Interleaved Liquid-Cooled DIMM System for High-Density Thermal Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cooling methods for integrated circuits, such as air cooling and liquid immersion cooling, are either noisy or messy, making them undesirable for high-density configurations and maintenance near office workers.
Innovation Solution
A liquid-cooled integrated circuit system where two system boards with cooling pipes are interleaved between Dual Inline Memory Modules (DIMMs), allowing thermal coupling and easy maintenance without spills, while maintaining quiet operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If air cooling is used, then the system operates quietly, but cooling effectiveness is insufficient for high-density configurations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies liquid cooling through cooling pipes that circulate chilled liquid to remove heat from DIMM modules. This hydraulic cooling system provides superior heat dissipation compared to air cooling, enabling higher DIMM densities while maintaining effective temperature control through the liquid cooling medium.
2Temperature
If liquid immersion cooling is used, then cooling effectiveness is improved, but maintenance becomes messy and problematic
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the cooling system into separate cooling pipes that are thermally coupled to DIMM modules but physically separated from the liquid cooling medium. This allows DIMM modules to be removed and installed without handling spilled liquid, making maintenance clean and straightforward while still providing effective liquid cooling through the thermal coupling mechanism.
3Productivity
If DIMM density is increased, then productivity is improved, but heat generation increases requiring more effective cooling
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple cooling pipes into a unified cooling system that serves multiple DIMM modules simultaneously. The cooling pipes are thermally coupled to accommodate heat from high-density DIMM configurations, allowing the system to handle increased heat generation from higher DIMM densities through consolidated liquid cooling pathways.
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 approach enables higher DIMM densities with effective cooling, quiet operation, and easy maintenance, overcoming the limitations of existing cooling methods.
Implementation Method 1
cooling pipes, each mounted on the system board parallel to and adjacent to a respective one of the printed circuit board sockets... allowing thermal coupling
Implementation Method 2
liquid-cooled integrated circuit system... liquid circulation... chilled liquid source
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 3
AI summary
A liquid-cooled integrated circuit system includes two printed circuit assemblies having removable heat spreaders and cooling pipes coated with a thermal interface material. The two printed circuit assemblies are placed together in opposition such that the top surfaces of the heat spreaders on each printed circuit assembly contacts, and become thermally coupled with, the thermal interface material on the cooling pipes of the other printed circuit assembly. In this arrangement, each printed circuit assembly is cooled by the other.