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Journal ArticleDOI

A Practical Implementation of Silicon Microchannel Coolers for High Power Chips

TL;DR: In this paper, the authors describe a practical implementation of a single-phase Si microchannel cooler designed for cooling very high power chips such as microprocessors, which is able to cool chips with average power densities of 400W/cm2 or more.
Abstract: This paper describes a practical implementation of a single-phase Si microchannel cooler designed for cooling very high power chips such as microprocessors. Through the use of multiple heat exchanger zones and optimized cooler fin designs, a unit thermal resistance 10.5 C-mm2 /W from the cooler surface to the inlet water was demonstrated with a fluid pressure drop of <35kPa. Further, cooling of a thermal test chip with a microchannel cooler bonded to it packaged in a single chip module was also demonstrated for a chip power density greater than 300W/cm2. Coolers of this design should be able to cool chips with average power densities of 400W/cm2 or more
Citations
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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, a literature review is presented to compare different cooling technologies currently in development in research laboratories that are competing to solve the challenge of cooling the next generation of high heat flux computer chips.
Abstract: The purpose of this literature review is to compare different cooling technologies currently in development in research laboratories that are competing to solve the challenge of cooling the next generation of high heat flux computer chips. Today, most development efforts are focused on three technologies: liquid cooling in copper or silicon micro-geometry heat dissipation elements, impingement of liquid jets directly on the silicon surface of the chip, and two-phase flow boiling in copper heat dissipation elements or plates with numerous microchannels. The principal challenge is to dissipate the high heat fluxes (current objective is 300 W/cm2) while maintaining the chip temperature below the targeted temperature of 85°C, while of second importance is how to predict the heat transfer coefficients and pressure drops of the cooling process. In this study, the state of the art of these three technologies from recent experimental articles (since 2003) is analyzed and a comparison of the respective merits and ...

511 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, a critical review of traditional and emerging cooling methods as well as coolants for electronics is provided, summarizing traditional coolants, heat transfer properties and performances of potential new coolants such as nanofluids are also reviewed and analyzed.
Abstract: Continued miniaturization and demand for high-end performance of electronic devices and appliances have led to dramatic increase in their heat flux generation. Consequently, conventional coolants and cooling approaches are increasingly falling short in meeting the ever-increasing cooling needs and challenges of those high heat generating electronic devices. This study provides a critical review of traditional and emerging cooling methods as well as coolants for electronics. In addition to summarizing traditional coolants, heat transfer properties and performances of potential new coolants such as nanofluids are also reviewed and analyzed. With superior thermal properties and numerous benefits nanofluids show great promises in fulfilling the cooling demands of high heat generating electronic devices. It is believed that applications of such novel coolants in emerging techniques like micro-channels and micro-heat pipes can revolutionize cooling technologies for electronics in the future.

441 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, a review of micro-and minichannel heat exchangers as heat sinks and heat exchanger has been presented, and the persisting lacunae of this technology drawn from the review have been pointed out.
Abstract: Depleting energy resources have become the driving force for their conservation. Increasing the system efficiencies is one method by which sustainability of energy may be ensured, for which miniaturization has successfully provided solutions. Miniature heat exchangers, owing to their high thermal performance, have the potential to provide energy efficient systems. In addition, their characteristics of compactness, small size and lesser weight have attracted widespread applications. Various works on micro- and minichannel heat exchangers as heat sinks and heat exchangers have been reviewed in this paper. Currently employed fabrication techniques and different applications have been summarized. An overview of the single-phase thermo-hydraulic studies in micro- and minichannel heat sinks has been presented. Literatures related co-current, counter-current and cross-current micro- and minichannel heat exchangers have been discussed. Finally, the persisting lacunae of this technology drawn from the review have been pointed out.

229 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
01 Jul 2012-Energy
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors report the energy and exergy efficiencies of Aquasar, the first hot water cooled supercomputer prototype, and establish hot water as a better coolant compared to air.

190 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, a scaling analysis is presented to identify the relative effects of different forces on the boiling process at microscale, and the flow pattern transitions and stability for flow boiling of water and FC-77 are evaluated.

187 citations

References
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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, a water-cooled integral heat sink for silicon integrated circuits has been designed and tested at a power density of 790 W/cm2, with a maximum substrate temperature rise of 71°C above the input water temperature.
Abstract: The problem of achieving compact, high-performance forced liquid cooling of planar integrated circuits has been investigated. The convective heat-transfer coefficient h between the substrate and the coolant was found to be the primary impediment to achieving low thermal resistance. For laminar flow in confined channels, h scales inversely with channel width, making microscopic channels desirable. The coolant viscosity determines the minimum practical channel width. The use of high-aspect ratio channels to increase surface area will, to an extent, further reduce thermal resistance. Based on these considerations, a new, very compact, water-cooled integral heat sink for silicon integrated circuits has been designed and tested. At a power density of 790 W/cm2, a maximum substrate temperature rise of 71°C above the input water temperature was measured, in good agreement with theory. By allowing such high power densities, the heat sink may greatly enhance the feasibility of ultrahigh-speed VLSI circuits.

