Wickless capillary driven constrained vapor bubble heat pipes for application in rack servers
10917994 ยท 2021-02-09
Assignee
Inventors
- Sumita Basu (Portland, OR, US)
- Shantanu D. Kulkarni (Hillsboro, OR, US)
- Prosenjit Ghosh (Portland, OR, US)
- Konstantin I. Kouliachev (Olympia, WA, US)
Cpc classification
F28F13/16
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F28C3/08
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F28D2015/0225
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
H05K1/185
ELECTRICITY
G06F1/1601
PHYSICS
G02B6/0085
PHYSICS
H05K7/20809
ELECTRICITY
F28F2215/06
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
H01L23/5389
ELECTRICITY
F28D15/0266
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
H05K3/0044
ELECTRICITY
H05K3/0017
ELECTRICITY
F28D15/046
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F28D15/025
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F28D15/0283
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
H05K1/0272
ELECTRICITY
F28D2021/0029
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F28D15/0275
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
H01L21/4846
ELECTRICITY
International classification
H05K7/20
ELECTRICITY
F28C3/08
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
H01L21/48
ELECTRICITY
H01L23/538
ELECTRICITY
F28D15/02
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
H05K1/18
ELECTRICITY
H05K3/00
ELECTRICITY
F28D15/04
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
Abstract
A system and method for providing and using wickless capillary driven constrained vapor bubble heat pipes for application in rack servers are disclosed. An example embodiment includes: a base structure; and a rack column supported by the base structure, the rack column in thermal coupling with a heat-generating device, the rack column containing a constrained vapor bubble (CVB) cell cluster including a plurality of cells in thermal coupling with the heat-generating device at a first end in an evaporator region and in thermal coupling with the base structure at a second end in a condenser region, each cell of the plurality of cells having a wickless capillary driven CVB heat pipe embedded in the cell, each wickless capillary driven CVB heat pipe including a body having a capillary therein with generally square corners and a high energy interior surface, and a highly wettable liquid partially filling the capillary to dissipate heat between the evaporator region and the condenser region.
Claims
1. A rack comprising: a base; and a rack column supported by the base, the rack column to thermally couple with a heat-generating device, the rack column containing a constrained vapor bubble (CVB) cell cluster including a plurality of cells to thermally couple with the heat-generating device at a first end and to thermally couple with the base at a second end, one or more of the cells of the plurality of cells having a wickless capillary driven CVB heat pipe embedded in the cell, one or more of the wickless capillary driven CVB heat pipes including a capillary having a longitudinal axis and a cross-sectional shape orthogonal to the longitudinal axis, the cross-sectional shape including: a first square corner at an intersection of a first straight edge and a second straight edge, a first curved wall, the first straight edge coupled directly to the first curved wall, a second curved wall, the second straight edge coupled directly to the second curved wall, a second square corner at an intersection of a third straight edge and a fourth straight edge, the third straight edge coupled directly to the second curved wall, the second straight edge and the third straight edge aligned such that a first line segment would include and connect the second straight edge and the third straight edge, the second curved wall bowing outward between the second straight edge and the third straight edge on a side of the first line segment opposite a center of the capillary, a third curved wall, the fourth straight edge coupled directly to the third curved wall, a third square corner formed at an intersection of a fifth straight edge and a sixth straight edge, the fifth straight edge coupled directly to the third curved wall, the fourth straight edge and the fifth straight edge aligned such that a second line segment would include and connect the fourth straight edge and the fifth straight edge, the third curved wall bowing outward between the fourth straight edge and the fifth straight edge on a side of the second line segment opposite the center of the capillary, a fourth curved wall, the sixth straight edge coupled directly to the fourth curved wall, and a fourth square corner formed at an intersection of a seventh straight edge and an eighth straight edge, the seventh straight edge coupled directly to the fourth curved wall, the sixth straight edge and the seventh straight edge aligned such that a third line segment would include and connect the sixth straight edge and the seventh straight edge, the fourth curved wall bowing outward between the sixth straight edge and the seventh straight edge on a side of the third line segment opposite the center of the capillary, the eighth straight edge coupled directly to the first curved wall, the eighth straight edge and the first straight edge aligned such that a fourth line segment would include and connect the eighth straight edge and the first straight edge, the first curved wall bowing outward between the eighth straight edge and the first straight edge on a side of the fourth line segment opposite the center of the capillary.
