific thermal conductivity, thermal capacity, and mechanical properties to achieve the desired heat transfer with minimal height.
Solution Approach 2:
The heat spreader serves multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as a thermal conduction path, a structural support element, and a mounting surface for the DIMM modules. By integrating these functions into a single component with optimized thickness, the design achieves effective heat transfer without requiring additional height for separate structural or mounting elements.
3Temperature
If thermally conductive material is used to enhance heat transfer, then heat dissipation is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The heat spreader is designed as an integrated component that combines the thermal management function with the structural support function. By merging these functions into a single piece rather than using separate components, the manufacturing process is simplified while still achieving effective heat transfer through the thermally conductive material.
Solution Approach 2:
The thickness and surface area parameters of the heat spreader are optimized to achieve the required heat transfer performance with standard, readily manufacturable dimensions. This allows the use of conventional fabrication processes while maintaining effective thermal management, avoiding the need for complex or specialized manufacturing techniques.
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 efficiently manages heat dissipation from multiple DIMMs by using thermally conductive materials and structures that expand the surface area for heat transfer, effectively addressing the cooling challenges posed by high heat output and close spacing of DIMMs.
Implementation Method 1
thermally conductive heat spreaders are thermally coupled to the package lids of the memory chips
Implementation Method 2
heat sink structure that resides in the space above the DIMM... Air flow can be directed across the heat sink structure to remove the heat from the ambient
Data Source
AI summary
A dual in-line memory module (DIMM) cooling apparatus is described. The DIMM cooling assembly includes a first heat spreader to be thermally coupled to respective memory chips of a first side of the DIMM. The DIMM cooling assembly includes a second heat spreader to be thermally coupled to respective memory chips of a second side of the DIMM. The DIMM cooling assembly includes a heat sink element. The heat sink element is to reside above the DIMM. The heat sink element is to receive heat from the first and second heat spreaders. The heat sink element has thermal transfer structures to lower thermal resistance between the heat sink element and the heat sink element's ambient.