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MULTI-COMPARTMENT COMPUTING DEVICE WITH SHARED COOLING DEVICE
Abstract
Various computing devices, thermal solutions and enclosures are
disclosed. In one aspect, a computing device enclosure is provided that
includes a first compartment that has a first upper side and is adapted
to house the computing device and a liquid cooling device. The computing
device has at least one heat generating component operable to transfer
heat to the liquid cooling device. A second compartment has a lower side
that includes an air inlet and a second upper side that has an air
outlet. The second compartment is adapted to house a head exchanger to
remove hear transferred to the liquid cooling device. A hub connects the
first second compartment to the first compartment in spaced apart
relation so as to leave a gap between the first upper side and the lower
side.
Inventors:
Janak; Christopher; (Austin, TX); Capezza; Steve; (Austin, TX); Jaggers; Christopher M.; (Austin, TX); McAfee; David A.; (Austin, TX); Merrikh; Ali Akbar; (Austin, TX); Grossman; Matthew; (Austin, TX); Poteracki; Nicholas; (Austin, TX); West; Jefferson; (Austin, TX); Hughes; Paul; (Austin, TX)
1. A computing device enclosure, comprising: a first compartment having a
first upper side and being adapted to house the computing device and a
liquid cooling device, the computing device having at least one heat
generating component operable to transfer heat to the liquid cooling
device; a second compartment having a lower side including an air inlet
and a second upper side including an air outlet, the second compartment
being adapted to house a heat exchanger to remove heat transferred to the
liquid cooling device; and a hub connecting the second compartment to the
first compartment in a spaced apart relation so as to leave a gap between
the first compartment and the second compartment with the first upper
side of the first compartment facing the lower side of the second
compartment.
2. The computing device enclosure of claim 1, wherein the hub includes an
internal bore to accommodate at least one coolant line.
3. The computing device enclosure of claim 1, wherein the air inlet
comprise plural openings positioned around the hub.
4. The computing device enclosure of claim 3, wherein the air outlet
comprises plural openings spanning at least a portion of the second upper
side.
5. The computing device enclosure of claim 1, wherein the hub comprises a
first half coupled to the first compartment and a second half coupled to
the first half and to the second compartment.
6. The computing device enclosure of claim 1, comprising a fan positioned
in the second compartment and having a hub region and a blade region, the
fan being positioned so that the hub region is substantially aligned with
the hub.
7. A computing device, comprising: a first compartment having a first
upper side; a first heat generating component positioned in the first
compartment; a liquid cooling device positioned in the first compartment
and in thermal contact with the first heat generating component; a second
compartment having a lower side including an air inlet and a second upper
side including an air outlet; a hub connecting the second compartment to
the first compartment in spaced apart relation so as to leave a gap
between the first compartment and the second compartment with the first
upper side of the first compartment facing the lower side of the second
compartment; and a heat exchanger positioned in the second compartment
and in fluid communication with the liquid cooling device via at least
one liquid supply line and at least one liquid discharge line and being
operable to exchange heat with air moving from the air inlet through the
second compartment to the air outlet.
8. The computing device of claim 7, comprising a fan positioned in the
second compartment and having a hub region and a blade region, the fan
being positioned so that the hub region is substantially aligned with the
hub.
9. The computing device of claim 7, wherein the hub includes an internal
bore to accommodate the at least one liquid supply line and at least one
liquid discharge line.
10. The computing device of claim 7, wherein the air inlet comprise
plural openings positioned around the hub.
11. The computing device of claim 10, wherein the air outlet comprises
plural openings spanning at least a portion of the second upper side.
12. The computing device of claim 7, wherein the hub comprises a first
half coupled to the first compartment and a second half coupled to the
first half and to the second compartment.
13. A liquid cooling device for a computing device, comprising: an
internal chamber to permit cooling liquid to pass there through; a first
surface adapted to thermally contact a first heat generating component of
the computing device; and a second surface adapted to thermally contact a
second heat generating component of the computing device, wherein the
second surface opposes the first surface of the liquid cooling device.
14. (canceled)
15. The liquid cooling device of claim 13, wherein the liquid cooling
device comprises a single cooling plate including the first surface and
the second surface that opposes the first surface.
16. (canceled)
17. The liquid cooling device of claim 13, wherein the liquid cooling
device comprises a first cooling plate forming the first surface and the
second surface and a second cooling plate in fluid communication with the
first cooling plate so that the internal chamber is divided between the
first cooling plate and the second cooling plate.
18. The liquid cooling device of claim 17, wherein the first cooling
plate is adapted to be positioned above the second heat generating
component and the second cooling plate is adapted to be positioned below
the second heat generating component.
