Sdl Inc.

Other

David C Mundinger

Donald R Scifres

D Philip Worland

A modular microchannel heat exchanger for cooling a heated region and a method for making the device. A first section of the device features an array of thin copper sheets which are etched with rows of elongated holes that pierce the sheets, coated with silver and held together with the holes aligned. These holes form a microchannel having a desired aspect ratio. A second section of the device has a series of thin copper plates which are etched as apertures, coated with silver and stacked in a sequence on the sheets of the first section, the plate closest to the sheets having elongated apertures oriented transversely to the microchannel of the sheets, the apertures combining further from the sheets into circular apertures to fit a coaxial inlet and outlet conduit where unitary or pipe flow occurs. The inlet conduit is, through the branching series of plates, in communication with alternately spaced elongated apertures adjacent to the microchannel of the sheets, and the outlet conduit is in communication with the other alternate elongated apertures. A case for both sections has an inlet and outlet chamber with holes that the inlet and outlet conduits plug into.

Modular microchannel heat exchanger

A cooling device formed in a thermally conductive substrate having a microstructure, such as a plurality of thermally conductive posts spaced apart by dimensions that induce capillary action in a liquid coolant. The posts extend away from the heated region and a space between the posts is supplied with liquid coolant which is contained by a meniscus near the tips of the posts. The coolant vaporizes at the meniscus and absorbs heat but, due to increased pressure in the coolant contained by the meniscus, does not boil within the space between the posts, allowing more liquid coolant contact with the thermally conductive substrate and posts. The vaporized coolant may be discharged into the air or into a chamber adjoining the tips having a lower pressure for removal of additional heat by gaseous expansion. The discharge of gaseous coolant allows the capillary flow of the liquid coolant in the space to be unimpeded, and the flow of liquid coolant may be augmented by a fluid pump. The gaseous coolant may be in thermal contact with a condenser that liquefies the coolant for supply to the space, by an array of capillaries, in a self contained cooling device. An array of such devices is provided with holes and stacked to connect adjacent liquid and gaseous coolant flows to cool an array of heated objects, such as laser diode bars.

Micropost waste heat removal system

A cooling device formed in a thermally conductive substrate having at least one microchannel of dimensions that induce capillary action and a surface in thermal contact with a heated region. The microchannel has a longitudinal opening oriented away from the heated region and is supplied with liquid coolant which is contained by a meniscus near the opening. The coolant vaporizes at the meniscus and absorbs heat but, due to increased pressure in the coolant contained by the meniscus, does not boil within the microchannel, allowing more liquid coolant contact with the thermally conductive substrate and walls. The vaporized coolant is discharged into a chamber facing the opening which can be at a lower pressure to remove additional heat by gaseous expansion. The discharge of gaseous coolant allows the capillary flow of the liquid coolant in the microchannels to be unimpeded, and may be augmented by a fluid pump. The gaseous coolant may be in thermal contact with a condenser that liquefies the coolant for supply to the microchannels, by an array of capillaries, in a self contained cooling device. An array of such devices is provided with holes and stacked to connect adjacent liquid and gaseous coolant flows to cool an array of heated objects, such as laser diode bars.

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Dublin, CA, United States of America

David C Mundinger