2. The rack of claim 1, wherein the one or more of the plurality of cells is fabricated from a thermally conductive material.
3. The rack of claim 1, wherein the base includes a cooling fluid reservoir to fill the capillary of the one or more of the embedded wickless capillary driven CVB heat pipes with a wettable liquid.
4. The rack of claim 1, wherein the base includes a cold plate.
5. The rack of claim 1, wherein the one or more of the plurality of cells has a cross-sectional shape that includes a geometry with a closed internal cavity.
6. The rack of claim 1, wherein the one or more of the plurality of cells has a cross-sectional shape that is a polygonal shape.
7. A system comprising: a base; a heat-generating device in thermal coupling with the base; and a rack column coupled to the base, the rack column including a constrained vapor bubble (CVB) cell cluster including a plurality of cells in thermal coupling with the heat-generating device and in thermal coupling with the base, one or more of the cells of the plurality of cells having a wickless capillary driven CVB heat pipe embedded in the cell, one or more of the wickless capillary driven CVB heat pipes including a capillary having a longitudinal axis and a cross-sectional shape orthogonal to the longitudinal axis, the cross-sectional shape including: a first square corner formed at an intersection of a first straight edge and a second straight edge, a first curved wall, the first straight edge coupled directly to the first curved wall, a second curved wall, the second straight edge coupled directly to the second curved wall, a second square corner formed at an intersection of a third straight edge and a fourth straight edge, the third straight edge coupled directly to the second curved wall, the second straight edge and the third straight edge aligned such that a first line segment would include and connect the second straight edge and the third straight edge, the second curved wall bowing outward between the second straight edge and the third straight edge on a side of the first line segment opposite a center of the capillary, a third curved wall, the fourth straight edge coupled directly to the third curved wall, a third square corner formed at an intersection of a fifth straight edge and a sixth straight edge, the fifth straight edge coupled directly to the third curved wall, the fourth straight edge and the fifth straight edge aligned such that a second line segment would include and connect the fourth straight edge and the fifth straight edge, the third curved wall bowing outward between the fourth straight edge and the fifth straight edge on a side of the second line segment opposite the center of the capillary, a fourth curved wall, the sixth straight edge coupled directly to the fourth curved wall, and a fourth square corner formed at an intersection of a seventh straight edge and an eighth straight edge, the seventh straight edge coupled directly to the fourth curved wall, the sixth straight edge and the seventh straight edge aligned such that a third line segment would include and connect the sixth straight edge and the seventh straight edge, the fourth curved wall bowing outward between the sixth straight edge and the seventh straight edge on a side of the third line segment opposite the center of the capillary, the eighth straight edge coupled directly to the first curved wall, the eighth straight edge and the first straight edge aligned such that a fourth line segment would include and connect the eighth straight edge and the first straight edge, the first curved wall bowing outward between the eighth straight edge and the first straight edge on a side of the fourth line segment opposite the center of the capillary.
