JP2009075801A - Liquid cooling system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain a compact liquid cooling system which can efficiently perform heat dissipation when a plurality of heating elements which differ in heating values exist. <P>SOLUTION: In the liquid cooling system which includes: a plurality of heat generation sources with different heating values; a plurality of radiator conduits for cooling a refrigerant which receives heat from these heat generation sources; and a common cooling fan which gives cooling wind to the plurality of radiator conduits, the number of high-temperature side radiator conduits in which relative high-temperature coolant which has received heat from a heat generation source of a larger heating value passes, is set more than the number of low-temperature side radiator conduits in which relative low-temperature coolant which has received heat from a heat generation source of a smaller heating value passes, and the radiator conduits of these high-temperature side and the low temperature side are laminated and arranged in the direction crossing the cooling wind conduit by the common cooling fan. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a liquid cooling system for cooling a plurality of heating elements (particularly, a heat generation source of a PC).

Recent notebook personal computers have not only a CPU but also a plurality of heating elements such as a GPU and a chip set, and how to effectively cool the plurality of heating elements is a technical problem. In notebook computers with limited storage space for components, a liquid cooling system that is thin overall and highly unity is required.
JP 2004-87841 A JP 2005-191452 JP JP-A-2005-203660 JP 2005-294519 JP JP 2006-207881 JP 2007-11786

  An object of the present invention is to obtain a small liquid cooling system capable of efficiently radiating heat when there are a plurality of heating elements with different amounts of heat generation.

  The present invention relates to the number of high-temperature side radiator passages through which a relatively high-temperature refrigerant received from a heat source having a larger calorific value passes, and the low-temperature side radiator through which a relatively low-temperature refrigerant received from a heat source having a smaller calorific value passes. It is based on the viewpoint that efficient cooling can be achieved without increasing the size by increasing the number of flow paths and stacking these high-temperature and low-temperature radiator flow paths in a direction crossing the cooling air flow path. It is a thing.

  That is, the present invention provides a plurality of heat generation sources having different calorific values; a plurality of radiator flow paths for cooling the refrigerant received from these heat generation sources; between the plurality of heat generation sources and the plurality of radiator flow paths. In a liquid cooling system including a pump for circulating a refrigerant; and a common cooling fan for supplying cooling air to a plurality of radiator flow paths, a high temperature side through which a relatively high temperature refrigerant received from a heat source having a larger calorific value passes The number of radiator channels is set to be larger than the number of low-temperature side radiator channels through which a relatively low-temperature refrigerant received from a heat source with a smaller calorific value passes, and the high-temperature side and low-temperature side radiator channels are shared. It is characterized by being stacked in a direction crossing the cooling air flow path by the cooling fan.

  The common cooling fan is preferably a sirocco fan that emits cooling air radially with respect to the axis, and the radiator flow paths on the high temperature side and the low temperature side are stacked concentrically with respect to the axis of the sirocco fan. Is good.

  Specifically, the large heat generation amount heat source is, for example, a CPU, and the small heat generation amount heat source is a chip set.

  The high-temperature side and low-temperature side radiator flow paths can be provided in a single radiator unit.

  The radiator unit includes, for example, at least two high-temperature side laminated flow path plates constituting the high-temperature side radiator flow path and at least one low-temperature side laminated flow path board constituting the low-temperature side radiator flow path via a spacer. It can be configured by laminating at intervals.

  When the flat channel shape and / or the channel cross-sectional area of the high temperature side laminated channel plate and the low temperature side laminated channel plate are the same except for the inlet port portion and the outlet port portion, the configuration of the radiator unit is easy. Become. Further, with such a radiator structure, the laminated flow path plates used for a plurality of radiators can be laminated at the same position, and a single cooling fan can be easily arranged with respect to the plurality of radiators.

  In the liquid cooling system of the present invention, the number of the high-temperature side radiator passages through which the relatively high-temperature refrigerant received from the heat generation source having a larger calorific value passes is determined by the relatively low-temperature refrigerant received from the heat generation source having a smaller calorific value. More than the number of low-temperature side radiator passages that pass through, and these high-temperature side and low-temperature side radiator passages are stacked in the direction crossing the cooling air flow passage, so that a plurality of heat generation amounts differing in size from one size to another without increasing in size. The heat source can be efficiently cooled.