19. A computing device, comprising: a first compartment having a first
upper side; a first circuit board positioned in the first compartment and
having a first heat generating component; a second circuit board
positioned in the first compartment in vertical spaced apart relation to
the first circuit board and having a second heat generating component; a
liquid cooling device positioned in the first compartment between the
first circuit board and the second circuit board, the liquid cooling
device including a first surface in thermal contact with the first heat
generating component and a second surface in thermal contact with the
second heat generating component, wherein the second surface opposes the
first surface of the liquid cooling device; a second compartment having a
lower side including an air inlet and a second upper side including an
air outlet; a hub connecting the second compartment to the first
compartment in spaced apart relation so as to leave a gap between the
first upper side and the lower side.
20. The computing device of claim 19, comprising a heat exchanger
positioned in the second compartment and in fluid communication with the
liquid cooling device and being operable to exchange heat with air moving
from the air inlet through the second compartment to the air outlet.
21. (canceled)
22. The computing device of claim 19, wherein the liquid cooling device
comprises a first cooling plate forming the first surface and the second
surface and a second cooling plate in fluid communication with the first
cooling plate so that the internal chamber is divided between the first
cooling plate and the second cooling plate.
23. The computing device of claim 22, wherein the first cooling plate is
positioned above the second heat generating component and the second
cooling plate is positioned below the second heat generating component.
24. A method of manufacturing a computing device enclosure, comprising:
fabricating a first compartment having a first upper side and being
adapted to house the computing device and a liquid cooling device, the
computing device having at least one heat generating component operable
to transfer heat to the liquid cooling device; fabricating a second
compartment having a lower side including an air inlet and a second upper
side including an air outlet, the second compartment being adapted to
house a heat exchanger to remove heat transferred to the liquid cooling
device; and connecting the first compartment to the first compartment in
spaced apart relation via a hub so as to leave a gap between the first
compartment and the second compartment with the first upper side of the
first compartment facing the lower side of the second compartment,
wherein the computing device enclosure is adapted to facilitate thermally
coupling the heat exchanger to the liquid cooling device via at least one
liquid supply line and at least one liquid discharge line.
25. The method of claim 24, comprising positioning the computing device
in the first compartment and a fan in the second compartment, the fan
having a hub region and a blade region, the fan being positioned so that
the hub region is substantially aligned with the hub.
26. The method of claim 24, wherein the hub includes an internal bore,
the method comprising routing the at least one liquid supply line and at
least one liquid discharge line through the internal bore.
27. The method of claim 24, wherein the air inlet comprise plural
openings positioned around the hub.
28. The method of claim 27, wherein the air outlet comprises plural
openings spanning at least a portion of the second upper side.
29. The method of claim 24, wherein the hub comprises a first half
coupled to the first compartment and a second half coupled to the first
half and to the second compartment.
30. The method of claim 24, further comprising: positioning the liquid
cooling device and the at least one heat generating component in the
first compartment with the liquid cooling device in thermal contact with
the at least one heat generating component and positioning the heat
exchanger in the second compartment and in fluid communication with the
liquid cooling device and being operable to exchange heat with air moving
from the air inlet through the second compartment to the air outlet.
31. The method of claim 30, wherein the liquid cooling device includes: a
first surface adapted to thermally contact a first heat generating
component of the computing device; and a second surface adapted to
thermally contact a second heat generating component of the computing
device, wherein the second surface opposes the first surface of the
liquid cooling device.
32. The method of claim 30, wherein the liquid cooling device comprises a
first cooling plate and a second cooling plate in fluid communication
with the first cooling plate so that the internal chamber is divided
between the first cooling plate and the second cooling plate.
33. A method of thermally managing a computing device having a heat
generating component, comprising: placing the heat generating component
in a first compartment of an enclosure formed by the first compartment, a
second compartment and a hub connecting the first compartment to the
second compartment, the first compartment having a first upper side, the
second compartment having a second upper side including an air outlet and
a lower side including an air inlet, the second compartment being
connected in spaced apart relation to the first compartment by the hub so
as to leave a gap between the first compartment and the second
compartment with the first upper side of the first compartment facing the
lower side of the second compartment; placing a liquid cooling device in
the first compartment and in thermal contact with the first heat
generating component; placing a heat exchanger in the second compartment;
and thermally coupling the heat exchanger to the liquid cooling device
via at least one liquid supply line and at least one liquid discharge
line.
34. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the first upper side of the
first compartment is without air flow passages to limit preheating from
the first compartment of airflow entering the air inlet of the second
compartment.
35. The computing device of claim 7, wherein the first upper side of the
first compartment is without air flow passages to limit preheating from
the first compartment of airflow entering the air inlet of the second
compartment.
36. The method of claim 24, wherein the first upper side of the first
compartment is without air flow passages to limit preheating from the
first compartment of airflow entering the air inlet of the second
compartment.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE
[0001] This invention relates generally to electronic devices, and more
particularly to computing device enclosures and thermal management
systems for computing devices.
