Heat Transfer Surface for Electronic Cooling

Abstract

A cooling surface for cooling an electronic component, the surface having two sets of fins, each set of fins defining a set of channels, and a number of passageways connecting the sets of channels. The cooling surface can be attached to an electronic component, such as a chip, and refrigerant supplied to at least one of the sets of channels. When the temperature of the electronic component rises, the heat is transferred to the refrigerant in the cooling surface, at least some of which vaporizes to carry heat away from, and facilitate cooling of, the component.

1 .- 21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . A cooling system for transferring heat from an electronic component comprising:
 a. a cooling surface comprising:
 (i) an upper surface and a lower surface; 
 (ii) a first set of fins extending from the upper surface and defining a first set of channels, wherein each fin comprises a thickness and a tip and wherein the tips of at least some of the fins of the first set of fins are substantially flat and wherein the thickness of the at least some of the fins increases towards the substantially flat tips of the fins; 
 (iii) a second set of fins extending from the lower surface and defining a second set of channels; and 
 (iv) a plurality of passageways extending through the cooling surface and connecting the first and second sets of channels; and 
   b. an electronic component attached to the first set of fins.   
     
     
         23 . The cooling system of  claim 22 , wherein the surface comprises metal. 
     
     
         24 . The cooling system of  claim 22 , wherein the surface comprises copper. 
     
     
         25 . The cooling system of  claim 22 , wherein the surface comprises a thickness and at least some of the channels of the first or second set of channels extend more than halfway through the surface thickness. 
     
     
         26 . The cooling system of  claim 22 , wherein the first set of fins is oriented at an acute angle relative to the second set of fins. 
     
     
         27 . The cooling system of  claim 22 , wherein each of the first and second sets of fins comprises a fin pitch and wherein the fin pitch of the first set of fins differs from the fin pitch of the second set of fins. 
     
     
         28 . The cooling system of  claim 27 , wherein the fin pitch of at least one of the first and second sets of fins is between and including 20-1200 fins per inch. 
     
     
         29 . The cooling system of  claim 22 , wherein each of the first and second sets of fins comprises a fin height and wherein the fin height of the first set of fins differs from the fin height of the second set of fins. 
     
     
         30 . The cooling system of  claim 22 , wherein the aspect ratio of at least one of the first or second sets of fins is approximately between 0.1 and 40. 
     
     
         31 . The cooling system of  claim 22 , wherein the electronic component is an electronic chip. 
     
     
         32 . The cooling system of  claim 22 , wherein the electronic component is soldered or adhered to the first set of fins. 
     
     
         33 . The cooling system of  claim 22 , wherein refrigerant is supplied into at least one of the first and second sets of channels. 
     
     
         34 . A cooling system for transferring heat from an electronic component comprising:
 a. a cooling surface comprising an upper surface and a lower surface; a first set of fins extending from the upper surface and defining a first set of channels; a second set of fins extending from the lower surface and defining a second set of channels, wherein the second set of fins is oriented at an angle relative to the first set of fins; and a plurality of passageways extending through the cooling surface and connecting the first and second sets of channels;   b. an electronic component attached to the cooling surface, wherein the electronic component generates heat; and   c. a pump for supplying refrigerant into at least some of the channels defined by at least one of the first and second sets of fins.   
     
     
         35 . The cooling system of  claim 34 , further comprising a controller for detecting the amount of heat generated by the electronic component and controlling operation of the pump in response to the detected amount of heat. 
     
     
         36 . The cooling system of  claim 34 , wherein the angle comprises an acute angle. 
     
     
         37 . The cooling system of  claim 34 , wherein each fin of the first set of fins comprises a thickness and a tip, wherein the tips of at least some of the fins of the first set of fins are substantially flat, and wherein the thickness of the at least some of the fins increases towards the substantially flat tips of the fins. 
     
     
         38 . The cooling system of  claim 37 , wherein the electronic component is attached to the first set of fins.