8. The system of claim 7, wherein the base includes a cold plate.
9. A method comprising: fabricating a base from a material with heat conductive properties; fabricating a rack column containing a constrained vapor bubble (CVB) cell cluster, the CVB cell cluster including a plurality of cells, one or more of the plurality of cells having a wickless capillary driven CVB heat pipe embedded in the cell, one or more of the wickless capillary driven CVB heat pipes including a capillary having a longitudinal axis and a cross-sectional shape orthogonal to the longitudinal axis, the cross-sectional shape including: a first square corner formed at an intersection of a first straight edge and a second straight edge, a first curved wall, the first straight edge coupled directly to the first curved wall, a second curved wall, the second straight edge coupled directly to the second curved wall, a second square corner formed at an intersection of a third straight edge and a fourth straight edge, the third straight edge coupled directly to the second curved wall, the second straight edge and the third straight edge aligned such that a first line segment would include and connect the second straight edge and the third straight edge, the second curved wall bowing outward between the second straight edge and the third straight edge on a side of the first line segment opposite a center of the capillary, a third curved wall, the fourth straight edge coupled directly to the third curved wall, a third square corner formed at an intersection of a fifth straight edge and a sixth straight edge, the fifth straight edge coupled directly to the third curved wall, the fourth straight edge and the fifth straight edge aligned such that a second line segment would include and connect the fourth straight edge and the fifth straight edge, the third curved wall bowing outward between the fourth straight edge and the fifth straight edge on a side of the second line segment opposite the center of the capillary, a fourth curved wall, the sixth straight edge coupled directly to the fourth curved wall, and a fourth square corner formed at an intersection of a seventh straight edge and an eighth straight edge, the seventh straight edge coupled directly to the fourth curved wall, the sixth straight edge and the seventh straight edge aligned such that a third line segment would include and connect the sixth straight edge and the seventh straight edge, the fourth curved wall bowing outward between the sixth straight edge and the seventh straight edge on a side of the third line segment opposite the center of the capillary, the eighth straight edge coupled directly to the first curved wall, the eighth straight edge and the first straight edge aligned such that a fourth line segment would include and connect the eighth straight edge and the first straight edge, the first curved wall bowing outward between the eighth straight edge and the first straight edge on a side of the fourth line segment opposite the center of the capillary; supporting a heat-generating device with the rack column at a first end in an evaporator region, the heat-generating device in thermal communication with the first end of the rack column; and supporting the rack column with the base at a second end in a condenser region to enable thermal transfer between the heat-generating device and the base via the rack column.
10. The method of claim 9, further including fabricating the one or more of the plurality of cells from a thermally conductive material.
11. The method of claim 9, further including fabricating the base with a cooling fluid reservoir to fill the capillary of the one or more embedded wickless capillary driven CVB heat pipe with the wettable liquid.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
(1) The various embodiments are illustrated by way of example, and not by way of limitation, in the figures of the accompanying drawings in which:
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION
(27) In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the various embodiments. It will be evident, however, to one of ordinary skill in the art that the various embodiments may be practiced without these specific details.
(28) In the various embodiments described herein, a system and method for providing and using a wickless capillary driven constrained vapor bubble (CVB) heat pipe are disclosed.
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(31) The table below provides a comparison between wicked and wickless heat pipes.
(32) TABLE-US-00001 Wick-type heat pipes Wickless (CVB) heat pipes Manufacturing The fabrication consists of added These are much simpler to steps and complexity due to the fabricate as there are no wick varied nature of the wicks and structures to insert or adhere to inserts needed to keep them in place the walls of the heat pipe. (adhered to the wall of the pipe). Performance The performance can be better than Performance could be hindered the wickless type as it can avoid dry on high heat loads if capillary out for longer heat loads with aided pumping head drops off (too capillary flow to the heated end. The long of a bubble). The size of combination of the wick structure the Constrained Vapor Bubble and material would determine would drive the performance performance. and when compared to a similar sized wick type pipe, the ease of manufacturability and longevity of this type of heat pipe wins. Simplicity Wick structure and material of the Lack of a material wick makes wick can be complex and tough to this simpler and lighter to use. maintain. Wicks add to cost of the Also, less expensive to build. device. Challenges Longevity of wicks is a challenge, Long dry-out lengths at high cost incurred due to addition of a heat loads for large bubble wick is another challenge. PCB sizes creates challenges. manufacturers do not have a Maintaining symmetry of standard process for inserting the capillary flow in a horizontal wicks. Nucleate boiling within wick direction on Earth could be an structure creates problems. issue.
