U.S. patent application number 13/540857 was filed with the patent office on 2014-01-09 for liquid-cooling heat dissipation apparatus for electronic elements.
This patent application is currently assigned to ANTEC, INC.. The applicant listed for this patent is Han Lung LIU. Invention is credited to Han Lung LIU.
Application Number | 20140008039 13/540857 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 49877620 |
Filed Date | 2014-01-09 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140008039 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
LIU; Han Lung |
January 9, 2014 |
LIQUID-COOLING HEAT DISSIPATION APPARATUS FOR ELECTRONIC
ELEMENTS
Abstract
A liquid-cooling heat dissipation apparatus for electronic
elements comprises an air fan and a liquid-cooling heat dissipation
module. The air fan includes a frame and a vane installed on the
frame to provide cooling airflow. The liquid-cooling heat
dissipation module includes a liquid delivery duct, a liquid return
duct, a heat collection element connected to the liquid delivery
duct and liquid return duct and coupled with an electronic element
to absorb heat, a heat dissipation element to receive the heat from
the heat collection element through the liquid return duct and
receive the cooling airflow to lower the heat, and a liquid
delivery element to provide kinetic energy to drive circulation of
the heat from the liquid delivery duct to the liquid return duct.
The heat dissipation element and liquid delivery element form a
housing space to hold the vane of the air fan.
Inventors: |
LIU; Han Lung; (Fremont,
CA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
LIU; Han Lung |
Fremont |
CA |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
ANTEC, INC.
Taipei City
TW
|
Family ID: |
49877620 |
Appl. No.: |
13/540857 |
Filed: |
July 3, 2012 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
165/104.13 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H01L 2924/0002 20130101;
H01L 2924/0002 20130101; F28F 9/002 20130101; H01L 23/473 20130101;
H01L 23/467 20130101; H01L 2924/00 20130101; F28D 2021/0031
20130101; F28D 15/00 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
165/104.13 |
International
Class: |
F28D 15/00 20060101
F28D015/00 |
Claims
1. A liquid-cooling heat dissipation apparatus for electronic
elements, comprising: an air fan including a frame and a vane
installed on the frame to provide cooling airflow; and a
liquid-cooling heat dissipation module including a liquid delivery
duct and a liquid return duct, a heat collection element connecting
to the liquid delivery duct and the liquid return duct and coupling
with an electronic element to absorb heat, a heat dissipation
element to receive the heat from the heat collection element via
the liquid return duct and receive the cooling airflow to lower the
heat, and a liquid delivery element to provide kinetic energy to
drive circulation of the heat from the liquid return duct to the
liquid delivery duct; wherein the heat dissipation element and the
liquid delivery element form a housing space between them to hold
the vane of the air fan.
2. The liquid-cooling heat dissipation apparatus of claim 1,
wherein the liquid delivery element is installed on one side of the
air fan opposing the heat dissipation element and formed at a
diameter smaller than that of the vane.
3. The liquid-cooling heat dissipation apparatus of claim 2,
wherein the liquid delivery element is located in a center of the
vane.
4. The liquid-cooling heat dissipation apparatus of claim 1,
wherein the liquid delivery element is installed on one side of the
air fan via the liquid delivery duct and the liquid return duct
that serve as support racks.
5. The liquid-cooling heat dissipation apparatus of claim 4,
wherein the frame of the air fan is fastened to the heat
dissipation element through fastening elements and interposed
between the heat dissipation element and the liquid delivery
element.
6. The liquid-cooling heat dissipation apparatus of claim 1,
wherein the frame of the air fan is extended to form a housing
portion between the frame and the vane to hold the liquid delivery
element.
7. The liquid-cooling heat dissipation apparatus of claim 6,
wherein the vane of the air fan and the liquid delivery element are
coupled on a same drive bearing.
8. The liquid-cooling heat dissipation apparatus of claim 6,
wherein the frame of the air fan is fastened to the heat
dissipation element through fastening elements.
9. The liquid-cooling heat dissipation apparatus of claim 1,
wherein the frame of the air fan is extended to form a housing
portion on one side opposing the vane to hold the liquid delivery
element.