[0002] Many types of conventional computers consist of a one or more
circuit boards housed with an enclosure or case. ATX and microATX
represent some conventional standard case sizes. A few conventional case
designs incorporate two side-by side compartments or sometimes vertically
stacked compartments. In many conventional designs, thermal management is
provided by a heat sink or spreader and a cooling fan. However, some
conventional computers generate more heat than can be adequately managed
by air flow alone. These designs often resort to a liquid cooling system.
[0003] Several technical issues are presented by conventional liquid
cooling and case designs. Many conventional liquid cooling systems employ
multiple radiators. The placement of these multiple radiators is normally
driven by whatever the prevailing standard enclosure form factors are,
such as ATX/microATX, etc. These standard form factors do not allow the
most efficient use of space. In addition, typical conventional liquid
cooling systems using standard components tend to be relatively large and
do not allow for much customization or implementation of unique form
factors. Some conventional dual compartment computer cases tend to draw
air passed first through, and thus preheated by, one compartment and into
the second compartment that houses the liquid cooling radiators. This
preheating reduces the efficacy of the radiator.
[0004] Many current liquid cooling computer systems encompass multiple
cold plates which are mounted to various high power devices within the
system. This leads to higher system complexity and size since these
various cold plates must be routed together via a tubing network within
the system. Typically, the cold plates must be interconnected and routed
into a radiator for the heat to be removed from the system. Since each
cold plate has one inlet and one outlet for the fluid, this requires more
hardware and interconnection between each cold plate (tubing, fitting,
etc.). These networks of cold plates are not optimized to fit within a
system enclosure and therefore leads to wasted space and greater assembly
complexity within the system enclosure.
[0005] The present invention is directed to overcoming or reducing the
effects of one or more of the foregoing disadvantages, among others.
SUMMARY OF THE :INVENTION
[0006] In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a computing
device enclosure is provided that includes a first compartment that has a
first upper side and is adapted to house the computing device and a
liquid cooling device. The computing device has at least one heat
generating component operable to transfer heat to the liquid cooling
device. A second compartment has a lower side that includes an air inlet
and a second upper side that has an air outlet. The second compartment is
adapted to house a heat exchanger to remove heat transferred to the
liquid cooling device. A hub connects the second compartment to the first
compartment in a spaced apart relation so as to leave a gap between the
first upper side of the compartment and the lower side of the second
compartment.
[0007] In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a computing
device enclosure is provided that includes a compartment with a first
portion that is adapted to house the computing device and a liquid
cooling device. The computing device may have at least one heat
generating component operable to transfer heat to the liquid cooling
device. The second portion of the compartment is adapted to house a heat
exchanger to remove heat transferred to the liquid cooling device. The
compartment may include air inlets and air outlets for venting around its
perimeter. For example, the compartment may include air inlets and air
outlets around its middle portion to allow for venting.
[0008] In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a
computing device is provided that includes a first compartment that has a
first upper side and a first heat generating component positioned in the
first compartment. A liquid cooling device is positioned in the first
compartment and in thermal contact with the first heat generating
component. In one example, the heat generating component may be a power
supply, or a component of a power supply, such as a voltage regulator. A
second compartment has a lower side that includes an air inlet and a
second upper side including an air outlet. A hub connects the second
compartment to the first compartment in spaced apart relation so as to
leave a gap between the first upper side and the lower side. A heat
exchanger is positioned in the second compartment and delivers cooling
liquid to the liquid cooling device and is operable to exchange heat with
air moving from the air inlet through the second compartment to the air
outlet.
[0009] In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a
liquid cooling device for a computing device is provided that includes an
internal chamber to permit cooling liquid to pass there through. The
liquid cooling device may be in thermal contact with a first heat
generating component of the computing device and a second heat generating
component of the computing device. For example, the liquid cooling device
may be in thermal contact with a component of a power supply. In one
example, the liquid cooling device may include a first side adapted to
thermally contact a first heating generating component of the computing
device, and a second side adapted to thermally contact a second heat
generating component of the computing device.
[0010] In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a
computing device is provided that includes a first compartment that has a
first upper side. A first circuit board is positioned in the first
compartment and has a first heat generating component. A second circuit
board is positioned in the first compartment in vertical spaced apart
relation to the first circuit board and has a second heat generating
component. A liquid cooling plate is positioned in the first compartment
and includes a first portion in thermal contact with the first heat
generating component and a second portion in thermal contact with the
second heat generating component. In one example, the liquid cooling
plate has a first side in thermal contact with the first heat generating
component and a second side in thermal contact with the second heat
generating component. A second compartment has a lower side that includes
an air inlet and a second upper side that includes an air outlet. A hub
connects the second compartment to the first compartment in spaced apart
relation so as to leave a gap between the first upper side and the lower
side.