(33) The tables below and the logarithmic scale shown in
(34) TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 1 Working fluids and temperature ranges of heat pipes Melting Boiling Useful Working Point, Point, Range, Fluid K at 1 atm K at 1 atm K Helium 1.0 4.21 2-4 Hydrogen 13.8 20.38 14-31 Neon 24.4 27.09 27-37 Nitrogen 63.1 77.35 70-103 Argon 83.9 87.29 84-116 Oxygen 54.7 90.18 73-119 Methane 90.6 111.4 91-150 Krypton 115.3 119.7 116-160 Ethane 89.9 184.6 150-240 Freon 22 113.1 232.2 193-297 Ammonia 195.5 239.9 213-373 Freon 21 138.1 282.0 233-360 Freon 11 162.1 296.8 233-393 Pentane 143.1 309.2 253-393 Freon 113 236.5 320.8 263-373 Acetone 180.0 329.4 273-393 Methanol 175.1 337.8 283-403 Flutec PP2 223.1 349.1 283-433 Ethanol 158.7 351.5 273-403 Heptane 182.5 371.5 273-423 Water 273.1 373.1 303-550 Tolueue 178.1 383.7 323-473 Flutec PP9 203.1 433.1 273-498 Naphthalene 353.4 490 408-623 Dowtherm 285.1 527.0 423-668 Mercury 234.2 630.1 523-923 Sulphur 385.9 717.8 530-947 Cesium 301.6 943.0 723-1173 Rubidium 312.7 959.2 800-1275 Potassium 336.4 1032 773-1273 Sodium 371.0 1151 873-1473 Lithium 453.7 1615 1273-2073 Calcium 1112 1762 1400-2100 Lead 600.6 2013 1670-2200 Indium 429.7 2353 2000-3000 Silver 1234 2485 2073-2573
(35) TABLE-US-00003 TABLE 2 Generalized results of experimental compatibility tests Working Compatible Incompatible Fluid Material Material Water Stainless Steel.sup.a, Aluminum, Copper, Silica, Inconel Nickel, Titanium Ammonia Aluminum, Stainless Steel, Cold Rolled Steel, Iron, Nickel Methanol Stainless Steel, Iron, Aluminum Copper, Brass, Silica, Nickel Acetone Aluminum, Stainless Steel, Copper, Brass, Silica Freon-11 Aluminum Freon-21 Aluminum, Iron Freon-113 Aluminum Heptane Aluminum Dowtherm Stainless Steel, Copper, Silica Lithium Tungsten, Tantalum, Stainless Steel, Molybdenum, Nickel, Inconel, Niobium Titanium Sodium Stainless Steel, Titanium Nickel, Inconel, Niobium Cesium Titanium, Niobium, Stainless Steel, Nickel-based superalloys Mercury Stainless Steel.sup.b Molybdenum, Nickel, Tantalum, Inconel, Titanium, Niobium Lead Tungsten, Tantalum Stainless Steel, Nickel, Inconel, Titanium, Niobium Silver Tungsten, Tantalum Rhenium .sup.aSensitive to cleaning; .sup.bwith Austenitic SS
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(37) The wickless CVB heat pipe of various example embodiments is designed with regard to several important parameters as listed below: Gravity impact Fin effectiveness Dry out lengths Dimensions and shapes Heat transfer rates Liquid vapor interface Surface tension Wettability
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(51) As described above, the wickless CVB heat pipes of the various embodiments can be formed in a variety of shapes and configurations and fabricated in a variety of ways to accommodate a variety of different applications. Some of these applications for various example embodiments are described in more detail below.
