Flexible Heat Exchanger

Abstract

An embodiment of the invention comprises a method for constructing a heat exchanger for cooling one or more semiconductor components. The method comprises the step of providing first and second planar sheets of specified thermally conductive metal foil, wherein each of the sheets has and exterior side and an interior side. The method further comprises forming one or more thermal contact nodes (TCNs) in the first sheet, wherein each TCN extends outward from the exterior side of the first sheet, and comprises a planar contact member and one or more side sections, the side sections respectively including resilient components that enable the contact member of the TCN to move toward and away from the exterior side of the first sheet, and the side sections and contact member of a TCN collectively forming a coolant chamber. Channel segments are configured along the interior side of the first sheet, wherein each channel extends between the coolant chambers and two TCNs, or between the coolant chamber of a TCN and an input port or output port, selectively. The method further comprises joining the interior side of the second sheet to the interior side of the first sheet, in order to form a sealed flow path that includes each channel segment, and enables liquid coolant to flow into and out of the coolant chamber of each TCN.

1 . A method for constructing a heat exchanger for cooling one or more semiconductor components, said method comprising the steps of:
 providing first and second planar sheets of specified thermally conductive metal foil, wherein each of the sheets has an exterior side and an interior side;   forming one or more thermal contact nodes (TCNs) in the first sheet, wherein each TCN extends outward from the exterior side of the first sheet, and comprises a planar contact member and one or more side sections, the side sections and contact member of a TCN collectively forming a coolant chamber;   configuring channel segments along the interior side of the first sheet, wherein each channel segment extends between the coolant chambers of two or more TCNs, or between the coolant chamber of a TCN and an input port or output port, selectively; and   joining the interior side of the second sheet to the interior side of the first sheet, in order to form a sealed flow path that includes each channel segment, and enables liquid coolant to flow into and out of the coolant chamber of each TCN.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the side sections of at least one of said TCNs respectively include resilient components that collectively enable the contact member of the TCN to move toward and away from the exterior side of the first sheet.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 a plurality of TCNs are formed in said first sheet, wherein each TCN has a dimension measured along a Z-axis that is orthogonal to said first sheet, and the Z-axis dimension of one of said TCNs is different from the Z-axis dimension of another of said   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the resilient component of each of said side sections comprises a bellows structure.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 one or more TCNs are formed in the second sheet, wherein each TCN formed in the second sheet extends outward from the exterior side of the second sheet, and comprises a planar contact member and one or more side sections.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the cross-section of one or more of said channel segments is made different from the cross-section of one or more other channel segments in order to cause said coolant to flow out of the coolant chamber of at least one of said TCNs at a different rate than it flows out of the coolant chamber of another of said TCNs.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 selected structure is placed in a given coolant chamber, to cause turbulence of coolant flowing through the given coolant chamber.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 said TCNs and channel segments are formed in the first sheet by means of an embossing process.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 a laser welding process is used to join said first and second sheets together at regions that respectively surround each of said TCNs and each of said channel segments.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 prior to forming said TCNs and configuring said channel segments, the interior sides of said first and second sheets are each coated with a selected barrier metal that does not react with said coolant.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 said channel segments and coolant chambers collectively define a path of flow for said coolant from said input port to said output port.   
     
     
         12 . Heat exchanger apparatus for cooling one or more semiconductor components, said apparatus comprising:
 a first planar sheet of specified thermally conductive foil that has an exterior side and an interior side, wherein one or more thermal contact nodes (TCNs) are formed in the first sheet, each TCN extending outward from the exterior side of the first sheet and comprising a planar contact member and one or more side sections, the side sections respectively including resilient components that collectively enable the contact member of the TCN to move toward and away from the exterior side of the first sheet, the side sections and contact member of a TCN collectively forming a coolant chamber, and a channel segment is configured along the interior side of the first sheet, wherein each channel segment extends between the coolant chambers of two or more TCNs, or between the coolant chamber of a TCN and an input port or an output port, selectively;   a second planar sheet of said specified thermally conductive foil that has an exterior side and an interior side; and   means for joining the interior side of the second sheet to the interior side of the first sheet, in order to form a sealed flow path that includes each channel segment, and enables liquid coolant to flow into and out of the coolant chamber of each TCN.   
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein:
 the resilient component of each side section comprises a bellows structure.   
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein:
 the cross-section of one or more of the channel segments is made different from the cross-section of at least one or more other channel segments, in order to cause said coolant to flow out of the coolant chamber of one or more of said TCNs at a different rate than it flows out of the coolant chamber of another of said TCNs.   
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein:
 selected liquid flow turbulence structure is placed in a given coolant chamber, to cause turbulence of coolant flowing through the given coolant chamber in order to increase the thermal transfer efficiency of the TCN.   
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein:
 said TCNs and channel segments are formed in the first sheet by means of an embossing process.   
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein:
 prior to forming said TCNs and configuring said channel segments, the interior sides of the first and second sheets are each coated with a selected barrier metal that does not react with said coolant.   
     
     
         18 . A method for constructing a heat exchanger for cooling one or more semiconductor components, said method comprising the steps of:
 providing first and second planar sheets of specified thermally conductive metal foil, wherein each of the sheets has an exterior side and an interior side;   forming one or more thermal contact nodes (TCNs) in the first sheet, wherein each TCN extends outward from the exterior side of the first sheet, and comprises a planar contact member and one or more side sections, the side sections and contact member of a TCN collectively forming a coolant chamber;   configuring channel segments along the interior side of the first sheet, wherein each channel segment extends between the coolant chambers of two or more TCNs, or between the coolant chamber of a TCN and an input port or output port, selectively;   joining the interior side of the second sheet to the interior side of the first sheet, in order to form a sealed flow path that includes each channel segment, and enables liquid coolant to flow into and out of the coolant chamber of each TCN;   an input coolant connector joined to said input port for receiving coolant from a coolant circulating mechanism; and   an output coolant connector joined to said output port for returning coolant to the coolant circulating mechanism.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein:
 a first one of said TCNs is adapted to contact a first semiconductor component, and a second one of said TCNs is adapted to contact a second semiconductor component, wherein said first and second semiconductor components are adjacent to each other, and have respective height dimensions that are different from each other.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein:
 the side sections of at least one of said TCNs respectively include resilient components that collectively enable the contact member of the TCN to move toward and away from the exterior side of the first sheet.