Refrigeration system and method for very large scale integrated circuits

Claim 1

A cooling system for subcooling an electronic circuit unit having at least one active component which generates substantial thermal energy during operation, comprising: a cooler system spaced apart from with the component to be cooled, the cooler system including means for generating a high pressure refrigerant at substantially ambient temperature and refrigerant line means for transporting the refrigerant; a local cooler including heat sink means in thermal interchange relationship with the component to be cooled, the local cooler comprising high thermal conductivity probe means having an end thermally coupled to the heat sink means, the refrigerant line being disposed within the probe and subcooler heat exchanger means, and the local cooler further including expansion valve means within the probe means adjacent the heat sink means, and means defining a gas return,path for expanded gases from the expansion valve means through the subcooler heat exchanger; and means coupling the gas return path to the cooler assembly for flowing gases back to the cooler assembly.

Claim 12

A system for maintaining the temperature level of an integrated circuit unit within a nominal low temperature range such that the circuit unit can operate at higher data transfer rates, comprising: a high thermal conductivity heat sink structure thermally coupled to the circuit unit; cold probe means thermally coupled to the heat sink, the cold probe means including internal capillary refrigerant expansion means adjacent the heat sink structure and return flow tubing means; active refrigeration means coupled to supply pressurized refrigerant to the refrigerant expansion; and passive refrigeration means coupled to the heat sink structure and comprising air cooled heat exchanger means and two phase gas circulation means for passively absorbing thermal energy from the circuit unit when the cold probe means does not maintain a desired operating range of temperature.

Claim 13

A system for maintaining the temperature level of an integrated circuit unit within a nominal low temperature range such that the circuit unit can operate at higher data transfer rates, comprising: a high thermal conductivity heat sink structure thermally coupled to the circuit unit; cold probe means thermally coupled to the heat sink, the cold probe means including internal capillary refrigerant expansion means adjacent the heat sink structure and return flow tubing means; active refrigeration means coupled to supply pressurized refrigerant to the refrigerant expansion; and passive refrigeration means coupled to the heat sink structure and comprising air cooled heat exchanger means and two phase gas circulation means for passively absorbing thermal energy from the circuit unit when the cold probe means does not maintain a desired operating range of temperature.

Claim 14

The method of subcooling an integrated circuit unit having substantial internal heat buildup to a level of the order of -50° C. with a single refrigerant comprising the steps of: actively pressurizing a first refrigerant in a gaseous state while maintaining an ambient temperature therein; expanding the refrigerant in the gaseous state to lower the temperature and pressure thereof adjacent the circuit unit until a liquid state is reached; extracting thermal energy from the integrated circuit unit with the liquid refrigerant until a gaseous state is reached; passing the first refrigerant after expansion in thermal relation to the first refrigerant before expansion to lower the temperature thereof; maintaining a second liquid refrigerant in thermal relation to the circuit unit, the evaporation temperature of the second refrigerant being in the ambient range of temperatures; extracting thermal energy from gases evaporated from the second liquid refrigerant; and dissipating thermal-energy from the circuit unit with the second refrigerant when the ambient temperature range is reached due to failure of refrigeration with the first refrigerant.

Claim 15

The method of subcooling an integrated circuit unit having substantial internal heat buildup to a level of the order of -50° C. with a single refrigerant comprising the steps of: actively pressurizing a first refrigerant in a gaseous state while maintaining an ambient temperature therein; expanding the refrigerant in the gaseous state to lower the temperature and pressure thereof adjacent the circuit unit until a liquid state is reached; extracting thermal energy from the integrated circuit unit with the liquid refrigerant until a gaseous state is reached; passing the first refrigerant after expansion in thermal relation to the first refrigerant before expansion to lower the temperature thereof; maintaining a second liquid refrigerant in thermal relation to the circuit unit, the evaporation temperature of the second refrigerant being in the ambient range of temperatures; extracting thermal energy from gases evaporated from the second liquid refrigerant; and dissipating thermal-energy from the circuit unit with the second refrigerant when the ambient temperature range is reached due to failure of refrigeration with the first refrigerant.

Claim 16

A system for cooling at least two high density electronic circuit subsystems to substantially below ambient temperature while absorbing internal thermal energy generated by the subsystems comprising: refrigeration means providing a flow of high pressure refrigerant; an active separate thermal energy exchange system for each subsystem, comprising thermally conductive heat sink means coupled to the subsystem and thermal transfer chamber means in thermal exchange relationship with the heat sink means; means within the chamber means for expanding the high pressure refrigerant to a subcooled state in proximity to the heat sink means, and means defining a gas return path from the means for expanding to the refrigeration means; and a separate backup passive refrigeration system adjacent each heat sink means and comprising a refrigerant chamber in close thermal relation to the heat sink means and a second refrigerant therein that evaporates in the ambient temperature range, a gas distribution system receiving the evaporated refrigerant, and an air heat exchanger spaced apart from the active thermal energy exchange system, and thermally coupled to the gas distribution system for recondensation of the second refrigerant.

Claim 17

A system for cooling at least two high density electronic circuit subsystems to substantially below ambient temperature while absorbing internal thermal energy generated by the subsystems comprising: refrigeration means providing a flow of high pressure refrigerant; an active separate thermal energy exchange system for each subsystem, comprising thermally conductive heat sink means coupled to the subsystem and thermal transfer chamber means in thermal exchange relationship with the heat sink means; means within the chamber means for expanding the high pressure refrigerant to a subcooled state in proximity to the heat sink means, and means defining a gas return path from the means for expanding to the refrigeration means; and a separate backup passive refrigeration system adjacent each heat sink means and comprising a refrigerant chamber in close thermal relation to the heat sink means and a second refrigerant therein that evaporates in the ambient temperature range, a gas distribution system receiving the evaporated refrigerant, and an air heat exchanger spaced apart from the active thermal energy exchange system, and thermally coupled to the gas distribution system for recondensation of the second refrigerant.

Claim 28

A system for extraction of heat energy from separate active high density integrated circuit modules mounted on a printed circuit board slidable into an engagement position in a circuit counsel, comprising: separate heat sink means thermally coupled to each of the separate circuit units, each of the heat sink means including a side receptacle on the entry side of the printed circuit board; a number of cold probe means, each configured and positioned to fit into the side aperture of a different heat sink means when the printed circuit board is slid into engagement position; a refrigeration system providing pressurized refrigerant to each of the cold probe means; and means for recirculating refrigerant from the cold probe means to the refrigeration system, the refrigerant having received thermal energy from the associated high density integrated circuit and convecting to energy to a low pressure gas phase therein.

Claim 29

A system for extraction of heat energy from separate active high density integrated circuit modules mounted on a printed circuit board slidable into an engagement position in a circuit counsel, comprising: separate heat sink means thermally coupled to each of the separate circuit units, each of the heat sink means including a side receptacle on the entry side of the printed circuit board; a number of cold probe means, each configured and positioned to fit into the side aperture of a different heat sink means when the printed circuit board is slid into engagement position; a refrigeration system providing pressurized refrigerant to each of the cold probe means; and means for recirculating refrigerant from the cold probe means to the refrigeration system, the refrigerant having received thermal energy from the associated high density integrated circuit and convecting to energy to a low pressure gas phase therein.