(52) Application in Rack Servers
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(54) Referring to
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(56) The various embodiments of a heat transfer mechanism described herein serve to reduce or dissipate the excess heat generated by the compute nodes 3210 in the rack servers, thereby enabling the compute nodes 3210 to perform at a higher level of functionality and performance. An example embodiment of a heat transfer mechanism 3200 supporting a compute node 3210 is shown in
(57) In the example embodiments illustrated in
(58) Referring now to
(59) Embodiments described herein are applicable for use with all types of semiconductor integrated circuit (IC) chips. Examples of these IC chips include but are not limited to processors, controllers, chipset components, programmable logic arrays (PLAs), memory chips, network chips, systems on chip (SoCs), SSD/NAND controller ASICs, and the like. In addition, in some of the drawings, signal conductor lines are represented with lines. Any represented signal lines, whether or not having additional information, may actually comprise one or more signals that may travel in multiple directions and may be implemented with any suitable type of signal scheme, e.g., digital or analog lines implemented with differential pairs, optical fiber lines, and/or single-ended lines.
(60) Example sizes/models/values/ranges may have been given, although embodiments are not limited to the same. As manufacturing techniques (e.g., photolithography) mature over time, it is expected that devices of smaller size can be manufactured. In addition, well-known power/ground connections to integrated circuit (IC) chips and other components may or may not be shown within the figures, for simplicity of illustration and discussion, and so as not to obscure certain aspects of the embodiments. Further, arrangements may be shown in block diagram form in order to avoid obscuring embodiments, and also in view of the fact that specifics with respect to implementation of such block diagram arrangements are highly dependent upon the system platform within which the embodiment is to be implemented, i.e., such specifics should be well within purview of one of ordinary skill in the art. Where specific details (e.g., circuits) are set forth in order to describe example embodiments, it should be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that embodiments can be practiced without, or with variation of, these specific details. The description is thus to be regarded as illustrative instead of limiting.
(61) The term coupled may be used herein to refer to any type of relationship, direct or indirect, between the components in question, and may apply to electrical, mechanical, fluid, optical, electromagnetic, electromechanical or other connections. In addition, the terms first, second, etc. may be used herein only to facilitate discussion, and carry no particular temporal or chronological significance unless otherwise indicated.
(62) Included herein is a set of process or logic flows representative of example methodologies for performing novel aspects of the disclosed architecture. While, for purposes of simplicity of explanation, the one or more methodologies shown herein are shown and described as a series of acts, those of ordinary skill in the art will understand and appreciate that the methodologies are not limited by the order of acts. Some acts may, in accordance therewith, occur in a different order and/or concurrently with other acts from those shown and described herein. For example, those of ordinary skill in the art will understand and appreciate that a methodology can alternatively be represented as a series of interrelated states or events, such as in a state diagram. Moreover, not all acts illustrated in a methodology may be required for a novel implementation. A logic flow may be implemented in software, firmware, and/or hardware. In software and firmware embodiments, a logic flow may be implemented by computer executable instructions stored on at least one non-transitory computer readable medium or machine readable medium, such as an optical, magnetic or semiconductor storage. The example embodiments disclosed herein are not limited in this respect.
(63) The various elements of the example embodiments as previously described with reference to the figures may include or be used with various hardware elements, software elements, or a combination of both. Examples of hardware elements may include devices, logic devices, components, processors, microprocessors, circuits, processors, circuit elements (e.g., transistors, resistors, capacitors, inductors, and so forth), integrated circuits, application specific integrated circuits (ASIC), programmable logic devices (PLD), digital signal processors (DSP), field programmable gate array (FPGA), memory units, logic gates, registers, semiconductor device, chips, microchips, chip sets, and so forth. Examples of software elements may include software components, programs, applications, computer programs, application programs, system programs, software development programs, machine programs, operating system software, middleware, firmware, software modules, routines, subroutines, functions, methods, procedures, software interfaces, application program interfaces (API), instruction sets, computing code, computer code, code segments, computer code segments, words, values, symbols, or any combination thereof. However, determining whether an embodiment is implemented using hardware elements and/or software elements may vary in accordance with any number of factors, such as desired computational rate, power levels, heat tolerances, processing cycle budget, input data rates, output data rates, memory resources, data bus speeds and other design or performance constraints, as desired for a given implementation.