  1 to 9 show an embodiment of a liquid cooling system according to the present invention. In this embodiment, a CPU 100 of a notebook PC having a large heat generation amount (for example, about 30 W) and a chip set 200 having a small heat generation amount (for example, about 10 W) are used as two heat sources having different heat generation amounts. Cooling water cooling system. FIG. 1 shows the overall planar flow path structure. A chip set 200, a tank 20 and a piezoelectric pump 30 are arranged on the first flow path plate 10 on the right side of the figure, and the second flow path below. The CPU 100 is disposed on the road plate 40. The first flow path plate 10 and the second flow path plate 40 are coupled to the radiator unit 50, and a sirocco fan (common cooling fan) 60 is disposed in a circular space 61 formed in the radiator unit 50.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 to 7, the radiator unit 50 is positioned around the sirocco fan 60, and includes one layer of the low temperature side radiator flow path 52 (low temperature side laminated flow path plate 57 </ b> L) and two layers of the high temperature side radiator. The flow path 55 (high temperature side laminated flow path plate 57H) is laminated via a spacer 58. The stacking direction is the axial direction of the sirocco fan 60 (the direction orthogonal to the direction of the cooling air from the sirocco fan 60), and a gap S through which the cooling air passes is formed between the stacked flow path plates. A low temperature side inlet port 51 and a low temperature side outlet port 53 are formed at both ends of one layer of the low temperature side radiator flow path 52 (low temperature side laminated flow path plate 57L), and two layers of the high temperature side radiator flow path 55 (high temperature). A high temperature side inlet port 54 and a high temperature side outlet port 56 are formed at both ends of the side laminated flow path plate 57H). The planar shape and the flow path cross-sectional area of the low temperature side radiator flow path 52 and the high temperature side radiator flow path 55 are the same except that the positions of the inlet port 51 and the outlet port 56 and the positions of the outlet port 53 and the inlet port 54 are slightly different. Are the same.

  3 illustrates a state in which the low temperature side laminated flow path plate 57L and the high temperature side laminated flow path plate 57H are overlapped, and FIG. 4 illustrates a single high temperature side laminated flow path plate 57H. Is a drawing of the low temperature side laminated flow path plate 57L alone. In these drawings, the shape of the low temperature side radiator flow path 52 is drawn with a one-dot chain line, and the shape of the high temperature side radiator flow path 55 is drawn with a broken line. The direction of refrigerant flow is indicated by arrows.

  Before describing the details of each element, the entire flow path will be described. The refrigerant that has flowed out from the discharge port 31 of the piezoelectric pump 30 flows through the liquid flow path (heat receiving flow path) 11 of the first flow path plate 10 to form a chip. Heat is taken from the set 200 and enters the low temperature side radiator flow path 52 (low temperature side laminated flow path plate 57L) provided with only one layer from the low temperature side inlet port 51 of the radiator unit 50, and around the sirocco fan 60. It flows in an arc shape and reaches the low temperature side outlet port 53. The refrigerant that has reached the low temperature side outlet port 53 flows through the liquid flow path 41 of the second flow path plate 40 to remove heat from the CPU 100, and from the high temperature side inlet port 54 of the radiator unit 50, two layers are provided. It enters the radiator flow path 55 (high temperature side laminated flow path plate 57H), flows around the sirocco fan 60 in an arc shape, and reaches the high temperature side outlet port 56. The refrigerant reaching the high temperature side outlet port 56 of the two-layer high temperature side radiator flow path 57H joins the liquid flow path 12 of the first flow path plate 10 and enters the tank 20 through the inlet hole 21, and the outlet of the tank 20 The hole 22 passes through the liquid flow path 13 and reaches the suction port 32 of the piezoelectric pump 30.

  Looking at the refrigerant flow path described above, the refrigerant that has exited the piezoelectric pump 30 takes heat from the chip set 200 with a small calorific value through the liquid flow path 11 of the first flow path plate 10, and a one-layer low-temperature side radiator. It flows through the flow path 52 and is cooled by the cooling air from the sirocco fan 60. Next, heat is taken from the CPU 100 having a large amount of heat through the liquid flow path 41 of the second flow path plate 40, flows through the two-layer high-temperature side radiator flow path 55, and is cooled by the cooling air of the sirocco fan 60. To the piezoelectric pump 30. That is, the low-temperature side radiator flow path 52 through which the refrigerant deprived of heat from the chip set 200 with a small calorific value passes is only one stage (one layer), whereas the refrigerant deprived of heat from the CPU 100 with a large calorific value passes through it. Since the high temperature side radiator channel 55 is arranged in two stages (two layers), it is possible to efficiently cool both the CPU 100 having a large calorific value and the chip set 200 having a small calorific value.