[0011] In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a
method of manufacturing a computing device enclosure is provided that
includes fabricating a first compartment having a first upper side and
being adapted to house the computing device and a liquid cooling device.
The computing device has at least one heat generating component operable
to transfer heat to the liquid cooling device. A second compartment is
fabricated that has a lower side that includes an air inlet and a second
upper side that includes an air outlet. The second compartment is adapted
to house a heat exchanger to remove heat transferred to the liquid.
cooling device. The second compartment is connected to the first
compartment in spaced apart relation so as to leave a gap between the
first upper side and the lower side.
[0012] In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a
method of thermally managing a computing device that has a first heat
generating component is provided. The method includes placing the first
heat generating component in a first compartment of an enclosure. The
first compartment has a first upper side. The enclosure includes a second
compartment with a second upper side and a lower side and is connected in
spaced apart relation to the first compartment by a hub so as to leave a
gap between the first upper side and the lower side. A liquid cooling
device is placed in the first compartment and is in thermal contact with
the first heat generating component.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] The foregoing and other advantages of the invention will become
apparent upon reading the following detailed description and upon
reference to the drawings in which:
[0014] FIG. 1 is a pictorial view of an exemplary computing device that
includes a multi-compartment enclosure;
[0015] FIG. 2 is an overhead view of the exemplary computing device shown
in FIG. 1;
[0016] FIG. 3 is a sectional view of FIG. 2 taken at section 3-3;
[0017] FIG. 4 is a sectional view like FIG. 3, but of an alternate
exemplary computing device that includes a multi-compartment enclosure;
[0018] FIG. 5 is a sectional view of FIG. 4 taken at section 5-5;
[0019] FIG. 6 is a sectional view of FIG. 4 taken at section 6-6;
[0020] FIG. 7 is a sectional view like FIG. 3, but of another alternate
exemplary computing device that includes a multi-compartment enclosure;
[0021] FIG. 8 is a sectional view of FIG. 7 taken at section 8-8;
[0022] FIG. 9 is a sectional view of FIG. 7 taken at section 9-9; and
[0023] FIG. 10 is a pictorial view of another exemplary computing device
that includes a multi-compartment enclosure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0024] Various embodiments of a computing device and enclosure are
disclosed. In one arrangement, the computing device is positioned in a
lower compartment of a multi-compartment enclosure along with a liquid
cooling device, such as a cooling plate(s). The cooling plate may be in
thermal contact with one more heat generating components of the computing
device. A heat exchanger and liquid pump may be positioned in a second,
upper compartment of the enclosure. The first and second compartments are
connected in vertical spaced apart elation by a hub so as to leave a gap
between the lower and upper compartments. The hub includes an internal
bore to accommodate liquid flow lines. The arrangement flows air through
the upper compartment past a heat exchanger, but with little if any
pre-heating from the lower compartment. Additional details will now be
described.
[0025] In the drawings described below, reference numerals are generally
repeated where identical elements appear in more than one figure. Turning
now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 and 2, therein are
shown a pictorial view and an overhead view of an exemplary embodiment of
a computing device 10 that includes a housing 15 that encloses various
electronics and cooling devices (not shown) that will be described in
more detail below and shown in subsequent figures. The housing 15 may be
subdivided into a lower compartment 20 and an upper compartment 25
connected together, but vertically displaced to establish a gap 27. The
lower compartment 20 and the upper compartment 25 may be connected by way
of a hub 30. As described in more detail below, the lower compartment 20
may enclose a variety of different types of electronic components.
Accordingly, the lower compartment 20 may be populated with plural
input/output ports collectively labeled 35. The ports 35 may be video
ports, data ports, audio ports, combinations of these or other types of
ports as desired. In this illustrative embodiment, the upper side 37 of
the upper compartment 25 may be configured with an air outlet 40 in the
form of the grid or mesh-like design depicted that permits the discharge
of cooling air 45. The air outlet 40 may have a rectangular mesh as
shown, a diamond-shaped mesh or many other types of shapes and
configurations. As shown in subsequent figures, a lower side 50 of the
upper compartment 25 may similarly include a structure such as a grid or
mesh to provide intake air. An upper side 55 of the lower compartment 20
may be a top wall that does not include capability for air flow. However,
as described in alternate embodiments below, the upper side 55 may also
incorporate air flow passages.
[0026] The gap 27 and the closed upper side 55 permit air 45 to be drawn
into the gap 27, passed through the upper compartment 25 and discharged
from the outlet 40 without first undergoing a preheating process, as is
common in many conventional multi-compartment case designs. As better
seen in FIG. 2, both the upper and lower compartments 20 and 25 may have
a generally rectangular footprint. However, these footprints may be
square, or other shapes as desired. Similarly, while in this illustrative
embodiment the sidewalls 60 of the lower compartment 20 and the sidewalls
65 of the upper compartment 25 may be substantially vertical, in
alternate embodiments the sidewalls 60 and 65 may be inwardly sloped,
outwardly sloped or some other configuration as desired.
