Thermal transfer device having a fluid conduit

Abstract

A thermal transfer device has a body and a fluid conduit defined in the body. The body has a thermal transfer surface configured to be placed in contact with a target component. The fluid conduit is configured for conveying fluid through the body and is thermally coupled to the thermal transfer surface. The fluid conduit is configured so that: at a first junction, the fluid conduit branches into a first channel and a second channel which extend adjacent and generally parallel to one another along an initial portion of the fluid conduit; the first and second channels diverge away from one another at an end of the initial portion such that each of the first and second channels forms a serpentine path; and the first and second channels merge at a second junction. The serpentine paths formed by the first and second channels extend toward generally opposite directions.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A water block for cooling one of a central processing unit (CPU) and a graphics processing unit (GPU) of a computer system, the water block comprising:
 a body having a thermal transfer surface configured to be placed in contact with the one of the CPU and the GPU;   a fluid conduit defined in the body and configured for conveying fluid through the body, the fluid conduit being thermally coupled to the thermal transfer surface, the fluid conduit having an inlet and an outlet, the fluid conduit being configured so that:
 at a first junction, the fluid conduit branches into a first channel and a second channel which extend adjacent and generally parallel to one another along an initial portion of the fluid conduit; 
 the first and second channels diverge away from one another at an end of the initial portion such that each of the first and second channels forms a serpentine path, the serpentine path formed by the first channel extending toward a first direction, the serpentine path formed by the second channel extending toward a second direction generally opposite to the first direction; 
 the first and second channels merge at a second junction; and 
 each of the first and second channels defines a sinusoidal pattern along at least a majority of a span thereof. 
   
     
     
         2 . The water block of  claim 1 , wherein the first junction is the inlet of the fluid conduit. 
     
     
         3 . The water block of  claim 1 , wherein the second junction is the outlet of the fluid conduit. 
     
     
         4 . The water block of  claim 1 , wherein a width of each of the first and second channels is constant. 
     
     
         5 . The water block of  claim 4 , wherein the width of each of the first and second channels is between 1 mm and 4 mm inclusively. 
     
     
         6 . The water block of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the serpentine path formed by each of the first and second channels defines a plurality of longitudinally-extending sections that are parallel to one another and laterally spaced from one another; and   the plurality of longitudinally-extending sections includes an innermost longitudinally-extending section that is closest to the first junction and an outermost longitudinally-extending section that is furthest from the first junction.   
     
     
         7 . The water block of  claim 6 , wherein the inlet is located centrally between the outermost longitudinally-extending section of the first channel and the outermost longitudinally-extending section of the second channel. 
     
     
         8 . The water block of  claim 7 , wherein the outlet is laterally aligned with the inlet. 
     
     
         9 . The water block of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second channels extend in opposite directions from the second junction. 
     
     
         10 . The water block of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the body comprises a first body portion and a second body portion affixed to the first body portion;   the fluid conduit is defined by the first and second body portions; and   a path of each of the first and second channels is defined by the first body portion.   
     
     
         11 . The water block of  claim 10 , wherein the inlet and the outlet are defined in the second body portion. 
     
     
         12 . The water block of  claim 10 , wherein the first and second body portions are welded to one another. 
     
     
         13 . The water block of  claim 1 , wherein the water block is generally rectangular. 
     
     
         14 . The water block of  claim 6 , wherein:
 each of the plurality of longitudinally-extending sections defines the sinusoidal pattern of the first and second channels; and   the sinusoidal pattern defined by each of the plurality of longitudinally-extending sections is nested with the sinusoidal pattern defined by an adjacent one of the plurality of longitudinally-extending sections.   
     
     
         15 . A thermal transfer device, comprising:
 a body having a thermal transfer surface configured to be placed in contact with a target component;   a fluid conduit defined in the body and configured for conveying fluid through the body, the fluid conduit being thermally coupled to the thermal transfer surface, the fluid conduit having an inlet and an outlet, the fluid conduit being configured so that:
 at a first junction, the fluid conduit branches into a first channel and a second channel which extend adjacent and generally parallel to one another along an initial portion of the fluid conduit; 
 the first and second channels diverge away from one another at an end of the initial portion such that each of the first and second channels forms a serpentine path, the serpentine path formed by the first channel extending toward a first direction, the serpentine path formed by the second channel extending toward a second direction generally opposite to the first direction; and 
 the first and second channels merge at a second junction. 
   
     
     
         16 . The thermal transfer device of  claim 15 , wherein the first junction is the inlet of the fluid conduit. 
     
     
         17 . The thermal transfer device of  claim 15 , wherein the second junction is the outlet of the fluid conduit. 
     
     
         18 . The thermal transfer device of  claim 15 , wherein each of the first and second channels defines a sinusoidal pattern along at least a majority of a span thereof. 
     
     
         19 . The thermal transfer device of  claim 15 , wherein a width of each of the first and second channels is constant. 
     
     
         20 . The thermal transfer device of  claim 19 , wherein the width of each of first and second channels is between 1 mm and 4 mm inclusively.