10. The liquid-cooling heat dissipation apparatus of claim 9,
wherein the vane of the air fan and the liquid delivery element are
coupled on a same drive bearing.
11. The liquid-cooling heat dissipation apparatus of claim 9,
wherein the frame of the air fan is fastened to the heat
dissipation element through fastening elements.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a liquid-cooling heat
dissipation apparatus for electronic elements and particularly to a
liquid-cooling heat dissipation apparatus equipped with an air fan
located between a heat dissipation element and a liquid delivery
element to reduce number of ducts and shrink the size thereof.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The performance of central processors often is critical to
the performance of computer information equipments. With advance of
semiconductor manufacturing process, these days the clock cycle of
the central processors is much faster than the past. On the other
hand, the central processors also consume a greater amount of power
and generate much more waste heat. If the waste heat is not being
properly handled and is accumulated in the central processors, the
performances of the central processors are affected and result in
not proper functioning.
[0003] To resolve the problem caused by the waste heat, most
central processors nowadays are equipped with a cooling means to
transfer or disperse heat. In the past the cooling means disperses
heat via air cooling through a cooling fan to continuously blow
external cooled air to the surface of the central processor. But
the air cooling approach cannot effectively dispel heat due to
constraints of cooling fan structure and the deployable quantity.
Thus liquid cooling using cooling fluid as heat conductive medium
has gradually being adopted. Compared with air-cooling heat
dissipation, the liquid-cooling heat dissipation can dispel waste
heat of the central processor more efficiently.
[0004] A conventional liquid-cooling heat dissipation apparatus
mainly includes a pump, a radiator and a heat sink. These elements
are distributed in computer information equipments and connected to
each other through a plurality of ducts. The ducts are filled with
cooling fluid which flows among the elements and absorbs waste heat
generated by the central processor through the heat sink, and
disperses the waste heat via the radiator. While liquid-cooling
heat dissipation provides many advantages over the air cooling heat
dissipation, it has to use the cooling fluid as the heat conductive
medium and requires multiple sets of ducts to connect various
elements. As a result, the internal elements of the computer
information equipments cannot be changed or repaired and maintained
easily due to the constraints of the ducts.
[0005] To remedy the problems caused by the ducts, some
liquid-cooling heat dissipation apparatus with simplified ducts
have been developed, such as U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,971,632 and
7,325,591. They disclose a liquid-cooling heat dissipation
apparatus that combines a heat sink and a pump to reduce the ducts.
The heat sink mainly is designed according to the central
processor. The flow speed of the cooling liquid is determined by
the pressure provided by the pump that depends on the pump
structure, such as the size of impeller. The pump is installed on
the heat sink, thus is constrained and cannot be adjusted as
required. On the other hand, although the pump mounted onto the
heat sink can effectively channel the cooling liquid to dissipate
the waste heat via the heat sink, the cooling liquid is driven by
the pump to the radiator for cooling before heat exchange of the
waste heat is finished. As a result, cooling effect is not as
desirable as expected.
[0006] There are also other conventional techniques that combine
the pump and radiator. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 7,527,085
discloses such a technique. While it overcomes the problem resulted
from the ducts, it installs the pump on a corner of the radiator,
thus most of the pump would extend outside the radiator that
results in a bigger size after installation. As miniaturization is
the prevailing trend of the computer information equipments now,
the aforesaid conventional structure does meet the present
requirement.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] The primary object of the present invention is to solve the
problem of the conventional liquid-cooling heat dissipation
apparatus that results in difficulty for changing or repairing and
maintenance of internal elements of computer information
equipments.
[0008] Another object of the invention is to reduce space needed
for installation of the liquid-cooling heat dissipation
apparatus.
[0009] To achieve the foregoing objects, the present invention
provides a liquid-cooling heat dissipation apparatus for electronic
elements. It comprises an air fan and a liquid-cooling heat
dissipation module. The air fan includes a frame and a vane
installed on the frame to provide cooling airflow. The
liquid-cooling heat dissipation module includes a liquid delivery
duct, a liquid return duct, a heat collection element connected to
the liquid delivery duct and liquid return duct and coupled with an
electronic element to absorb heat, a heat dissipation element to
receive the heat from the heat collection element through the
liquid return duct and receive the cooling airflow to lower the
heat, and a liquid delivery element to provide kinetic energy to
drive circulation of the heat from the liquid return duct to the
liquid delivery duct. The heat dissipation element and liquid
delivery element form a housing space between them to hold the vane
of the air fan.
