Liquid-Cooled Memory System With Shared Cooling Pipe Per DIMM Pair
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current cooling systems for computer memory modules face challenges in efficiently managing heat generation due to increasing component and thermal densities, particularly in compact chassis form factors, where air cooling becomes complicated and costly, and liquid cooling systems have higher initial costs and complexity.
Innovation Solution
A liquid-cooled computer memory system utilizing a cooling loop with one cooling pipe for every pair of memory module sockets, where a heat spreader thermally engages with both faces of the memory module, reducing the number of pipes needed and incorporating a heat spreader with inner and outer plates to conduct heat from both faces to a centrally positioned liquid flow pipe, allowing for efficient heat dissipation without additional pipes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If one cooling pipe is provided for each memory module socket, then heat dissipation effectiveness is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the cooling function for two adjacent memory modules into a single cooling pipe by positioning the pipe between the modules and using heat spreaders on both modules to conduct heat to the shared pipe, thereby reducing the total number of cooling pipes while maintaining effective heat dissipation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces heat spreaders as intermediary components that thermally couple the memory modules to the shared cooling pipe, enabling efficient heat transfer from multiple modules through a single cooling conduit
2Temperature
If liquid cooling system is implemented, then cooling efficiency is improved, but initial cost and design complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent reduces liquid cooling system complexity by merging multiple cooling functions into fewer pipes, specifically using one pipe per pair of memory modules rather than one pipe per module, which simplifies the overall liquid cooling infrastructure while maintaining cooling efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The shared cooling pipe serves multiple memory modules simultaneously, making the cooling system more universal and reducing the number of dedicated components needed, thereby lowering initial cost and design complexity
3Productivity
If high component density is used, then productivity is improved, but heat generation increases requiring more complex cooling
Solution Approach 1:
The patent addresses heat generation from high-density components by merging cooling resources, using shared cooling pipes and heat spreaders to efficiently collect and remove heat from multiple densely packed memory modules through a simplified cooling architecture
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 reduces the number of cooling pipes required, lowers manufacturing and operating costs, and maintains serviceability of memory modules without altering existing chassis or system board dimensions, while effectively managing heat generation in high-density systems.
Implementation Method 1
The heat spreader includes an inner plate thermally coupled to the cooling pipe and in thermal engagement with a first face of the memory module adjacent to the included cooling pipe
Data Source
AI summary
Each pair of memory modules in a memory system are cooled using a shared cooling pipe, such as a heat pipe or liquid flow pipe. An example embodiment includes one pair of memory module sockets on opposite sides of the respective cooling pipe. An inner heat spreader plate is thermally coupled to the cooling pipe and in thermal engagement with a first face of the memory module adjacent to the included cooling pipe. Heat is conducted from the second face of the memory module to the cooling pipe, such as from an outer plate in thermal engagement with an opposing second face of the memory modules and with the inner plate.