  Next, each element will be described in detail. As is apparent from FIG. 8, the first flow path plate 10 is composed of three laminated plates (brazing sheets) 10a, 10b, and 10c. The liquid flow channels 11, 12, and 13 are provided in the middle laminated plate 10b. Through holes 11a, 12a, and 13a to be formed are formed. The tank 20 and the laminated plate 10a on the piezoelectric pump 30 side are formed with communication protrusions 21a, 22a, 31a, 32a that fit into the inlet hole 21, the outlet hole 22, the discharge port 31, and the suction port 32, respectively. Further, the end of the liquid flow path 12 of the first flow path plate 10 on the radiator unit 50 side communicates with the high temperature side outlet port 56 of the two layers of the high temperature side radiator flow path 55 (high temperature side laminated flow path plate 57H). Yes. The spacer 58 is formed with communication holes for making these flow paths (see FIG. 7). The liquid flow path 12 does not communicate with the low temperature side radiator flow path 52.

  As shown in FIG. 8, the piezoelectric pump 30 includes a lower housing 30L and an upper housing 30U in order from the bottom. In the lower housing 30L, a discharge port 31 and a suction port 32 are bored in parallel to each other so as to be orthogonal to the plate thickness plane of the housing. A piezoelectric vibrator (diaphragm) 34 is sandwiched and supported between the lower housing 30L and the upper housing 30U via an O-ring 33, and a pump is interposed between the piezoelectric vibrator 34 and the lower housing 30L. Chamber P is configured. An atmospheric chamber A is formed between the piezoelectric vibrator 34 and the upper housing 30U.

  The piezoelectric vibrator 34 is a unimorph type having a shim 34a at the center and a piezoelectric body 34b formed on the front and back surfaces of the shim 34a (upper surface in FIG. 8). The shim 34a faces the pump chamber P and comes into contact with the refrigerant. The shim 34a is made of a conductive metal thin plate material, for example, a metal thin plate formed of stainless steel having a thickness of about 50 to 300 μm, 42 alloy, or the like. The piezoelectric body 34b is made of, for example, PZT (Pb (Zr, Ti) O3) having a thickness of about 300 μm, and is polarized in the front and back directions. Such a piezoelectric vibrator is well known.

  The discharge port 31 and the suction port 32 of the lower housing 30L are provided with check valves (umbrellas) 35 and 36, respectively. The check valve 35 is a suction-side check valve that allows a fluid flow from the suction port 32 to the pump chamber P and does not allow the reverse fluid flow. The check valve 36 moves from the pump chamber P to the discharge port 31. This is a discharge-side check valve that allows the fluid flow of the fluid but does not permit the reverse fluid flow.

  The check valves 35 and 36 have the same form, and are provided with umbrellas 35b and 36b made of an elastic material on perforated substrates 35a and 36a that are bonded and fixed to the flow path. Such a check valve (umbrella) itself is well known.

  In the piezoelectric pump 30 described above, when the piezoelectric vibrator 34 is elastically deformed (vibrated) in the forward and reverse directions, the suction-side check valve 35 is opened and the discharge-side check valve 36 is closed in the process of expanding the volume of the pump chamber P. Therefore, the refrigerant flows into the pump chamber P from the discharge port 31. On the other hand, in the process of reducing the volume of the pump chamber P, the discharge side check valve 36 is opened and the suction side check valve 35 is closed, so that the refrigerant flows out from the pump chamber P to the discharge port 31. Therefore, the pump action is obtained by elastically deforming (vibrating) the piezoelectric vibrator 34 continuously in the forward and reverse directions.

  As shown in FIG. 9, the second flow path plate 40 is composed of three laminated plates (brazing sheets) 40a, 40b, 40c similar to the first flow path plate 10, and the middle laminated plate 40b A through hole 41 a that forms the flow path 41 is formed. As shown in FIG. 6, one end of the liquid flow path 41 of the second flow path plate 40 is connected to the low temperature side outlet port 53 of the one-layer low temperature side radiator flow path 52 (low temperature side laminated flow path plate 57L). As shown in FIG. 7, the other end communicates with the high temperature side inlet port 54 of the two-layer high temperature side radiator flow path 55 (high temperature side laminated flow path plate 57H). The spacer 58 is formed with communication holes for making these flow paths. As with the chip set 200, the CPU 100 is placed (contacted) on the laminated plate 40a via the heat spreader 201.

