Apparatus for the compact cooling of an array of components

Abstract

An apparatus for the compact cooling of an array of components. The apparatus includes a housing with cover plates on opposing sides of the housing, and a frame between the cover plates. The frame is thermally coupled to each of the cover plates and includes a plurality of channels for passing coolant through the housing.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus for the compact cooling of an array of components comprising:
 a housing including at least two cover plates on opposing sides of the housing; and   a frame between the cover plates, the frame being thermally coupled to each of the cover plates and including a plurality of channels for passing coolant through the housing.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the housing further comprises an inlet port for receiving the coolant within the housing and an outlet port for passing the coolant out of the housing. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the frame includes a fluid guide defining the plurality of channels, the fluid guide being thermally coupled to the cover plates. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the fluid guide is a unitary sheet of folded metal. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 wherein the cover plates include a first cover plate and a second cover plate; and   wherein the frame includes a first fluid guide thermally coupled to the first cover plate and a second fluid guide thermally coupled to the second cover plate, the first fluid guide and the second fluid guide defining the plurality of channels.   
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the first fluid guide is a first unitary sheet of folded metal and the second fluid guide is a second unitary sheet of folded metal. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the frame further comprises a separating plate between the first fluid guide and the second fluid guide for isolating the coolant of the first fluid guide from the second fluid guide. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of channels are triangular channels. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of channels are rectangular channels. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the cover plates has a U-shaped cross section and includes an inlet port for receiving the coolant by the housing and an outlet port for passing the coolant out of the housing. 
     
     
         11 . A heat sink comprising:
 a housing;   a first cover plate on a first side of the housing;   a first fluid guide thermally coupled to the first cover plate;   a second cover plate on a second side of the housing opposite the first side;   a second fluid guide thermally coupled to the second cover plate;   a separating plate between the first fluid guide and the second fluid guide for isolating coolant of the first fluid guide from the second fluid guide; and   a plurality of channels defined by the first fluid guide and second fluid guide for passing the coolant through the housing.   
     
     
         12 . The heat sink of  claim 11 , further comprising an inlet port for receiving coolant within the housing and an outlet port for passing the coolant out the housing. 
     
     
         13 . The heat sink of  claim 11 , wherein the first fluid guide is a first unitary sheet of folded metal and the second fluid guide is a second unitary sheet of folded metal. 
     
     
         14 . The heat sink of  claim 13 , wherein the plurality of channels are triangular channels. 
     
     
         15 . The heat sink of  claim 13 , wherein the plurality of channels are rectangular channels. 
     
     
         16 . An heat sink for the compact cooling of an array of components comprising:
 a housing;   a first cover plate on a first side of the housing;   a first fluid guide thermally coupled to the first cover plate;   a second cover plate on a second side of the housing opposite the first side;   a second fluid guide thermally coupled to the second cover plate;   a plurality of channels defined by the first fluid guide and second fluid guide for passing coolant through the housing; and   an inlet port for receiving coolant within the housing and an outlet port for passing the coolant out the housing.   
     
     
         17 . The heat sink of  claim 16 , wherein the first fluid guide is a first unitary sheet of folded metal and the second fluid guide is a second unitary sheet of folded metal. 
     
     
         18 . The heat sink of  claim 17 , wherein the plurality of channels are triangular channels. 
     
     
         19 . The heat sink of  claim 17 , wherein the plurality of channels are rectangular channels. 
     
     
         20 . The heat sink of  claim 17 , further comprising a separating plate between the first fluid guide and the second fluid guide for isolating coolant of the first fluid guide from the second fluid guide.