[0010] In one embodiment the liquid delivery element is installed
on one side of the air fan opposing to the heat dissipation element
and formed at a diameter smaller than that of the vane. The liquid
delivery element is preferably located in the center of the
vane.
[0011] In another embodiment the liquid delivery element is
installed on one side of the air fan via the liquid delivery duct
and liquid return duct that serve as support racks. The frame of
the air fan is fastened to the heat dissipation element through
fastening elements and interposed between the heat dissipation
element and liquid delivery element.
[0012] In yet another embodiment the frame of the air fan is
extended to form a housing portion between the frame and the vane
to hold the liquid delivery element. The vane and liquid delivery
element have a same drive bearing. The frame of the air fan is
fastened to the heat dissipation element through fastening
elements.
[0013] In yet another embodiment the frame of the air fan is
extended to form a housing portion on one side opposing the vane to
hold the liquid delivery element. The vane and liquid delivery
element have a same drive bearing. The frame of the air fan is
fastened to the heat dissipation element through fastening
elements.
[0014] By means of the construction set forth above, compared with
the conventional liquid-cooling heat dissipation apparatus, the
invention provides features as follow:
[0015] 1. Resolve the problem of difficult replacement or repair
and maintenance of the internal elements in the computer
information equipment due to the ducts. The invention has the air
fan installed between the liquid delivery element and heat
dissipation element without installing longer ducts between them,
hence the internal elements of the computer information equipment
are not constrained by the ducts anymore, and replacement or repair
and maintenance of the internal elements in the computer
information equipment are simpler.
[0016] 2. Smaller installation space. The invention couples the air
fan and liquid delivery element in such a way that can save extra
location and space needed for installation of the pump.
[0017] The foregoing, as well as additional objects, features and
advantages of the invention will be more readily apparent from the
following detailed description, which proceeds with reference to
the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0018] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the
liquid-cooling heat dissipation apparatus for electronic elements
of the invention.
[0019] FIG. 2 is an exploded view of an embodiment of the
liquid-cooling heat dissipation apparatus for electronic elements
of the invention.
[0020] FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the air fan and pump according
to an embodiment of the invention.
[0021] FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the heat dissipation element
according to an embodiment of the invention.
[0022] FIG. 5 is a schematic view of cooling fluid flow according
to an embodiment of the invention.
[0023] FIG. 6 is a schematic view of installation of the air fan
and liquid delivery element according to another embodiment of the
invention.
[0024] FIG. 7 is an exploded view of the air fan and liquid
delivery element according to another embodiment of the
invention.
[0025] FIG. 8 is a schematic view of yet another embodiment of the
invention with multiple sets of the liquid-cooling heat dissipation
apparatus.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0026] Please refer to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 for an embodiment of the
liquid-cooling heat dissipation apparatus 1 for electronic elements
of the invention. It is mainly installed in computer information
equipment or electromechanical equipment to dispel heat generated
by electronic elements thereof during operation. The liquid-cooling
heat dissipation apparatus 1 comprises an air fan 10 and a
liquid-cooling heat dissipation module 20. The air fan 10 includes
a frame 11 and a vane 12 installed on the frame 11 to provide
cooling airflow. The liquid-cooling heat dissipation module 20
includes a liquid delivery duct 21, a liquid return duct 22, a heat
collection element 23 connected to the liquid delivery duct 21 and
liquid return duct 22 and coupled with the electronic element to
absorb heat, a heat dissipation element 24 to receive the heat from
the heat collection element 23 through the liquid return duct 22
and receive the cooling airflow to lower the heat, and a liquid
delivery element 25 to provide kinetic energy to drive circulation
of the heat from the liquid delivery duct 21 to the liquid return
duct 22. The heat dissipation element 24 and liquid delivery
element 25 form a housing space S1 between them to hold the air fan
10. The liquid delivery element 25 can be a pump. The heat
collection element 23 can be a liquid-cooling heat conductive head
or a heat sink.
