Re-Entrant Flow Cold Plate

Abstract

A fluid-cooled re-entrant cold plate for thermal management of heat dissipating electronic devices or assemblies. The fluid leaves the cold plate's outer perimeter, fills a sealed cavity between the cold plate outer perimeter and the mating component/assembly, provides direct cooling of the electronic component, then re-enters the cold plate.

1 . A re-entrant cold plate for cooling an electronic component, comprising:
 one or more internal fluid passages;   at least one fluid supply inlet port that is fluidly coupled to the internal fluid passage;   at least one fluid discharge outlet port that is fluidly coupled to the internal fluid passage; and   a well in the cold plate and fluidly coupled to the internal fluid passage, wherein the well is exposed to the external environment.   
     
     
         2 . The re-entrant cold plate of  claim 1 , wherein at least one side of the well is formed by at least one exterior surface of the cold plate. 
     
     
         3 . The re-entrant cold plate of  claim 1 , wherein at least one side of the well is formed by a surface of an electronic component to be cooled. 
     
     
         4 . The re-entrant cold plate of  claim 1 , wherein fluid in the well directly contacts at least one surface of an electronic component to be cooled. 
     
     
         5 . The re-entrant cold plate of  claim 1 , wherein only the well is between the electronic component to be cooled and the cold plate. 
     
     
         6 . The re-entrant cold plate of  claim 1 , wherein the cold plate further comprises a nozzle plate to form fluid jets that issue into the well. 
     
     
         7 . The re-entrant cold plate of  claim 6 , wherein the nozzles are non-uniformly configured, to reduce temperature gradients across the electronic component. 
     
     
         8 . The re-entrant cold plate of  claim 7 , wherein the nozzles are non-uniformly distributed. 
     
     
         9 . The re-entrant cold plate of  claim 7 , wherein the nozzles are non-uniform in size. 
     
     
         10 . The re-entrant cold plate of  claim 6 , wherein the nozzles contain geometric features for enhanced fluid flow. 
     
     
         11 . The re-entrant cold plate of  claim 10 , wherein the geometric features consist of chamfered edges that serve to reduce pressure drop through the nozzles. 
     
     
         12 . The re-entrant cold plate of  claim 1 , further comprising a fluid-tight seal between the cold plate and the electronic component. 
     
     
         13 . The re-entrant cold plate of  claim 12 , wherein the fluid-tight seal comprises an elastomeric O-ring or gasket. 
     
     
         14 . The re-entrant cold plate of  claim 1 , wherein the well is configured with a fluid inlet that is fluidly coupled to a first internal fluid passage and a fluid outlet that is spaced from the fluid inlet and fluidly coupled to a second internal fluid passage. 
     
     
         15 . The re-entrant cold plate of  claim 14 , wherein all of the fluid flowing through the internal fluid passages flows through the well. 
     
     
         16 . The re-entrant cold plate of  claim 14 , wherein only some of the fluid flowing through the internal fluid passages flows through the well. 
     
     
         17 . The re-entrant cold plate of  claim 1 , comprising a plurality of separate external wells in the cold plate. 
     
     
         18 . The re-entrant cold plate of  claim 17 , wherein two of the wells are arranged in series such that fluid flows through one well and then through the second well. 
     
     
         19 . The re-entrant cold plate of  claim 17 , wherein two of the wells are arranged in parallel such that no fluid flows through both wells. 
     
     
         20 . The re-entrant cold plate of  claim 1 , wherein at least one other electronic component is mounted to the cold plate. 
     
     
         21 .- 26 . (canceled)