Cooling fin with reinforcing ripples

Abstract

A liquid-filled cooling fin generally includes two roughly rectangular opposing fin walls separated by a relatively thin liquid space or chamber. In this invention the fin walls have reinforcing ripples to increase fin wall rigidity and resistance to deformation. The opposing walls are sealed at both ends along the depth of the fin and at one of the two edges along the height of the fin. The second, open edge of the fin is attached along the height of the fin in a liquid tight seal to a tank in which a transformer or other heat generating device to be cooled is submerged in a cooling fluid. The tank is provided with holes or other fluid passages so that cooling fluid can circulate between the tank and the fin. Cooling fluid is heated in the tank by the transformer and flows from the tank to the cooling fins, where it is then cooled by transferring heat through the fin walls to ambient air. The cooled cooling fluid then circulates back to the tank, completing a circulation pattern which is continuously repeated in operation.