Radiator and electronic apparatus having coolant pathway

Abstract

A radiator includes a core unit, which includes a flow inlet which coolant enters, a flow outlet from which the coolant exits, a plurality of coolant pathways including at least an outer coolant pathway, an inner coolant pathway, a branching point, and a merging point, the outer coolant pathway being disposed to surround the inner coolant pathway, the coolant being divided at the branching point and merging at the merging point, and a connecting pathway to connect between the merging point of the outer coolant pathway and the branching point of the inner coolant pathway, wherein the flow inlet is in communication with a branching point of an outermost one of the plurality of coolant pathways, and the flow output is in communication with a merging point of an innermost one of the plurality of coolant pathways.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A radiator comprising a core unit, the core unit comprising:
 a flow inlet which coolant enters;   a flow outlet from which the coolant exits;   a plurality of coolant pathways including at least an outer coolant pathway, an inner coolant pathway, a branching point, and a merging point, the outer coolant pathway being disposed to surround the inner coolant pathway, the coolant being divided at the branching point and merging at the merging point; and   a connecting pathway to connect between the merging point of the outer coolant pathway and the branching point of the inner coolant pathway,   wherein the flow inlet is in communication with a branching point of an outermost one of the plurality of coolant pathways, and the flow output is in communication with a merging point of an innermost one of the plurality of coolant pathways.   
     
     
         2 . The radiator as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein each of the coolant pathways is rectangular, and a branching point and a merging point of a given coolant pathway are situated at corners of the given coolant pathway. 
     
     
         3 . The radiator as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the core unit further includes heat dissipating fins disposed between the outer coolant pathway and the inner coolant pathway. 
     
     
         4 . The radiator as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising an axial flow fan whose rotation axis is aligned with a central area of the core unit. 
     
     
         5 . The radiator as claimed in  claim 4 , further comprising:
 one or more core units, each of which is identical to the core unit, the one or more core units and the core unit being arranged side by side; and   one or more axial flow fans, each of which is identical the axial flow fan, the one or more axial flow fans and the axial flow fan being arranged side by side to air-cool the one or more core units and the core unit, respectively.   
     
     
         6 . The radiator as claimed in  claim 4 , further comprising one or more core units, each of which is identical to the core unit, the one or more core units and the core unit being arranged in tandem in a direction of air flow generated by the axial flow fan. 
     
     
         7 . The radiator as claimed in  claim 4 , further comprising one or more core units, each of which is identical to the core unit, the one or more core units and the core unit being arranged in tandem in a direction of air flow generated by the axial flow fan, the axial flow fan being disposed between two adjacent core units. 
     
     
         8 . An electronic apparatus, comprising:
 an electronic component to generate heat; and   the radiator of  claim 1 .   
     
     
         9 . A radiator comprising a core unit, the core unit comprising:
 a flow inlet which coolant enters;   a flow outlet from which the coolant exits; and   a spiral-shape coolant pathway through which the coolant flows,   wherein the flow inlet is in communication with an outer end of the coolant pathway, and the flow outlet is in communication with an inner end of the coolant pathway.