  As shown in FIG. 9, the CPU 100 (chip set 200) is placed (contacted) on the laminated plate 10a (40a) of the first flow path plate 10 (second flow path plate 40) via the heat spreader 101 (201). When the refrigerant flows through the liquid flow path 11 (41), the temperature is increased by removing heat from the CPU 100 (chip set 200).

  The low temperature side laminated flow path plate 57L and the high temperature side laminated flow path plate 57H of the radiator unit 50 are each composed of three laminated plates (brazing sheets) 57a, 57b, 57c as shown in FIGS. . The middle laminated plate 57b is formed with through holes 52a and 55a that form the low-temperature side radiator channel 52 and the high-temperature side radiator channel 55. Both ends of the through hole 52a communicate with the low temperature side inlet port 51 and the low temperature side outlet hole 53, and both ends of the through hole 55a communicate with the high temperature side inlet port 54 and the high temperature side outlet port 56. For example, as shown in FIG. 11, the laminated plates 57H and 57L are formed by pressing the laminated plates 57a and 57c to form spacer protrusions 58 ′ at predetermined positions, and abutting the spacer protrusions 58 ′ to cool the air. It is also possible to omit the spacer 58 and the laminated plate 57b by forming the gap S through which.

  Therefore, in the above radiator unit 50, the refrigerant that has flowed through the liquid flow path 11 of the first flow path plate 10 and reached the low temperature side inlet port 51 flows into the low temperature side radiator flow path 52, and passes through the low temperature side outlet port 53. It reaches the liquid flow path 41 of the flow path plate 40. Next, the refrigerant that has flowed through the liquid flow path 41 and reaches the high temperature side inlet port 54 of the two-stage high-temperature side radiator flow path 55 is divided into the two-stage high-temperature side radiator flow path 55 and then flows into the high-temperature side radiator flow path 55. The side outlet port 56 joins the liquid flow path 12 of the first flow path plate 10.

  Next, using the liquid cooling system according to the present invention, the actual cooling capacity when the heat generation amount of the chip set 200 is 10 W (constant) and the heat generation amount of the CPU 100 is different from 15 W, 20 W, 25 W, and 30 W is an experimental result. Will be explained. In the experiment, the surface temperature S1 and S2 of the CPU 100 and the chip set 200 are measured by a thermocouple, and the first flow path plate 10 and the second flow path plate forming the liquid flow paths 11, 41, 12 in the order of the refrigerant flow. 40, temperatures T1, T2, T3 and T4 are measured, and air temperatures A1 and A2 at the outlet of the sirocco fan 60 are measured. These measurement points are represented on FIG. Specifically, T1 is immediately after exiting the chipset 200, T2 is immediately before entering the CPU 100 (immediately after exiting the low temperature side laminated flow path plate 57L), T3 is immediately after exiting the CPU 100, and T4 is the two-stage high temperature side. This is the temperature immediately after exiting the laminated flow path plate 57H.

Table 1 shows the measurement results (measurement temperature unit; ° C). FIG. 10 is a graph of the above experimental results.
(Table 1)
Experiment 1 Experiment 2 Experiment 3 Experiment 4
Low temperature-High temperature 10W-15W 10W-20W 10W-25W 10W-30W
Outside temperature 26.3 25.7 27.2 26.3
S2 35.7 42.9 50.8 50.1
T1 39.4 41.6 47.6 50.3
T2 40.0 43.3 49.0 52.1
S1 51.1 52.2 65.6 69.6
T3 42.2 45.1 51.4 54.6
T4 40.3 43.0 49.1 52.0
A1 31.6 34.6 39.0 40.3
A2 33.0 28.4 29.7 31.4

  From this experiment, according to the apparatus embodying the liquid cooling system of the present invention, even if the heat generation amount of the chip set 200 is 10 W and the heat generation amount of the CPU 100 varies from about 15 W to about 30 W, the temperature of the CPU 100 that is likely to become the highest temperature. It was found that can be maintained at about 70 ° C.

  In the above embodiment, since the planar shape and the cross-sectional area of the low-temperature side radiator flow path 52 and the high-temperature side radiator flow path 55 are substantially the same, the formation of the radiator unit 50 is easy. It may be different.