4,214 citations


"A Practical Implementation of Silic..." refers background in this paper

  • ...Tuckerman and Pease [1] where the silicon substrate below the channels was only 0....

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  • ...This compares favorable to the 9.0 C-mm W thermal resistance reported in the work of Tuckerman and Pease [1] where the silicon substrate below the channels was only 0.1-mm thick and the pressure drop was much higher....

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  • ...I. INTRODUCTION MORE than 20 years ago, Tuckerman and Pease first de-scribed the use of microchannel cooling for very high power densities [1]....

    [...]

Journal ArticleDOI
F. Laermer1, A. Urban1
TL;DR: In this article, an optimized hardware for balanced RF drive at high power levels (3 kW) of the inductive plasma source in combination with spatial ion discrimination and collimation yields etch-rates in excess of 10 µm/min with excellent uniformity of profile and rate distribution.

207 citations


"A Practical Implementation of Silic..." refers background in this paper

  • ...Recent progress in high-rate reactive ion etching (DRIE) of Si [2] has greatly...

    [...]

Proceedings ArticleDOI
12 Feb 1991
TL;DR: In this article, a complete two-dimensional flow/thermal model of the micro-channel cooler was developed, and the design parameters were optimized for the case of a 1 kW/cm/sup 2/ heat flux with the top surface at 25 degrees C.
Abstract: A complete two-dimensional flow/thermal model of the micro-channel cooler is developed. Optimization of the design parameters with this model is demonstrated for the case of a 1 kW/cm/sup 2/ heat flux with the top surface at 25 degrees C. For this case, pure water could be used as the coolant, or 92% water/8% methanol (-5 degrees C freezing point) if the heat is to be dumped to ice/water. The flow rate should be about 50 cc/s per cm/sup 2/ of surface area. The distribution manifold channel spacing (center-to-center) should be 333 mu m (30 channels/cm). The fin height should be about 167 mu m (H/sub F//L=1). The distribution manifold channel widths should be about 200 mu m (W/L=0.6). The micro-channels should be between 7 mu m and 14 mu m wide, while the ratio of fin thickness to micro-channel width should be from 0.5 to 1.0. With these design parameters, an effective heat transfer coefficient (surface heat flux divided by surface to coolant inlet temperature difference) on the order of 100 W/cm/sup 2/ K will be achieved with a total pressure drop of only about 2 bar. >

165 citations


"A Practical Implementation of Silic..." refers background in this paper

  • ...exchanger zones with shorter channel lengths [3] and manifold designs with large cross-sectional area (i....

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Proceedings ArticleDOI
01 Jan 2004
TL;DR: In this article, the applicability of single-phase heat transfer enhancement techniques for microchannels and minichannels is evaluated, where the major techniques include flow transition, boundary layer, entrance region, vibration, electric fields, swirl flow, secondary flow and mixers.
Abstract: The single-phase heat transfer enhancement techniques are well established for conventional channels and compact heat exchangers. The major techniques include flow transition, breakup of boundary layer, entrance region, vibration, electric fields, swirl flow, secondary flow and mixers. In the present paper, the applicability of these techniques for single-phase flows in microchannels and minichannels is evaluated. The microchannel and minichannel single-phase heat transfer enhancement devices will extend the applicability of single-phase cooling for critical applications, such as chip cooling, before more aggressive cooling techniques, such as flow boiling, are considered.

154 citations


Additional excerpts

  • ...have been proposed for microchannel coolers [6]....

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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, a diamond-shaped interrupted microgrooved cooling fin was proposed to decrease the junction temperature variation across the chip, and the analytical results indicated that the reduction in junction temperature was less than 25% compared with a conventional paralles-plate-shaped cooling fin.
Abstract: We propose a diamond-shaped interrupted microgrooved cooling fin to decrease the junction temperature variation across the chip. The analytical result indicates that the junction temperature variation decreses to less than 25% compared with a conventional paralles-plate-shaped cooling fins. This cooling structure is sufficient to cool high-power-consumption silicon chips.

59 citations


"A Practical Implementation of Silic..." refers background in this paper

  • ...fins in microchannel coolers have been found to increase the heat transfer coefficient compared to continuous fins [5]....

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