Heat sink for an electronic power component

Abstract

A heat sink comprising a body made of a metallic material with good thermal and electricity conduction properties having a surface intended to support an electronic power component forming a heat source. The body comprises a plurality of openings axially crossed by tubes of circulation of a cooling liquid. Each tube being formed of a material with a good thermal conductivity and being separated from the body by a ring-shaped electric isolation layer formed of a compressed powder of at least one material with good electric isolation and thermal conduction properties.

1 . A heat sink ( 10 ) comprising a body ( 12 ) made of a metallic material having a surface intended to support an electronic power component ( 14 ), the body comprising a plurality of openings ( 22 ) axially crossed by tubes ( 24 ) of circulation of a cooling liquid, each tube being formed of a material with a good thermal conductivity and being separated from the body by a ring-shaped electric isolation layer formed of a compressed powder of at least one material with good electric isolation and thermal conduction properties.  
   
   
       2 . The heat sink of  claim 1 , wherein each tube ( 24 ) is made of metal.  
   
   
       3 . The heat sink of  claim 1 , wherein the compressed powder is a boron nitride and/or aluminum nitride powder.  
   
   
       4 . The heat sink of  claim 1 , wherein the heat sink further comprises, at least in a tube ( 24 ), guiding means ( 36 ) intended to accelerate the cooling liquid flow in contact with the tube and made of a material with a good thermal conductivity.  
   
   
       5 . The heat sink of  claim 4 , wherein the guiding means ( 36 ) are maintained only by contact with the tube ( 24 ).  
   
   
       6 . The heat sink of  claim 4 , wherein the guiding means ( 36 ) comprise a cylindrical portion on the circumference of which extend grooves separated by teeth ( 45 ), the grooves being adapted to the flowing of the cooling liquid, the teeth being in contact with the tube.  
   
   
       7 . A method for manufacturing a heat sink ( 10 ), comprising the steps of: 
 a) providing a heat sink body ( 12 ) made of a metallic material having a surface intended to support an electronic power component ( 14 ), the body being crossed by a plurality of openings ( 22 );    b) placing in each opening a tube ( 24 ) separated from the opening by a ring-shaped gap ( 26 );    c) filling each ring-shaped gap with a powder of at least one material with good electric isolation and thermal conduction properties; and    d) compressing the powder in each gap.    
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein step b) comprises, for each opening ( 24 ), the arrangement of a tubular jointing sleeve ( 32 ,  34 ) crossed by an orifice at one end of the opening ( 12 ), the tube being maintained in the orifice of the jointing sleeve distantly from the body, the powder being then introduced, at step c), through the ring-shaped gap ( 26 ) at the level of the axial end of the opening opposite to the jointing sleeve.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein step d) is followed by the arrangement of an additional tubular sleeve ( 32 ,  34 ) at the level of the end of the opening ( 24 ) through which the powder has been introduced.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 7 , comprising, before step c), the arrangement of guiding means ( 36 ) in at least one tube ( 24 ), the powder compression being performed to deform the tube so that it comes into contact with and maintains in place the guiding means.