[0027] A variety of materials may be used to fabricate the lower
compartment 20, the upper compartment 25 and the hub 30. Exemplary
materials include, for example, aluminum, plastics, stainless steel,
copper, combinations of these or others. The components of the upper and
lower compartments 20 and 25 may be manufactured using casting, stamping,
forging, molding, machining or other well-known fabrication techniques.
[0028] Attention is now turned also to FIG. 3, which is a sectional view
of FIG. 2 taken at section 3-3. As shown in FIG. 3, the lower compartment
20 may include an interior chamber 70 that may house a variety of
components. For example, a circuit board 75 and another circuit board 80
may be positioned in the enclosure 70 and held in position by suitable
posts, fasteners or other structures that are not visible. The circuit
board 75 may be any variety of different types of electronic boards. The
same is true for the circuit board 80. The circuit board 75 may include a
variety of heat generating components, one of which is visible and
labeled 85 and the circuit 25 board 80 may similarly include a variety of
heat gene components, one of which is shown and labeled 90. The heat
generating components 85 and 90 may be any of a variety of different
types of electrical or electronic devices, such as, microprocessors,
graphics processors, combined microprocessor/graphics processors
sometimes known as application processing units, application specific
integrated circuits, memory devices, systems on a chip, optical devices,
passive components, interposers, or other devices. In an exemplary
embodiment, one or more of the heat generating components 85 and 90 may
be processors, such as an accelerated processing unit (APU), a central
processing unit (CPU), a digital signal processor (DSP), or any other
processor. The disclosed circuit boards, such as circuit board 75 and the
circuit board 80 may be electrically connected to each other in a variety
of ways. In this illustrative embodiment, the circuit boards 75 and 80
may be electrically connected by way of the disclosed flex connector 95
and respective flex terminals 100 and 105 on the circuit boards 75 and
80, respectively. Optionally, a myriad of other types of electrical
connection schemes may be used to interconnect the circuit boards 75 and
80.
[0029] Thermal management for the heat generating components 85 and 90 may
be provided by a liquid cooling device 110. The term "liquid" used herein
is not intended to exclude the possibility of two phase flow. The liquid
cooling device 110 may take on a variety of configurations. In an
exemplary embodiment, the liquid cooling device 110 may be a cooling
plate with an internal chamber 112 to permit flow of a cooling liquid
113, such as water, glycol or any other suitable coolant, such as a gas
coolant. This internal chamber 112 is unitary in this embodiment, but may
be shared among multiple chambers as discussed with other embodiments.
The liquid cooling device 110 is advantageously designed to provide a
shared liquid cooling capability for the heat generating components 85
and 90. In this illustrative embodiment, the heat generating component 85
is in thermal contact with a lower side 115 of the liquid cooling device
110 and the heat generating component 90 is positioned in opposition to
the heat generating component 85 and thus in thermal contact with an
upper side 120 of the liquid cooling device 110. This thermal contact may
be facilitated by way of thermal greases or other thermal interface
materials as desired. The liquid cooling device 110 is connected to a
fluid supply line 125 and a fluid discharge line 130. The fluid supply
line 125 is operable to deliver cooling liquid from a pump 135 that is
positioned in an interior chamber 140 of the upper compartment 25. The
fluid discharge line 130 is connected and operable to deliver cooling
liquid from the liquid cooling device 110 to a heat exchanger 142 in the
upper compartment 25. The fluid supply line 125 and the fluid discharge
line 130 are routed through the hub 30 and more specifically through the
open internal bore 145 of the hub 30.
[0030] The liquid cooling device 110 may be provided with a variety of
different types of internal structures to facilitate the transfer of heat
from the cooling liquid, one schematically depicted and labeled 150. For
example, a single baffle wall 155 is illustrated, however as just noted,
there can be multiple types of the internal structures to increase the
surface area contact with the cooling liquid 150. The liquid cooling
device 110 and any disclosed alternatives may be constructed of
well-known materials, such as aluminum, copper, stainless steel,
combinations or other materials, and using well-known techniques, such as
casting, machining, punching, forging, soldering, welding, combinations
of these or others.
[0031] Access to the chamber 70 of the lower compartment 20 may be
provided in a variety of ways. In the illustrated embodiment, a removable
lower panel 160 may be connected to the lower compartment 20 by way of
multiple fasteners for screws 165. A variety of other techniques may be
used to secure the hatch or panel 160 to the lower compartment 20. The
lower hatch 160 may be provided with plural foot pads 170 to provide a
cushioned support for the computing device 10 when seated on a surface
(not shown). The pads 170 may number three of more.
