Pneumatically Cooled Enclosed Finned Heat Sinks

Abstract

A heat sink including one or more vented pipes for directing air through a plurality of enclosed chambers formed by a plurality of fins in an enclosed structure having at least a first side and a second side. An air inlet in the first side of the enclosed structure allows pressurized air to enter the plurality of enclosed chambers through the one or more vented pipes. An air outlet in the first side of the enclosed structure allows pressurized air to exit the plurality of enclosed chambers through the one or more vented pipes.

Description

TRADEMARKS

[0001] IBM.RTM. is a registered trademark of International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, N.Y., U.S.A. Other names used herein may be registered trademarks, trademarks or product names of International Business Machines Corporation or other companies.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] 1. Field of the Invention

[0003] The present invention relates to heat sinks for electronic devices, and more particularly, to improved heat sink arrangements in enclosed housings.

[0004] 2. Description of Background

[0005] The use of heat sinks for electronic devices is well known. Typically, a heat sink is arranged proximate to a heat generating electronic component such as a processor within a server. Heat generated by processor is transferred to the heat sink and then dissipated from the heat sink to the surrounding air. One type of heat sink includes a metallic base plate. Heat dissipating fins extend from the base plate to increase the surface area of the heat sink. Heat transferred from the component to the base plate is spread throughout the base plate and the fins.

[0006] As the operational speed and power density of a processor is increased, heat transfer from the processor to the surrounding environment becomes more and more critical for maintaining proper operation of the processor. To further facilitate the dissipation of heat from the processor, a fan can be used to circulate air about outer surfaces of the fins and the base plate. However, in many system applications such as computer servers, space is at a premium. A fan or other air circulation device occupies space that may be needed for media access, cable ingress and egress, or performing periodic maintenance activities. Moreover, fans and air circulation devices generate noise which may be annoying or distracting in many system applications. Meeting the increased heat transfer needs of more powerful processors adds to the challenge of cooling new processor technology. What is needed is an improved heat sink design that is capable of moving a volume of air sufficient to cool processor and other heat sinks within a server or other electronic equipment. The improved heat sink design should not occupy areas required for cable routing, media access, or maintenance activities, and should not generate undesired noise.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0007] The shortcomings of the prior art are overcome and additional advantages are provided in the form of a heat sink including one or more vented pipes for directing air through a plurality of enclosed chambers formed by a plurality of fins in an enclosed structure having at least a first side and a second side. An air inlet in the first side of the enclosed structure allows pressurized air to enter the plurality of enclosed chambers through the one or more vented pipes. An air outlet in the first side of the enclosed structure allows pressurized air to exit the plurality of enclosed chambers through the one or more vented pipes.

[0008] Additional features and advantages are realized through the techniques of the present invention. Other embodiments and aspects of the invention are described in detail herein and are considered a part of the claimed invention. For a better understanding of the invention with advantages and features, refer to the description and to the drawings.

TECHNICAL EFFECTS

[0009] As a result of the summarized invention, technically we have achieved a solution wherein pressurized air is directed through a plurality of vented pipes in an enclosed heat sink structure and across a plurality of fins in the enclosed heat sink structure so as to dissipate thermal energy, and so as to provide enhanced noise abatement relative to fan-cooled designs.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] The subject matter, which is regarded as the invention, is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the claims at the conclusion of the specification. The foregoing and other objects, features, and advantages of the invention are apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

[0011] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a pneumatically cooled enclosed finned heat sink using vented pipes.

[0012] FIG. 2 is an isometric view of the pneumatically cooled enclosed heat sink of FIG. 1 with enclosure sides, top, and bottom removed.

[0013] FIG. 3 is a top view of the pneumatically cooled enclosed heat sink of FIG. 1 with enclosure sides removed.

[0014] FIG. 4 is an exploded rear view of the pneumatically cooled enclosed heat sink of FIG. 1 with enclosure sides removed.

