Compact liquid cooling system for small, moveable electronic equipment

Abstract

A compact liquid cooling system has been evaluated in a benchmark of self-contained heat exchanger units that fit within small movable electronic equipment, such as PCs and workstations. The compact cooling system connects to a multichip module package via a pair of flexible stainless steel hoses. The system contains a fluid expansion chamber, a liquid-to-air heat exchanger core, a fan, and a pump and can operate entirely sealed. Pressures, package power dissipation, flow rate, and temperatures were recorded. The coolant liquid chosen for use in this system was 3M Fluorinert type FC-72, a chemically inert dielectric liquid. The 5.5 liter prototype system delivers 1.1 liter/min of FC-72. Test results showed the unit can remove up to 274 W of power dissipated with a 52 degrees C temperature difference between inlet liquid and air with a thermal resistance of 0.19 degrees C/W. Design improvements for a second generation system are proposed.<>