[0032] The hub 30 may consist of mating halves 175 and 180 that may be
joined at a threaded joint 185 or other type of joint as desired. The
position of the joint 185 and thus the vertical extent of either or both
of the mating halves 175 and 180 may be varied as desired. Here, the
mating halves 175 and 180 may be integrally formed with the lower
compartment 20 and the upper compartment 25, respectively. However, this
need not be the case and thus the components of the hub 30 may be
separately fabricated and thereafter attached to the lower compartment 20
and the upper compartment 25, respectively. While hub 30 is depicted as
being round, other shapes could be used.
[0033] The structure and function of the upper compartment 25 will now be
described in conjunction with FIG. 3. Additional components of the liquid
cooling system may be housed in the internal chamber 140 and include, for
example, the aforementioned liquid pump 135 as well as the heat exchanger
142 and a cooling fan 190. The heat exchanger 142 may be configured as a
radiator or otherwise. The liquid pump 135, the liquid cooling device 110
and the heat exchanger 142 form a fluid circuit. In this regard, liquid
pump 135 is connected to, and receives cooled liquid from, the heat
exchanger 142 by way of a supply line 195. The liquid pump 135 delivers
the cooling liquid to the liquid cooling device 110 and away therefrom
and to the heat exchanger 142 by way of the supply line 125 and the
discharge line 130, respectively. The supply line 125 may connect to the
liquid pump 135 by way of a coupling 197, which may be a threaded
coupling, soldered coupling or other types of fastening techniques and
couplings. The discharge line 130 may be similarly connected to the heat
exchanger 142 by a coupling 198. The same types of connections
(schematically shown) may be used for other portions of the supply line
125 and discharge line 130 and the supply line 195. The heat exchanger
142 is schematically depicted but may consist of well-known structures
used in radiator designs such as plural fins interspersed with multiple
flow and discharge lines.
[0034] As noted briefly above, the underside 50 of the upper compartment
25 may be provided with an air inlet 205 in the form of the disclosed
mesh structure, which may be substantially like the mesh structure or
alternatives thereto of the upper compartment 25 described above and
shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. In this way, when the fan 190 is operating,
cooling air 45 may be drawn into the gap 27, up through the air inlet
205, past surfaces of the heat exchanger 142 and discharged out of the
air outlet 40 at the upper side 37 of the upper compartment 25. The air
45 is not moved through the lower compartment 20 where it would be heated
prior to movement into and through the upper compartment 25. The fan 190
may have a hub portion 217 and a blade portion 218. The heat exchanger
142 and the fan 190 are positioned in the upper compartment 25 such that
the hub portion 217 is somewhat in vertical alignment with the hub 30.
With this arrangement, very little preheated air is drawn up through the
inlet 205 prior to contacting the heat exchanger 142. This is in contrast
to many conventional dual compartment computer cases 7h e cooling air
delivered to a water cooling system is delivered from the confines of an
enclosure that includes heat generating components which tends to preheat
that intake air that passes over the liquid cooling system.
[0035] In the foregoing illustrative embodiment depicted in FIG. 3, the
liquid cooling device 110 is sandwiched between the heat generating
components 85 and 90 and thus uses opposite sides 115 and 120 to
establish thermal contact with those components. However, other
arrangements are envisioned. In this regard, attention is now turned to
FIG. 4, which is a sectional view like FIG. 3 but of an alternate
exemplary embodiment of a computing device 10'. The computing device 10'
may share many attributes with the computing device 10 described above.
Thus, the computing device 10' may include the aforementioned lower
compartment 20 and upper compartment 25 as well as the hub 30. Like the
other illustrative embodiments, the upper compartment 25 may include the
heat exchanger 142, the cooling fan 190, and the liquid pump 135, all of
which are used to provide thermal management by drawing cooling air 45
through the air inlet 205 and discharged out the air outlet 40.
Similarly, the liquid pump 135 is connected to a supply line 125 and a
discharge line 130. However, a liquid cooling device 110' utilized to
provide thermal management for heat generating components within the
lower compartment 20 has a different configuration than the above
described embodiment. In this illustrative embodiment, a heat generating
component 85 may be connected to a circuit board 220 and a heat
generating component 90 may be connected to a circuit board 225. The heat
generating components 85 and 90 may be configured as described above in
conjunction with the components 85 and 90. The circuit board 220 may be
connected electrically to the circuit board 225 by way of a riser
connector 230 which may be configured like any of a variety of well-known
riser connectors. In this illustrative embodiment, and because the riser
connector 230 is utilized, the heat generating component 85 faces upward
and is at a lower elevation then the heat generating component 90 which
is facing downward. To provide thermal management for these heat
generating components 85' and 90' that are spatially oriented as shown,
the liquid cooling device 110' may include an upper cooling plate 235 and
a lower cooling plate 240 that is in fluid communication with the upper
cooling plate 235. The upper cooling plate 235 includes a body 242 and a
lid 243 that may be detachably connected to the body 242. The body 242
and the lid 243 enclose an internal chamber 244. The usage of a lid 243
facilitates the formation, by casting, machining or otherwise, of various
internal passages and reservoirs to be described below. The lid 243 may
be secured to the body 242 by soldering, adhesives, screws, welds or
other fastening techniques. The body 242 may include a block 245, which
projects downwardly to establish thermal contact with the heat generated
component 85'. The block 245 includes a chilled liquid inlet reservoir
250. The lower cooling plate 240 similarly may include a body 252 and a
lid 253 that enclose an internal chamber 254 and function and may be
constructed like the body 242 and lid 243. The internal chambers 244 and
254 function as a shared internal chamber since they are in fluid
communication.