[0015] Like reference numerals are used to refer to like elements throughout the drawings. The detailed description explains the preferred embodiments of the invention, together with advantages and features, by way of example with reference to the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0016] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first example of a pneumatically cooled enclosed finned heat sink using vented pipes. An enclosure includes a first side 115, a second side 111, a third side 113, a fourth side 114, a top 112, and a bottom (not shown). An air inlet 116 formed by a vented inlet pipe 119 capable of accepting pressurized air enters the enclosure on first side 115. An air outlet 117 formed by a vented outlet pipe 118 exits the enclosure on first side 115. Air outlet 117 directs pressurized air from the enclosure to the ambient environment or to another enclosure (not shown).

[0017] FIG. 2 is an isometric view of the pneumatically cooled enclosed heat sink of FIG. 1 with enclosure sides 111, 113, 114, 115, top 112, and bottom removed. The enclosed heat sink includes a plurality of thermally conductive fins 301, 302, 303, 304, 305. Pressurized air entering air inlet 116 exits one or more vent holes in vented inlet pipe 119, circulates in proximity to fins 301 and 302, and enters one or more vent holes of a first vented pipe 307 and a second vented pipe 321. For example, second vented pipe 321 includes a first vent hole 324 and a second vent hole 325. In situations where noise abatement is to be provided, at least two different size vent holes are provided in each vented pipe to reduce acoustic resonance effects and noise resulting therefrom. For example, a first vent hole 324 in second vented pipe 321 is larger than a second vent hole 325 in second vented pipe 321, thereby providing a measure of noise abatement. First vented pipe 307 is terminated at each end with an endcap 323, and second vented pipe 321 is also terminated at each end with an endcap 323.

[0018] Air exits one or more vent holes in first vented pipe 307 and second vented pipe 321, circulates in proximity to fins 302, 301, and 303, and enters one or more vent holes in a third vented pipe 311. Likewise, air exits one or more vent holes in third vented pipe 311, circulates in proximity to fins 303, 301, and 304, and enters one or more vent holes in a fourth vented pipe 309 and one or more holes in a fifth vented pipe 319. Air then exits one or more vent holes in fourth vented pipe 309 and the one or more vent holes in fifth vented pipe 319, circulates in proximity to fins 304, 301, 305 and enters one or more vent holes in a sixth vented pipe 313. Air then exits one or more vent holes in sixth vented pipe 313, circulates in proximity to fins 305, and 301, and enters one or more vent holes in a seventh vented pipe 322. In the example of FIG. 1, first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth vented pipes 307, 321, 311, 309, 319, and 313 are shown as cylindrical pipes having circular cross sections for illustrative purposes. However, one or more of these vented pipes could be fabricated from a plurality of flat members so as to provide vented pipes having polygonal cross sections as demonstrated by seventh vented pipe 322.

[0019] Air exits one or more vent holes in seventh vented pipe 322, circulates in proximity to fins 301, 305, and enters one or more vent holes in an eighth vented pipe 312. Air exits one or more vent holes in eighth vented pipe 312, circulates in proximity to fins 305, 301, 304, and enters one or more vent holes in a ninth vented pipe 316. Air exits one or more vent holes in ninth vented pipe 316, circulates in proximity to fins 304, 301, 303, and enters one or more vent holes in a tenth vented pipe 310. Air exits one or more vent holes in tenth vented pipe 310, circulates in proximity to fins 303, 301, 302, and enters one or more vent holes in an eleventh vented pipe 306. Air exits one or more vent holes in eleventh vented pipe 306, circulates in proximity to fins 302, 301, and enters one or more vent holes of a vented outlet pipe 118. Air then exits from air outlet 117 of vented outlet pipe 118.

[0020] FIG. 3 is a top view of the pneumatically cooled enclosed heat sink of FIGS. 1 and 2 with enclosure sides removed. With reference to FIG. 3, it may be noted that fins 301, 302, 303, 304, and 305 form a plurality of chambers interconnected by vented pipes. These chambers include a first chamber 335, a second chamber 336, a third chamber 337, a fourth chamber 338, a fifth chamber 339, a sixth chamber 334, a seventh chamber 333, an eighth chamber 332, a ninth chamber 331, and a tenth chamber 330.

