Integrated heat exchange assembly and an associated method thereof

Abstract

A heat exchange assembly for dissipating heat from a hot component of a circuit card is disclosed. The heat exchange assembly includes a support structure having a first support end, a second support end, and a support portion extending between the first support end and the second support end. The support structure further includes a plurality of first projections protruding from a portion of a surface of the support structure, corresponding to the support portion. Further, the heat exchange assembly includes a vapor chamber having a casing and a wick disposed within the casing. The vapor chamber is coupled to a surface of the support structure.

1 . A system comprising:
 a support structure having a first support end, a second support end, a support portion extending between the first support end and the second support end, and a plurality of first projections protruding from a portion of a surface of the support structure, corresponding to the support portion, wherein the support structure is a primary heat sink; and   a vapor chamber having a casing and a wick disposed within the casing, coupled to the surface of the support structure.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the support portion comprises a recess, wherein the vapor chamber is disposed within the recess. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the casing comprises a first projected end portion extending along a first direction, a second projected end portion extending along a second direction opposite to the first direction, and a mid projected portion disposed between the first projected end portion and the second projected end portion. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein each portion from the first projected end portion and the second projected end portion has a first thickness, and the mid projected portion has a second thickness different from the first thickness. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the first projected end portion comprises a first end projection disposed overlapping the first support end and the second projected end portion comprises a second end projection disposed overlapping the second support end. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein first projected end portion comprises a third end projection extending perpendicular from the first end projection and a fourth end projection extending perpendicular from the second end projection and parallel to the third end projection. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , further comprising a first clamping device extending through a first through-hole formed in the first end projection, the third end projection, and the first support end and a second clamping device extending through a second through-hole formed in the second end projection, the fourth end projection, and the second support end. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the third end projection and the fourth end projection are configured to support a hot component of a circuit card. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the first projected end portion further comprises a first extension portion extending from the first end projection, beyond and perpendicular to the first support end and the second projected end portion further comprises a second extension portion extending from the second end projection, beyond and perpendicular to the second support end. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , further comprising a first wedge lock component coupled to the first extension portion and a second wedge lock component coupled to the second extension portion. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , further comprising a secondary heat sink coupled to the support portion of the support structure, the first wedge lock component, and the second wedge lock component via a plurality of wedges. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein each end from the first support end and the second support end comprises a wedge lock recess. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , further comprising a secondary heat sink clamped to the support portion of the support structure and the wedge lock recess via a plurality of wedges. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the casing comprises a plurality of second projections extending from one side to another side of the casing, wherein each second projection has a through-hole. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein each first projection is coupled to the through-hole of the corresponding second projection of the casing. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , further comprising a plurality of spring loaded clamping devices, each spring loaded clamping device is configured to clamp a circuit card to the corresponding first projection among the plurality of first projections. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the casing comprises a first projected end portion extending along a first direction, a second projected end portion extending along a second direction opposite to the first direction, and a mid projected portion disposed between the first projected end portion and the second projected end portion. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein each portion from the first projected end portion and the second projected end portion has a first thickness, and the mid projected portion has a second thickness different from the first thickness, wherein the first projected end portion comprises a first end projection disposed overlapping the first support end and the second projected end portion comprises a second end projection disposed overlapping the second support end. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of spring loaded clamping devices, each spring loaded clamping device is configured to clamp a circuit card to the corresponding first projection among the plurality of first projections. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a first threaded insert disposed within a blind-hole formed in each support end from the first support end and the second support end of the support structure, a second threaded insert disposed within a through-hole formed in each projected end portion from a first projected end portion and a second projected end portion of the casing, and a threaded stud coupled to the first threaded insert and the second threaded insert. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a first threaded insert disposed within a first blind-hole formed in each support end from the first support end and the second support end, a second threaded insert disposed within a second blind-hole formed in each projected end portion from a first projected end portion and a second projected end portion, a first threaded stud coupled to the first threaded insert and the second threaded insert, a third threaded insert disposed within a third blind-hole formed in each support end from the first support end and the second support end, a circuit card having a fourth blind-hole, and a second threaded stud coupled to the third threaded insert and the fourth blind-hole. 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a threaded insert disposed within a first through-hole formed in each projected end portion from a first projected end portion and a second projected end portion of the casing, and   a threaded stud coupled to each projected end portion via the threaded insert, a second through-hole formed in each support end from the first and second support ends, and a blind-hole formed in a circuit card.   
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a threaded insert diposed within a first through-hole formed in each projected end portion from a first projected end portion and a second projected end portion of the casing, and   a hollow threaded screw coupled to each projected end portion via the threaded insert, and a second through-hole formed in each support end from the first and second support ends, and   another threaded screw coupled to a third through-hole formed in a circuit card, to a threaded hollow portion of the hollow threaded screw.   
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of cross-bars, wherein each cross-bar among the plurality of cross bars, comprises a hole for encompassing a corresponding projection among the plurality of first projections. 
     
     
         25 . A method comprising:
 absorbing heat from a hot component by conduction through an evaporator portion of a vapor chamber, wherein the vapor chamber includes a casing and a wick disposed within the casing;   vaporizing a working fluid disposed within the casing, using the absorbed heat, to generate a vaporized working fluid;   transporting the vaporized working fluid from the evaporator portion to a condenser portion of the vapor chamber; and   condensing the vaporized working fluid via the condenser portion by dissipating the absorbed heat along a plurality of directions in the casing, to a support structure; wherein the support structure is a primary heat sink and includes a first support end, a second support end, a support portion extending between the first support end and the second support end, and a plurality of first projections protruding from a portion of a surface of the support structure, corresponding to the support portion; wherein the vapor chamber is coupled to the surface of the support structure.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein condensing the vaporized working fluid comprises dissipating the absorbed heat along the plurality of directions in a first end projection of a first projected end portion disposed extending along a first direction and a second end projection of a second projected end portion disposed extending along a second direction opposite to the first direction of the casing. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein condensing the vaporized working fluid further comprises dissipating the absorbed heat along the plurality of directions in a third end projection disposed extending perpendicular from the first end projection and a fourth end projection disposed extending perpendicular from the second end projection and parallel to the third end projection. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein condensing the vaporized working fluid further comprises dissipating the absorbed heat from the support structure to a secondary heat sink. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein condensing the vaporized working fluid comprises dissipating the absorbed heat along the plurality of directions in the support portion of the vapor chamber. 
     
     
         30 . A system comprising:
 a hot component coupled to a circuit card having a plurality of holes, wherein the hot component and the circuit card are disposed within a housing;   a support structure having a first support end, a second support end, a support portion extending between the first support end and the second support end, and a plurality of first projections protruding from a portion of a surface of the support structure, corresponding to the support portion, wherein the support structure is a primary heat sink;   a vapor chamber having a casing and a wick disposed within the casing, coupled to the surface of the support structure, wherein the vapor chamber is coupled to the hot component via a thermal interface material, wherein the casing comprises a first projected end portion extending along a first direction, a second projected end portion extending along a second direction opposite to the first direction, and a mid projected portion disposed between the first projected end portion and the second projected end portion; and   a plurality of spring loaded clamping devices, each spring loaded clamping device is coupled via a corresponding hole from the plurality of holes to a corresponding first projection from the plurality of first projections so as to clamp the circuit card to the support structure.   
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 30 , wherein the casing comprises a plurality of second projections extending from one side to another side of the casing, wherein each second projection has a through-hole. 
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 31 , wherein each first projection is coupled to the through-hole of the corresponding second projection of the casing.