[0036] Additional details of the upper cooling plate 235 may be understood
by referring to FIG. 5 which is a sectional view of FIG. 4 taken at
section 5-5. Note that because of the location of section 5-5, the lid
243 is shown in section while the underlying body 242 is not. The chilled
liquid inlet reservoir 250 is in fluid communication with the fluid
supply line 125 that is connected to the liquid pump 135. Chilled liquid
delivered to the reservoir 250 then passes into a longitudinal channel
255 that terminates at a Y-branch 260. Liquid flow is represented by the
arrows 262. One branch 265 of the Y-branch 260 terminates in a fluid
passage 270 and the other branch 275 terminates in another fluid passage
280. The fluid passage 270 is shown and labeled also in FIG. 4 but it
should be understood that the fluid passage 270 is shown out of rotation
in FIG. 4 so that it can be seen in the sectional view that is FIG. 4.
The fluid passages 270 and 280 deliver chilled liquid down through
suitable openings in the circuit board 225 that are not separately
labeled. The chilled liquid passes through the body of the cooling plate
240 and loops back up in a J-shape or otherwise fashion to the internal
chamber 254 of the lower cooling plate 240. After passing through and
contacting various features inside the internal chamber 254, the liquid
passes out of the chamber 254 down into a fluid passage that may be
configured like the fluid passages 270 and 280 that feed up through the
cooling plate 240 through suitable openings in the circuit board 225 and
ultimately terminating in a U-shaped channel 290 in the lid 243 of the
upper cooling plate 235 as best seen in FIG. 5. Again it should be noted
that the fluid pipe or passage 290 shown in FIG. 4 is shown out of
rotation in FIG. 4. Ultimately the U-shaped channel 295 is in fluid
communication with the fluid discharge line 130 that leads back to the
liquid pump 135. In this way, the chilled liquid at its lower temperature
may be delivered to the upper cooling plate 235 and ultimately to the
block 245, which is shown in dashed lines in FIG. 5 such that, if the
heat generating component 85' dissipates a greater amount of heat than
the heat generating component 90, the lower temperature liquid can be
delivered first to the heat generating component 85 and thereafter passed
through from the upper cooling plate 235 to the lower cooling plate 240
to deliver still effective cooling liquid but at a subsequently higher
temperature to the heat generating component 90. Note that the block 245
not only provides the capability to deal with elevation differences
between heat generating components 85 and 90 but also provides a greater
physical mass in order to transfer heat away from the heat generating
component 85 and to facilitate heat transfer with a cooling fluid. The
upper and lower cooling plates 235 and 240 may be constructed of a
variety of materials, such as copper, aluminum, stainless steel,
combinations of these or other materials.
[0037] Additional details of the lower cooling plate 240 may be understood
by referring now also to FIG. 6, which is a sectional view of FIG. 4
taken at section 6-6. Note that because of the location of section 6-6,
the body 252 is shown in section and the lid 253 is not visible. Here,
the body 252 of the lower cooling plate 240 is shown in section to reveal
also the internal chamber 285. The fluid passages or tubes 270 and 290
that appear as J-shaped tubes in FIG. 4 appear as circles and phantom
lines in FIG. 6, as do the J-shaped tubes 280 and 300, due to the
location of section 6-6. Note that the internal chamber 285 may be
provided with plural baffles or other textured surfaces 305 to simply
provide a greater surface area for heat transfer with the cooling fluid.
The number arrangement of such baffles 305 may be subject to great
variety.
[0038] Another alternate embodiment of a computing device 10'' may be
understood by referring now to FIG. 7, which is a sectional view like
FIG. 3. The computing device 10'' may share many attributes with the
other disclosed embodiments, such as the lower compartment 20, the upper
compartment 25, the hub 30, the heat exchanger 142 and the cooling fan
190 both positioned in the internal chamber 140 of the upper compartment
25. However, the lower compartment 20 may house a different configuration
of electronic components that may benefit from an alternative
configuration of heat exchangers. In this illustrative embodiment, a heat
generating component 85'' may be connected to a circuit board 310 and a
heat generating component 90'' may be connected to a circuit board 315.