[0027] The liquid-cooling heat dissipation module 20 can be
constructed according to varying requirements. The embodiments
depicted herein serve merely for illustrative purpose and are not
the limitations of the invention. Please refer to FIGS. 1 and 2, in
this embodiment the liquid delivery duct 21 includes a first liquid
delivery duct 211 bridging the heat collection element 23 and heat
dissipation element 24, and a second liquid delivery duct 212
bridging the heat dissipation element 24 and liquid delivery
element 25. The liquid return duct 22 has a first liquid return
duct 221 bridging the heat dissipation element 24 and liquid
delivery element 25, and a second liquid return duct 222 bridging
the heat collection element 23 and heat dissipation element 24. The
heat collection element 23 has a flow duct 231 inside and a water
inlet 232 and a water outlet 233 at two ends of the flow duct 231.
The water inlet 232 is connected to the second liquid return duct
222. The water outlet 233 is connected to the first liquid delivery
duct 211. In addition, the flow duct 231 has at least one heat
collection fin on the inner side to absorb heat generated by the
electronic element while the heat collection element 23 is coupled
with the electronic element.
[0028] Please also refer to FIG. 3, the liquid delivery element 25
has a pressurized chamber 251 formed therein and a liquid delivery
port 252 and a liquid return port 253 located on the pressurized
chamber 251. The liquid delivery port 252 is connected to the first
liquid return duct 221. The liquid return port 253 is connected to
the second liquid delivery duct 212. The pressurized chamber 251
has an impeller 254 inside to provide kinetic energy.
[0029] Please refer to FIG. 4, the heat dissipation element 24 has
a plurality of fluid ducts 241 and radiation fins 242 between any
two neighboring fluid ducts 241. The fluid ducts 241 have two ends
formed respectively a first water intake portion 243 connected to
the first liquid delivery duct 211, a first water discharge portion
244 connected to the second liquid delivery duct 212 and the first
water intake portion 243 via the fluid ducts 241, a second water
intake portion 245 connected to the first liquid return duct 221,
and a second water discharge portion 246 connected to the second
liquid return duct 221 and second water intake portion 245 via the
fluid ducts 241.
[0030] Please refer to FIG. 5, when the liquid-cooling heat
dissipation apparatus 1 of the invention is in operation, all the
aforesaid elements are filled with cooling fluid. When the
invention is energized by electricity, the air fan 10 and liquid
delivery element 25 are driven at the same time. The vane 12 of the
air fan 10 spins to generate cooling airflow blowing to the heat
dissipation element 24 to generate heat exchange in the cooling
fluid. The liquid delivery element 25 provides the kinetic energy
to drive the cooling fluid filled in the elements to flow. Also
referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, take the heat collection element 23 as
a start point for instance, the cooling fluid flows in the
direction as follows: flow duct 231.fwdarw.water outlet
233.fwdarw.first liquid delivery duct 211.fwdarw.first water intake
portion 243.fwdarw.first water discharge portion 244.fwdarw.second
liquid delivery duct 212.fwdarw.liquid return port
253.fwdarw.pressurized chamber 251.fwdarw.liquid delivery port
252.fwdarw.first liquid return duct 221.fwdarw.second water intake
portion 245.fwdarw.second water discharge portion 246.fwdarw.second
liquid return duct 222.fwdarw.water inlet 232.fwdarw.flow duct 231.
Thus a circulation continues. The heat collection element 23
absorbs heat from the electronic element 30 and performs heat
exchange with the cooling fluid in the flow duct 231. The cooling
fluid is driven to flow to the heat dissipation element 24 which
receives the cooling airflow from the air fan 10 to disperse the
heat absorbed by the cooling airflow; when the cooling fluid flows
again through the heat collection element 23, another cycle of heat
exchange takes place. As such circulation continues, the electronic
element coupled with the heat collection element 23 can be cooled
as desired. The flow direction of the cooling fluid previously
discussed serves merely as an example and is not the limitation of
the invention.
