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  Thin film evaporation heat dissipation device that prevents bubble formationUSPTO Application #: 20060090882Title: Thin film evaporation heat dissipation device that prevents bubble formation Abstract: Apparatus for removing heat from a heat generating device comprising a two-phase heat dissipation device having a dispersion device disposed within the heat dissipation device. The heat dissipation device includes a sealed housing having a vaporization region within the sealed housing and a condensation region within the sealed housing, a working fluid disposed within said seal housing; and the dispersion device being adapted to disperse said working fluid toward the sealed housing vaporization region. The heat dissipation device may further include a divider plate dispose within the sealed housing, wherein the divider plate substantially divides the sealed housing into a vapor path chamber and a liquid path chamber. (end of abstract)
Agent: Blakely Sokoloff Taylor & Zafman - Los Angeles, CA, US Inventor: Ioan Sauciuc USPTO Applicaton #: 20060090882 - Class: 165104260 (USPTO) Related Patent Categories: Heat Exchange, Intermediate Fluent Heat Exchange Material Receiving And Discharging Heat, Liquid Fluent Heat Exchange Material, Utilizing Change Of State, Utilizing Capillary Attraction The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060090882. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] Embodiments of the present invention relate to heat dissipation devices. In particular, an embodiment of the present invention relates to a two-phase (liquid/vapor), forced convection heat dissipation device that disperses a working fluid, which results in the prevention of bubble formation and/or creation of a thin film of the working fluid on an evaporation region for improved evaporation thereof. [0003] 2. State of the Art [0004] The microelectronic device industry continues to see tremendous advances in technologies that permit increased circuit density and complexity, and equally dramatic decreases in package sizes. Such high density and high functionality in these microelectronic devices has resulted in an increase in the density of the power consumption by the integrated circuit components in the microelectronic device, which, in turn, increases the average junction temperature of the microelectronic device. If the temperature of the microelectronic device becomes too high, the integrated circuits within the microelectronic device may be damaged or destroyed. [0005] Various apparatus and techniques have been used and are presently being used for removing heat from microelectronic devices. One known method of removing heat from a microelectronic device is the use of a heat pipe 300, as shown in FIG. 6. A heat pipe 300 is a simple device that can quickly transfer heat from one point to another without the use of electrical or mechanical energy input. The heat pipe 300 is generally formed by evacuating air from a sealed pipe 302 that contains a "working fluid" 304, such as water or alcohol. The sealed pipe 302 is usually constructed from a thermally conductive material, such as copper, copper alloys, aluminum, aluminum alloys, and the like, and oriented with a first end 306 proximate a heat source 308. The working fluid 304, which is in a liquid phase proximate the heat source 308, increases in temperature and evaporates to form a vapor phase of the working fluid 304, which moves (shown by arrows 312) toward a cooler, second end 314 of the sealed pipe 302. As the vapor phase moves toward the sealed pipe second end 314, it condenses to again form the liquid phase of the working fluid 304, thereby releasing the heat absorbed during the evaporation of the liquid phase of the working fluid 304. The liquid phase returns, usually by capillary action, gravity (thermosiphon), or a wick 316 to the sealed pipe first end 306 proximate the heat source 308 (shown by arrows 318), wherein the process is repeated. Thus, the heat pipe 300 is able to rapidly transfer heat away from the heat source 308 and requires no external driving force other than a temperature differential. [0006] However, with the ever increasing temperature, simple heat pipes are not capable of removing sufficient heat from microelectronic device, as current heat pipe designs suffer from low critical heat flux and high evaporator resistance, as will be understood to those skilled in the art. Improvements to heat pipes, such as forced convection with pumps and/or microchannels, can be implemented. However, these improvements have not been entirely successful. Pumps are not sufficiently reliable and microchannels can develop liquid slugs in the vapor portion of the microchannel which blocks the vapor flow to the condensation end of microchannel causing partial or total dry-out condition resulting in heat transfer failure. Furthermore, using more complex cooling methods, such cryogenic cooling or refrigeration cooling are too expensive for use in high volume commercial electronic devices. [0007] Therefore, it would be advantageous to develop heat dissipation device designs having an improved critical heat flux and lower evaporator resistance, while still having using simple components. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0008] While the specification concludes with claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming that which is regarded as the present invention, the advantages of this invention can be more readily ascertained from the following description of the invention when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings to which: [0009] FIG. 1 is a side cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a thin film evaporation heat dissipation device, according to the present invention; [0010] FIG. 2 is a side cross-sectional view of another embodiment of a thin film evaporation heat dissipation device, according to the present invention; [0011] FIG. 3 is a side cross-sectional view of a thermosiphon configuration of a thin film evaporation heat dissipation device, according to the present invention; [0012] FIG. 4 is a side cross-sectional view of another embodiment of a thin film evaporation heat dissipation device, according to the present invention; [0013] FIG. 5 is an oblique view of a computer system having a heat dissipation device of the present integrated therein, according to the present invention; and [0014] FIG. 6 is a side cross-sectional view of a heat pipe/vapor chamber, as known in the art. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENT [0015] In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings that show, by way of illustration, specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention. It is to be understood that the various embodiments of the invention, although different, are not necessarily mutually exclusive. For example, a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described herein, in connection with one embodiment, may be implemented within other embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. In addition, it is to be understood that the location or arrangement of individual elements within each disclosed embodiment may be modified without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present invention is defined only by the appended claims, appropriately interpreted, along with the full range of equivalents to which the claims are entitled. In the drawings, like numerals refer to the same or similar functionality throughout the several views. [0016] An embodiment of the present invention comprises a two-phase (liquid/vapor) heat dissipation device to remove heat from a heat generating device, wherein the heat dissipation device has an internal dispersion device (e.g., a rotating device, such as a fan) and is adapted to decrease boiling resistance and increase the critical heat flux. [0017] FIG. 1 illustrates a heat dissipation device 100 according to the present invention. The heat dissipation device 100 may comprise a sealed housing 102, which may be constructed of conductive material including, but not limited to, copper, copper alloys, aluminum, aluminum alloys, and the like. A first external portion 104 of the sealed housing 102 thermally contacts a heat generating device 106, such as a microelectronic device (e.g., central processing units (CPUs), chipsets, memory devices, ASICs, and the like). A dispersion device 108 (e.g., a rotating device, such as a fan) may be positioned within the sealed housing 102 proximate the heat generating device 106. [0018] A working fluid 112 within the sealed housing 102, when in a liquid phase, is a dispersed by the dispersion device 108 as a liquid spray toward a vaporization region 114, within the sealed housing 102, proximate the heat generating device 106. The working fluid 112 liquid spray is dispersed substantially uniformly to form a thin layer on the vaporization region 114. Thus, the vaporization region should be substantially continuously wetted with the working fluid 112. Furthermore, the dispersion device 108 "flattens" substantially all working fluid bubbles before they can form. If such working fluid bubbles form, they impede the working fluid from wetting the vaporization region 114, which greatly reduces the efficiency of the heat dissipation device 100. [0019] The working fluid 112 may include, but is not limited to water, Freon, acetone, alcohol, and the like. The heat from the heat generating device 106 is transferred through the sealed housing 102 by conductive heat transfer. This heat vaporizes the working fluid 112 liquid film into a vapor phase within the vaporization region 114. The vapor phase of the working fluid 112 substantially follows along a path illustrated by arrows 116 in FIG. 1 to a cooler, condensation region 122 within the sealed housing 102. The vapor phase of the working fluid 112 condenses in the condensation region 122 to form a liquid phase. During the condensation process, the heat absorbed during the evaporation of the liquid phase of the working fluid 112 is released and the released heat is transferred to the sealed housing 102 proximate the condensation region 122. The sealed housing 102 may be evacuated to at or near vacuum condition. The pressure condition within the sealed housing 102 is, of course, dependant on the working fluid 112 used. For example, if the working fluid 112 is water, the sealed housing 102 may have a pressure between about 10-50 kPa. If the working fluid is Freon (i.e., R134a), the pressure can be between about 600-700 kPa. [0020] In a heat pipe or vapor chamber configuration of the heat dissipation device 100, the liquid phase of the working fluid 112 is absorbed by at least one wick structure 124, which can abut an interior surface 120 of the sealed housing 102. The wick structure 124 may be any appropriate material including, but not limited to, sintered porous structures (such as porous copper structures), gauzes (such as bronze mesh), wires, and the like. The liquid phase of the working fluid 112 is then transported from the condensation region 122 by the wick structure 124 in the direction illustrated by arrows 126 to an area proximate the dispersion device 108. The liquid phase of the working fluid 112 returns to the dispersion device 108, which disperses the working fluid 112 as a liquid spray toward the heat generating device 106 perpetuating the evaporation/condensation cycle described. [0021] In an embodiment of the present invention, the heat dissipation device 100 is oriented such that the liquid phase working fluid drips onto the dispersion device 108 (shown as arrows 118), such as shown in FIG. 1. It is understood that the heat dissipation device can be placed in any position with respect to gravity. However, for alternate orientations, it is preferred that the wick structure 124 lines the sealed housing interior surface 120 (shown in FIG. 2 as heat dissipation device 150) to ensure effective operation. As shown in FIG. 3, it is also understood that a heat dissipation device 160, can be oriented in a vertical configuration such that the liquid phase 152 of the working fluid 112 moves along arrows 152 substantially in the direction of gravitational pull 130. The vapor phase of the working fluid 112 moves substantially in the direction shown as arrows 154. No wick structure is used with such a thermosiphon configuration, except that in some cases a boiling structure 156 may be required, as will be understood by those skilled in the art. Continue reading... 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