(64) The example embodiments described herein provide a technical solution to a technical problem. The various embodiments improve the functioning of the electronic device and a related system by enabling the fabrication and use of systems and methods for providing and using a wickless capillary driven constrained vapor bubble heat pipe to dissipate heat. The various embodiments also serve to transform the state of various system components based on better thermal dissipation characteristics of the electronic devices and systems. Additionally, the various embodiments effect an improvement in a variety of technical fields including the fields of thermal management, electronic systems and device fabrication and use, circuit board fabrication, semiconductor device fabrication and use, computing and networking devices, and mobile communication devices.
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(66) The example mobile computing and/or communication system 700 includes a data processor 702 (e.g., a System-on-a-Chip [SoC], general processing core, graphics core, and optionally other processing logic) and a memory 704, which can communicate with each other via a bus or other data transfer system 706. The mobile computing and/or communication system 700 may further include various input/output (I/O) devices and/or interfaces 710, such as a touchscreen display and optionally a network interface 712. In an example embodiment, the network interface 712 can include one or more radio transceivers configured for compatibility with any one or more standard wireless and/or cellular protocols or access technologies (e.g., 2nd (2G), 2.5, 3rd (3G), 4th (4G) generation, and future generation radio access for cellular systems, Global System for Mobile communication (GSM), General Packet Radio Services (GPRS), Enhanced Data GSM Environment (EDGE), Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA), LTE, CDMA2000, WLAN, Wireless Router (WR) mesh, and the like). Network interface 712 may also be configured for use with various other wired and/or wireless communication protocols, including TCP/IP, UDP, SIP, SMS, RTP, WAP, CDMA, TDMA, UMTS, UWB, WiFi, WiMax, Bluetooth, IEEE 802.11x, and the like. In essence, network interface 712 may include or support virtually any wired and/or wireless communication mechanisms by which information may travel between the mobile computing and/or communication system 700 and another computing or communication system via network 714.
(67) The memory 704 can represent a machine-readable medium on which is stored one or more sets of instructions, software, firmware, or other processing logic (e.g., logic 708) embodying any one or more of the methodologies or functions described and/or claimed herein. The logic 708, or a portion thereof, may also reside, completely or at least partially within the processor 702 during execution thereof by the mobile computing and/or communication system 700. As such, the memory 704 and the processor 702 may also constitute machine-readable media. The logic 708, or a portion thereof, may also be configured as processing logic or logic, at least a portion of which is partially implemented in hardware. The logic 708, or a portion thereof, may further be transmitted or received over a network 714 via the network interface 712. While the machine-readable medium of an example embodiment can be a single medium, the term machine-readable medium should be taken to include a single non-transitory medium or multiple non-transitory media (e.g., a centralized or distributed database, and/or associated caches and computing systems) that store the one or more sets of instructions. The term machine-readable medium can also be taken to include any non-transitory medium that is capable of storing, encoding or carrying a set of instructions for execution by the machine and that cause the machine to perform any one or more of the methodologies of the various embodiments, or that is capable of storing, encoding or carrying data structures utilized by or associated with such a set of instructions. The term machine-readable medium can accordingly be taken to include, but not be limited to, solid-state memories, optical media, and magnetic media.
(68) With general reference to notations and nomenclature used herein, the description presented herein may be disclosed in terms of program procedures executed on a computer or a network of computers. These procedural descriptions and representations may be used by those of ordinary skill in the art to convey their work to others of ordinary skill in the art.
(69) A procedure is generally conceived to be a self-consistent sequence of operations performed on electrical, magnetic, or optical signals capable of being stored, transferred, combined, compared, and otherwise manipulated. These signals may be referred to as bits, values, elements, symbols, characters, terms, numbers, or the like. It should be noted, however, that all of these and similar terms are to be associated with the appropriate physical quantities and are merely convenient labels applied to those quantities. Further, the manipulations performed are often referred to in terms such as adding or comparing, which operations may be executed by one or more machines. Useful machines for performing operations of various embodiments may include general-purpose digital computers or similar devices. Various embodiments also relate to apparatus or systems for performing these operations. This apparatus may be specially constructed for a purpose, or it may include a general-purpose computer as selectively activated or reconfigured by a computer program stored in the computer. The procedures presented herein are not inherently related to a particular computer or other apparatus. Various general-purpose machines may be used with programs written in accordance with teachings herein, or it may prove convenient to construct more specialized apparatus to perform methods described herein.
