Methods and apparatus for microelectronic cooling using a miniaturized vapor compression system

Abstract

A miniaturized refrigeration system ( 100 ) is used to cool a semiconductor component ( 104 ). The system includes an evaporator (e.g., a microchannel evaporator) ( 106 ), a compressor ( 108 ), a condenser (e.g., a microchannel condenser) ( 112 ), a throttling component ( 110 ), and a refrigerant. The condenser ( 112 ) may be attached to the backside ( 304 ) of the board ( 102 ) opposite the semiconductor component ( 104 ) being cooled. The compressor ( 108 ) may be used in conjunction with a number of evaporators ( 106 ), and may therefore be located outside of an enclosure ( 306 ) that houses the various components.

1 . A system for cooling an electronic component, said system comprising: 
 an evaporator configured to be thermally coupled to the component;    a compressor coupled to said evaporator;    a condenser coupled to said compressor;    a throttling element coupled to said condenser and said evaporator; and    a refrigerant configured to flow in a circuit through said evaporator, compressor, condenser, and throttling element to complete a refrigeration cycle.    
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said evaporator is a microchannel evaporator configured to intimately contact the component.  
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said condenser is a microchannel condenser.  
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , further including a fan thermally coupled to said condenser.  
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said refrigerant is a fluorocarbon.  
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein said refrigerant is R134a.  
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , further including a printed circuit board having a frontside and a backside, wherein said component is attached to said frontside of said board, and said condenser is attached to said backside of said board.  
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , further including an enclosure, wherein said component is internal to said enclosure and said compressor is external to said enclosure.  
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said compressor is a scroll compressor.  
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , further including a second component, a second evaporator, and a second condenser, wherein said second evaporator is thermally coupled to said second component and  
     
     
         11 . A method for cooling a component, said method comprising the steps of: 
 coupling an evaporator to the component, wherein the evaporator has an input, an output, and a refrigerant flowing through said evaporator from said input to said output;    removing heat from said component via said evaporator, wherein said refrigerant undergoes a phase change in said evaporator from a liquid form to a vapor form and exits through said output;    returning said refrigerant to said evaporator in said liquid form.    
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the component is attached to a board, further including the steps of: 
 coupling a condenser to said board on a side opposite from said component;    producing, within said condenser, a phase change in said refrigerant from said vapor form to said liquid form.    
     
     
         13 . A system for cooling a semiconductor component, said system comprising a microchannel evaporator configured to intimately contact the semiconductor component, wherein said microchannel evaporator is part of a refrigeration cycle.  
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , further including: 
 a condenser that is part of said refrigeration cycle; and    a board having a first side and a second side, wherein the semiconductor component is attached to said first side of said board and said condenser is attached to said second side of said board adjacent the semiconductor component.    
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 13 , further including: 
 a compressor that is part of said refrigeration cycle; and    an enclosure enclosing said board, wherein said compressor is external to said enclosure.    
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein said evaporator is a microchannel evaporator.  
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein said condenser is a microchannel condenser.  
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 13 , further including a fan thermally coupled to said condenser.  
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein said refrigerant is a fluorocarbon.  
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 13 , further including a printed circuit board having a frontside and a backside, wherein said component is attached to said frontside of said board, and said condenser is attached to said backside of said board.