[0031] In one embodiment, the liquid delivery element 25 is
installed on one side of the air fan 10 and formed at a diameter
smaller than that of the vane 12. The liquid delivery element 25 is
preferably located in the center of the vane 12.
[0032] Please also refer to FIG. 6 for another embodiment in which,
as previously discussed, the first liquid delivery duct 211 and
second liquid delivery duct 212 of the liquid delivery duct 21 and
first liquid return duct 221 and second liquid return duct 222 of
the liquid return duct 22 can be respectively a flexible pliable
duct or a fixed hard duct. If the liquid delivery duct 21 and
liquid return duct 22 are the pliable ducts, they can be installed
as desired; but if they are hard ducts, they can function as the
support racks. When the second liquid delivery duct 212 and first
liquid return duct 221 are hard ducts, they serve as support racks
to provide a bracing force for the liquid delivery element 25. As
shown in the drawings, the liquid delivery element 25 is supported
via the second liquid delivery duct 212 and first liquid return
duct 221 in a suspended manner at one side of the air fan 10. Hence
the liquid delivery element 25 can be installed opposing the air
fan 10 through the liquid delivery duct 21 and liquid return duct
22 that serve as support racks.
[0033] Please refer to FIG. 7 for another embodiment of the
invention. The frame 11 of the air fan 10 further includes a
housing portion 111 extended to one side opposing the vane 12 to
hold the liquid delivery element 25. Also referring to FIG. 3,
aside from the housing portion 111 previously discussed, the liquid
delivery portion 25 also can be located in the housing portion 111
formed between the frame 11 and vane 12. Further referring to FIGS.
2 and 7, the frame 11 can be fastened to the heat dissipation
element 24 via fastening elements 13 which can be rivets or screws.
Furthermore, after installation of the air fan 10 and liquid
delivery element 25, the air fan 10 and liquid delivery element 25
can be coupled on the same drive bearing. Hence with merely one
element being electrically energized, such as the liquid delivery
element 25, the impeller 254 can be driven to spin to drive another
element to spin as well. In addition to employing the same drive
bearing, different drive bearings also can be used, but is limited
to coaxial drive bearings.
[0034] Please refer to FIG. 8 for yet another embodiment with
multiple sets adopted. As previously discussed, in addition to the
aforesaid effect achieved through the elements set forth above,
multiple sets of the liquid-cooling heat dissipation apparatus 1
can be deployed in the computer information equipment or
electromechanical equipment to solve the problem of lower cooling
efficiency occurring to the conventional liquid-cooling heat
dissipation apparatus by connecting various electronic elements
through ducts and circulating the flow of the cooling fluid through
the same liquid delivery element. As shown in the drawings, the
liquid-cooling heat dissipation apparatus 1 and 1a can be installed
in the computer information equipment in a distributed fashion, or
at the same location in a juxtaposed manner with the heat
collection element 23 of one liquid-cooling heat dissipation
apparatus 1 connected to a central processor 31 and another heat
collection element 23a of another liquid-cooling heat dissipation
apparatus 1a connected to a graphic processor 32 to perform cooling
for the electronic elements 31 and 32 connected thereto. While only
two sets of the liquid-cooling heat dissipation apparatus 1 and 1a
are depicted in this embodiment as an example, in practice even
more sets can be employed, and they also can use the same heat
dissipation element 24 to disperse heat.
[0035] As a conclusion, the liquid-cooling heat dissipation
apparatus for electronic elements of the invention mainly provides
the housing space between the heat dissipation element and liquid
delivery element to hold the air fan without installing longer
ducts between them, thus can resolve the problem occurring to the
conventional techniques, and the concerns of additionally providing
installation location and housing space for the liquid delivery
element also can be eliminated. It provides significant
improvements over the conventional techniques.
[0036] While the preferred embodiments of the invention have been
set forth for the purpose of disclosure, they are not the
limitations of the invention, modifications of the disclosed
embodiments of the invention as well as other embodiments thereof
may occur to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the appended
claims are intended to cover all embodiments which do not depart
from the spirit and scope of the invention.
* * * * *