  In the above embodiment, the CPU 100 and the chip set 200 are exemplified as the heat sources. However, the present invention can be used as a cooling system for a plurality of general heat sources having different heat generation amounts. When there are three or more heat sources, the number of the high-temperature side radiator passages through which the relatively high-temperature refrigerant received from the heat source having a larger heat generation amount passes the relatively low temperature received from the heat source having the smaller heat generation amount. More than the number of low-temperature side radiator channels through which the refrigerant passes, these plurality of radiator channels may be stacked in a direction crossing the cooling air channel by the common cooling fan. The piezoelectric pump 30 is advantageous for this type of application because the flow rate drop due to pressure loss is small, but does not prevent other pumps from being used.

It is a top view which shows one Embodiment of the liquid cooling system by this invention. FIG. 2 is a front view taken along arrow II in FIG. 1. It is a top view of a radiator unit simple substance. FIG. 4 is a plan view of a chipset laminated flow path plate (radiator) in the radiator unit of FIG. 3. FIG. 4 is a plan view of a CPU laminated flow path plate (radiator) in the radiator unit of FIG. 3. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VI-VI in FIG. 1 and includes a cross section taken along line VI-VI in FIGS. 3 and 5. It is sectional drawing which follows the VII-VII line of FIG. 1, and includes the cross section which follows the VI-VI line of FIG. 3, FIG. It is sectional drawing which follows the VIII-VIII line of FIG. It is sectional drawing which follows the IX-IX line of FIG. It is the graph which investigated the cooling capacity of the liquid cooling system by this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows the other example of the laminated flow board used for the radiator unit of the liquid cooling system by this invention.

Explanation of symbols

100 CPU (large heat generation heat source)
200 chipsets (small heat generation heat source)
101 201 Heat spreader 10 First flow path plate 10a 10b 10c Laminate plate 11 12 13 Liquid flow path 20 Tank 21 Inlet hole 22 Outlet hole 30 Piezoelectric pump 31 Discharge port 32 Suction port 34 Piezoelectric vibrator 35 Suction side check valve 36 Discharge side reverse valve Stop valve 40 Second flow path plate 40a 40b 40c Laminate plate 41 Liquid flow path 50 Radiator unit 51 Low temperature side inlet port 52 Low temperature side radiator flow path 53 Low temperature side outlet port 54 High temperature side inlet port 55 High temperature side radiator flow path 56 High temperature side Outlet port 57L Low temperature side laminated channel plate 57H High temperature side laminated channel plate 57a 57b 57c Laminated plate 58 Spacer 60 Sirocco fan (common cooling fan)

Claims (7)

Multiple heat sources with different calorific values;
A plurality of radiator passages for cooling the refrigerant received from these heat sources;
A liquid cooling system comprising: a pump that circulates a refrigerant between the plurality of heat generation sources and the plurality of radiator channels; and a common cooling fan that supplies cooling air to the plurality of radiator channels.
The number of high-temperature side radiator passages through which a relatively high-temperature refrigerant received from a heat source having a larger calorific value passes, and the number of low-temperature side radiator passages through which a relatively low-temperature refrigerant received from a heat source having a smaller calorific value passes. Set more,
The liquid cooling system is characterized in that the high-temperature side and low-temperature side radiator flow paths are stacked in a direction crossing the cooling air flow path by the common cooling fan. 2. The liquid cooling system according to claim 1, wherein the common cooling fan is a sirocco fan, and the high-temperature side and low-temperature side radiator flow paths are concentrically stacked with respect to the sirocco fan. 3. The liquid cooling system according to claim 1, wherein the large heat generation amount heat source is a CPU, and the small heat generation amount heat source is a chip set. 4. The liquid cooling system according to claim 1, wherein the high-temperature side and low-temperature side radiator flow paths are provided in a single radiator unit. 5. 5. The liquid cooling system according to claim 4, wherein the radiator unit includes at least two high-temperature side laminated flow path plates constituting a high-temperature side radiator flow path and at least one low-temperature side laminated line constituting a low-temperature side radiator flow path. A liquid cooling system in which a flow path plate is laminated with a gap through a spacer. 6. The liquid cooling system according to claim 5, wherein the planar flow channel shapes of the high temperature side laminated flow channel plate and the low temperature side laminated flow channel plate are the same except for the inlet port portion and the outlet port portion. 7. The liquid cooling system according to claim 5, wherein the flow path cross-sectional areas of the high temperature side laminated flow path plate and the low temperature side laminated flow path plate are the same except for the inlet port portion and the outlet port portion.

Images