(70) Various example embodiments using these new techniques are described in more detail herein. In various embodiments as described herein, example embodiments include at least the following examples.
(71) A rack structure comprising: a base structure; and a rack column supported by the base structure, the rack column in thermal coupling with a heat-generating device, the rack column containing a constrained vapor bubble (CVB) cell cluster including a plurality of cells in thermal coupling with the heat-generating device at a first end in an evaporator region and in thermal coupling with the base structure at a second end in a condenser region, each cell of the plurality of cells having a wickless capillary driven CVB heat pipe embedded in the cell, each wickless capillary driven CVB heat pipe including a body having a capillary therein with generally square corners and a high energy interior surface, and a highly wettable liquid partially filling the capillary to dissipate heat between the evaporator region and the condenser region.
(72) The rack structure as described above wherein each cell of the plurality of cells is of a cross-sectional shape from the group consisting of: rectangular, square, triangular, round, curved, oval, a polygonal shape, a polygonal shape with beveled corners, and a geometry with a closed internal cavity.
(73) The rack structure as described above wherein each cell of the plurality of cells is fabricated from a thermally conductive material.
(74) The rack structure as described above wherein the base structure includes a cooling fluid reservoir for filling the capillary of each embedded wickless capillary driven constrained vapor bubble heat pipe with the highly wettable liquid.
(75) A heat transfer apparatus comprising: a base element; and a constrained vapor bubble (CVB) cell cluster including a plurality of cells in thermal coupling with a compute node at a first end in an evaporator region and in thermal coupling with the base element at a second end in a condenser region, each cell of the plurality of cells having a wickless capillary driven CVB heat pipe embedded in the cell, each wickless capillary driven CVB heat pipe including a body having a capillary therein with generally square corners and a high energy interior surface, and a highly wettable liquid partially filling the capillary to dissipate heat between the evaporator region and the condenser region.
(76) The heat transfer apparatus as described above wherein each cell of the plurality of cells is of a cross-sectional shape from the group consisting of: rectangular, square, triangular, round, curved, oval, a polygonal shape, a polygonal shape with beveled corners, and a geometry with a closed internal cavity.
(77) The heat transfer apparatus as described above wherein each cell of the plurality of cells is fabricated from a thermally conductive material.
(78) The heat transfer apparatus as described above wherein each cell of the plurality of cells is in direct thermal contact with at least one component of the compute node.
(79) The heat transfer apparatus as described above wherein the base element is a heat exchanger or a cold plate.
(80) A system comprising: a base structure; a rack column supported by the base structure, the rack column containing a constrained vapor bubble (CVB) cell cluster including a plurality of cells in thermal coupling with the heat-generating device at a first end in an evaporator region and in thermal coupling with the base structure at a second end in a condenser region, each cell of the plurality of cells having a wickless capillary driven CVB heat pipe embedded in the cell, each wickless capillary driven CVB heat pipe including a body having a capillary therein with generally square corners and a high energy interior surface, and a highly wettable liquid partially filling the capillary to dissipate heat between the evaporator region and the condenser region; and a heat-generating device placed in thermal coupling with the base structure.
(81) The system as described above wherein each cell of the plurality of cells is of a cross-sectional shape from the group consisting of: rectangular, square, triangular, round, curved, oval, a polygonal shape, a polygonal shape with beveled corners, and a geometry with a closed internal cavity.
(82) The system as described above wherein each cell of the plurality of cells is fabricated from a thermally conductive material.
(83) The system as described above wherein the base structure includes a cooling fluid reservoir for filling the capillary of each embedded wickless capillary driven constrained vapor bubble heat pipe with the highly wettable liquid.