[0021] Pressurized air enters first chamber 335 from vented inlet pipe 119. Air exits first chamber 335 from first and second vented pipes 307 and 321. Air enters second chamber 336 from first and second vented pipes 307 and 321, and air exits second chamber 336 from third vented pipe 311 and a twelfth vented pipe 315 not visible in FIG. 2. Air enters third chamber 337 (FIG. 3) from third and twelfth vented pipes 311 and 315, and air exits third chamber 337 from fourth vented pipe 309 and fifth vented pipe 319. Air enters fourth chamber 338 from fourth and fifth vented pipes 309 and 319, and air exits fourth chamber 338 from sixth vented pipe 313 and a thirteenth vented pipe 317 not visible in FIG. 2.

[0022] Air enters fifth chamber 339 (FIG. 3) from sixth and thirteenth vented pipes 313 and 317, and air exits fifth chamber 339 from seventh vented pipe 322. Air enters sixth chamber 334 from seventh vented pipe 322, and air exits sixth chamber 334 from eighth vented pipe 312 and a fourteenth vented pipe 308 not visible in FIG. 2. Air enters seventh chamber 333 from eighth and fourteenth vented pipes 312 and 308, and air exits seventh chamber 333 from ninth vented pipe 316 and a fifteenth vented pipe 318 not visible in FIG. 2. Air enters eighth chamber 332 (FIG. 3) from ninth and fifteenth vented pipes 316 and 318, and air exits eighth chamber 332 from tenth vented pipe 310 and a sixteenth vented pipe 314 not visible in FIG. 2. Air enters ninth chamber 331 from tenth and sixteenth vented pipes 310 and 314, and air exits ninth chamber 331 from eleventh vented pipe 306 and a seventeenth vented pipe 320 not visible in FIG. 2. Air enters tenth chamber 330 from eleventh and seventeenth vented pipes 306 and 320, and air exits tenth chamber 330 from air outlet 117 of vented outlet pipe 118.

[0023] FIG. 4 is an exploded rear view of the pneumatically cooled enclosed heat sink of FIG. 1 with enclosure sides removed. Fins 301, 302, 303, 304, and 305 form a muffler-like structure that is air-cooled by means of pressurized air applied to vented inlet pipe 119. The pressurized air flows through a plurality of chambers formed by fins 301, 302, 303, 304, 305 by means of vent holes on vented pipes 307, 311, 309, 313, 322, 316, 312, 308, 318, 310, 306 interconnecting these chambers. As air flows through these vented pipes and chambers, the air absorbs thermal energy from fins 301, 302, 303, 304, 305. Air then exits from vented outlet pipe 118.

[0024] The diagrams depicted herein present illustrative examples. There may be many variations to these diagrams or the steps (or operations) described therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For instance, a different number of fins, vented pipes, and vent holes may be provided other than what is shown in FIGS. 1-4. The terms "top", "bottom", and "sides" are relative and may be used interchangeably. All of these variations are considered a part of the claimed invention.

[0025] While the preferred embodiment to the invention has been described, it will be understood that those skilled in the art, both now and in the future, may make various improvements and enhancements which fall within the scope of the claims which follow. These claims should be construed to maintain the proper protection for the invention first described.

Claims

1. A heat sink including: an enclosed structure having at least a first side and a second side; a plurality of fins in the enclosed structure; a plurality of enclosed chambers formed by the plurality of fins and the enclosed structure; one or more vented pipes for directing air through the plurality of enclosed chambers; an air inlet in the first side of the enclosed structure for allowing pressurized air to enter the plurality of enclosed chambers through the one or more vented pipes; and an air outlet in the first side of the enclosed structure for allowing pressurized air to exit the plurality of enclosed chambers through the one or more vented pipes.

2. The heat sink of claim 1 wherein the one or more vented pipes are vented by means of a plurality of holes.

3. The heat sink of claim 2 wherein the one or more vented pipes each include a first hole having a first dimension and a second hole having a second dimension, wherein the first dimension is larger than the second dimension, thereby reducing or eliminating an acoustic resonance for the one or more vented pipes.

4. The heat sink of claim 3 wherein the one or more vented pipes are substantially cylindrical.

5. The heat sink of claim 4 wherein the one or more vented pipes are capable of circulating air in proximity to the plurality of fins such that the circulated air absorbs thermal energy from the plurality of fins.