In this illustrative embodiment, the heat generating component 90'' faces
downward and so does the heat generating component 85''. The circuit
board 310 may be electrically connected to the circuit board 315 by way
of a riser connection 320 which may be configured like the riser
connection 230 described above. To provide thermal management for the
heat generating components 850 and 900, a liquid cooling device 110'' may
include a lower cooling plate 325 and an upper cooling plate 330. The
upper cooling plate 330 is in fluid communication with the lower cooling
plate 325 by way of one or more fluid passages, one of which is visible
in FIG. 7 and labeled 335. Note that the passage 335 is shown out of
rotation in FIG. 7 and will be more evident during the description of
FIG. 9 to follow. The lower cooling plate 325 may include a body 337 and
lid 338 connected to the body 337 that together enclose an internal
chamber 339. The upper cooling plate 330 may similarly include a body 340
and a lid 341 connected to the body 340 that together enclose an internal
chamber 342. The bodies 337 and 340 and the lids 338 and 341 may function
and be constructed like the other body and lid alternatives disclosed
herein. Thus, the internal chambers 339 and 342 function as a shared
internal chamber since they are in fluid communication. In this
illustrative embodiment, the liquid pump 135 may be positioned in the
internal chamber 70 of the lower compartment 20.
[0039] Additional details of the lower cooling plate 325 may be understood
by referring now also to FIG. 8, which is a sectional view of FIG. 7
taken at section 8-8. Because of the location of section 8-8, the body
337 of the lower cooling plate 325 and the liquid pump 135 are shown in
section but the lid 338 is not visible. Note that the body 337 of the
lower cooling plate 325 may include a cutout 343 to accommodate the
placement of the pump 135. As shown in FIG. 7, the pump 135 may include a
chilled liquid intake line 345 which is connected to the heat exchanger
142 and receives chilled liquid therefrom. In addition, the pump includes
a chilled liquid delivery line 350 that is connected to the lower cooling
plate 325. That connection between the chilled liquid supply line 350 and
the lower cooling plate 325 may occur at a channel 355 in the lower
cooling plate 325 that is shown in FIG. 8. Fluid may flow through the
channel 355 around a plurality of baffles 360, as indicated by the arrows
365, and ultimately flow across the width of the cooling plate 325 and
into a return channel 370. The location A of the channel 355 may be a
position where liquid from the upper cooling plate 330 is returned to the
lower cooling plate 325 as described below in conjunction with FIG. 9.
The return channel 370 is in fluid communication with a heated water
delivery line 385 shown in FIG. 7 that is connected to the heat exchanger
142. Simultaneously, cooling liquid flows from the channel 355 up through
the conduit 335 and into the upper cooling plate 330.
[0040] Additional details of the upper cooling plate 330 may be better
understood by referring now also to FIG. 9, which is a sectional view of
FIG. 7 taken at 9-9. Because of the location of section 9-9, the body 340
is shown in section but the underlying lid 341 is partially visible and
not in section. As just noted, a cooling fluid travels from the lower
cooling plate 325 up through the conduit 335 and into the upper cooling
plate 330 and follows a path indicated by the arrows 390 around a set of
baffles 395 and ultimately discharges through a conduit 400, which may be
like the conduit 335 that feeds down into the channel 355 at or around
the location A of the lower cooling plate 325 shown in FIG. 8 where it
ultimately may be transferred back to the heat exchanger 142. Of course
the number and configuration of the baffles 395 may be subject to great
variety.
[0041] In the foregoing illustrative embodiments of the computing devices
10, 10' and 10'', the lower compartment 20 generally does not include any
type of air inlets or air discharge openings while the upper compartment
25 does. However, and as shown in FIG. 10, an alternate exemplary
computing device 10 may include a lower compartment 20, an upper
compartment gap 27 and a hub 30 as generally described above. However,
the lower compartment 20 may include an air inlet/discharge structure 405
such as the depicted mesh or alternatives disclosed elsewhere herein, and
the upper compartment 25 may include the aforementioned air outlet 40 as
described above. A portion of the lower compartment 20 is cut away to
show that an underside 410 of the lower compartment 20 may also include
an air inlet 415 in the form of the depicted mesh or alternatives
disclosed elsewhere herein.
[0042] While the invention may be susceptible to various modifications and
alternative forms, specific embodiments have been shown by way of example
in the drawings and have been described in detail herein. However, it
should be understood that the invention is not intended to be limited to
the particular forms disclosed. Rather, the invention is to cover all
modifications, equivalents and alternatives falling within the spirit and
scope of the invention as defined by the following appended claims.