(84) A method comprising: fabricating a base structure from a material with highly heat conductive properties; fabricating a rack column containing a constrained vapor bubble (CVB) cell cluster including a plurality of cells, each cell of the plurality of cells having a wickless capillary driven CVB heat pipe embedded in the cell, each wickless capillary driven CVB heat pipe including a body having a capillary therein with generally square corners and a high energy interior surface, and a highly wettable liquid partially filling the capillary to dissipate heat between an evaporator region and a condenser region; supporting a heat-generating device with the rack column at a first end in the evaporator region wherein the heat-generating device is in thermal contact with the first end of the rack column; and using the base structure to support the rack column at a second end in the condenser region to enable thermal transfer between the heat-generating device and the base structure via the rack column.
(85) The method as described above wherein cell of the plurality of cells is of a cross-sectional shape from the group consisting of: rectangular, square, triangular, round, curved, oval, a polygonal shape, a polygonal shape with beveled corners, and a geometry with a closed internal cavity.
(86) The method as described above wherein each cell of the plurality of cells is fabricated from a thermally conductive material.
(87) The method as described above including fabricating the base structure with a cooling fluid reservoir for filling the capillary of each embedded wickless capillary driven constrained vapor bubble heat pipe with the highly wettable liquid.
(88) A method comprising: fabricating a base element from a material with highly heat conductive properties; fabricating a constrained vapor bubble (CVB) cell cluster including a plurality of cells, each cell of the plurality of cells having a wickless capillary driven CVB heat pipe embedded in the cell, each wickless capillary driven CVB heat pipe including a body having a capillary therein with generally square corners and a high energy interior surface, and a highly wettable liquid partially filling the capillary to dissipate heat between an evaporator region and a condenser region; thermally coupling a compute node with the CVB cell cluster at a first end in the evaporator region; and thermally coupling the base element with the CVB cell cluster at a second end in the condenser region to enable thermal transfer between the compute node and the base element via the CVB cell cluster.
(89) The method as described above wherein each cell of the plurality of cells is of a cross-sectional shape from the group consisting of: rectangular, square, triangular, round, curved, oval, a polygonal shape, a polygonal shape with beveled corners, and a geometry with a closed internal cavity.
(90) The method as described above wherein each cell of the plurality of cells is fabricated from a thermally conductive material.
(91) The method as described above wherein each cell of the plurality of cells is in direct thermal contact with at least one component of the compute node.
(92) The method as described above wherein the base element is a heat exchanger or a cold plate.
(93) An apparatus comprising: a base structure means; and a rack column means supported by the base structure means, the rack column means in thermal coupling with a heat-generating device, the rack column means containing a constrained vapor bubble (CVB) cell cluster including a plurality of cells in thermal coupling with the heat-generating device at a first end in an evaporator region and in thermal coupling with the base structure means at a second end in a condenser region, each cell of the plurality of cells having a wickless heat dissipation means embedded in the cell, each wickless heat dissipation means including a body having a capillary therein with generally square corners and a high energy interior surface, and a highly wettable liquid partially filling the capillary to dissipate heat between the evaporator region and the condenser region.
(94) The apparatus as described above wherein each cell of the plurality of cells is of a cross-sectional shape from the group consisting of: rectangular, square, triangular, round, curved, oval, a polygonal shape, a polygonal shape with beveled corners, and a geometry with a closed internal cavity.
(95) The apparatus as described above wherein each cell of the plurality of cells is fabricated from a thermally conductive material.
(96) The apparatus as described above wherein the base structure includes a cooling fluid reservoir for filling the capillary of each embedded wickless heat dissipation means with the highly wettable liquid.
(97) The Abstract of the Disclosure is provided to allow the reader to quickly ascertain the nature of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. In addition, in the foregoing Detailed Description, it can be seen that various features are grouped together in a single embodiment for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure. This method of disclosure is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed embodiments require more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive subject matter lies in less than all features of a single disclosed embodiment. Thus, the following claims are hereby incorporated into the Detailed Description, with each claim standing on its own as a separate embodiment.