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EP-4741753-A2 - COOLING BLOCK FOR COOLING A HEAT-GENERATING ELECTRONIC COMPONENT

EP4741753A2EP 4741753 A2EP4741753 A2EP 4741753A2EP-4741753-A2

Abstract

A connector for a cooling block having a connector body defining at least one connector passage. The connector is connectable to a top side of the cooling block body such that the at least one connector passage is in fluid communication with one or both of a conduit inlet and a conduit outlet of the cooling block. A cooling block comprising a cooling block body defining a fluid conduit therein for circulating a cooling fluid therethrough, the fluid conduit having a conduit inlet and a conduit outlet for receiving and discharging the cooling fluid respectively, and the connector connected to the top side of the cooling block body such that the at least one connector passage is in fluid communication with one or both of the conduit inlet and the conduit outlet of the cooling block.

Inventors

  • BAUDUIN, HADRIEN
  • BAUCHART, GREGORY FRANCIS LOUIS
  • Chehade, Ali

Assignees

  • OVH

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20240110

Claims (15)

  1. A cooling block (100) for cooling a heat-generating electronic component (50), the cooling block (100) comprising: a cooling block body (102) defining a fluid conduit (115) therein for circulating a cooling fluid therethrough, the fluid conduit (115) having a conduit inlet (110) and a conduit outlet (112) for receiving and discharging the cooling fluid respectively, the cooling block body (102) comprising a base (104) connected to a cover (106), wherein the cover (106) has at least one recessed portion (202 ; 302); and at least one connector (200; 300; 400) connected to the cooling block body (102) at a top side of the cooling block body (102), the at least one connector (200; 300; 400) having a connector body (204; 304; 404) defining at least one connector passage (206; 306; 406) in fluid communication with one or both of the conduit inlet (110) and the conduit outlet (112), and fluidly connectable to piping of a fluid source, the connector body (204; 304; 404) having an upper portion (216; 316; 416) and a lower portion (218; 318; 418), the lower portion (218; 318; 418) being wider and deeper than a width and depth of the upper portion (216; 316; 416) of the connector body (204; 304; 404); wherein the at least one connector (200; 300; 400) is connected to the base (104) and to the cover (106) at the at least one recessed portion (202 ; 302), the lower portion (218; 318; 418) being sized and shaped to rest on a shelf of a rim portion (117) of the base (104) and aligned with the recessed portion (202 ; 302) of the cover (106) when the cover (106) is positioned on the base (104).
  2. The cooling block (100) of claim 1, wherein a height (L1) of the cooling block body (102) is less than a height (L3) of the connector body (204; 304; 404).
  3. The cooling block (100) of any of claims 1 to 2, wherein a portion of the at least one connector (200; 300; 400) protrudes outwardly from the cooling block body (102) when the at least one connector (200; 300; 400) is connected to the cooling block body (102).
  4. The cooling block (100) of any of claims 1 to 3, wherein the at least one connector passage (206; 306; 406) extends between a side face of the connector body (204; 304; 404) and a lower face of the connector body (204; 304; 404).
  5. The cooling block (100) of claim 4, wherein at least one connector (200; 300; 400) is positioned such that the side face faces away from the cooling block (100).
  6. The cooling block (100) of any of claims 1 to 5, wherein the at least one connector passage (206; 306; 406) is L-shaped or T-shaped.
  7. The cooling block (100) of any of claims 1 to 6, wherein a cross-sectional shape of the at least one connector passage (206; 306; 406) is: circular, or a flattened elliptical in which a width of the at least one connector passage (206; 306; 406) is larger than a height of the at least one connector passage (206; 306; 406).
  8. The cooling block (100) of any of claims 1 to 7, further comprising an adaptor member (238; 338) connectable to an end of the at least one connector passage (206; 306; 406) and having a cross-sectional shape which transitions, towards a distal end, from a flattened elliptical cross-sectional profile to a circular cross-sectional profile.
  9. The cooling block (100) of any of claims 1 to 8, wherein a surface area of a top face of the upper portion (216; 316; 416) of the at least one connector (200; 300; 400) is smaller than a surface area of a top face of the cover (106).
  10. The cooling block (100) of any of claims 1 to 9, wherein the at least one connector passage (206; 306; 406) extends between the upper portion (216; 316; 416) of the connector body (204; 304; 404) and the lower portion (218; 318; 418) of the connector body (204; 304; 404).
  11. The cooling block (100) of any of claims 1 to 10, wherein the lower portion (218; 318; 418) of the connector (200; 300; 400) is shaped such that the connector (200; 300; 400) can be positioned in the recessed portion (202 ; 302) in one or two predetermined orientations.
  12. The cooling block (100) of claim 1, wherein the at least one connector passage (206; 306; 406) extends between an upper face of the connector body (204; 304; 404) and a lower face of the connector body (204; 304; 404).
  13. A method of assembling a cooling block (100), the method comprising: providing a cooling block (100) comprising a cooling block body (102) defining a fluid conduit (115) therein for circulating a cooling fluid therethrough, the fluid conduit (115) having a conduit inlet (110) and a conduit outlet (112) for receiving and discharging the cooling fluid respectively, the cooling block body (102) comprising a base (104) connected to a cover (106), wherein the cover (106) has at least one recessed portion (202 ; 302); providing at least one connector (200; 300; 400) having a connector body (204; 304; 404) defining therein at least one connector passage (206; 306; 406), the connector body (204; 304; 404) having an upper portion (216; 316; 416) and lower portion (218; 318; 418), the lower portion (218; 318; 418) being wider and deeper than a width and depth of the upper portion (216; 316; 416) of the connector body (204; 304; 404); connecting the at least one connector (200; 300; 400) to the cooling block body (102) at a top side of the cooling block body (102) such that the at least one connector (200; 300; 400) is in fluid communication with one or both of the conduit inlet (110) and the conduit outlet (112) of the cooling block (100); and the at least one connector (200; 300; 400) being connected to the base (104) and to the cover (106) at the at least one recessed portion (202 ; 302), the lower portion (218; 318; 418) being sized and shaped to rest on a shelf of a rim portion (117) of the base (104) and aligned with the recessed portion (202 ; 302) of the cover (106) when the cover (106) is positioned on the base (104).
  14. The method of claim 13, wherein the lower portion (218; 318; 418) of the connector (200; 300; 400) is shaped such that the connector (200; 300; 400) can be position in the recessed portion (202 ; 302) in one or two predetermined orientations.
  15. The method of any of claims 13 to 14, wherein the connecting of the at least one connector (200; 300; 400) to the cooling block body (102) comprises welding the at least one connector (200; 300; 400) to the cooling block body (102).

Description

FIELD OF TECHNOLOGY The present technology relates to cooling blocks for cooling heat-generating electronic components. BACKGROUND Heat dissipation is an important consideration for computer systems. Notably, many components of a computer system, such as a processor (also referred to as central processing unit (CPU)), generate heat and thus require cooling to avoid performance degradation and, in some cases, failure. Similar considerations arise for systems other than computer systems (e.g., power management systems). Thus, in many cases, different types of cooling solutions are implemented to promote heat dissipation from heat-generating electronic components, with the objective being to collect and conduct thermal energy away from these heat-generating electronic components. For instance, in a data center, in which multiple electronic systems (e.g., servers, networking equipment, power equipment) are continuously operating and generating heat, such cooling solutions may be particularly important. One example of a cooling solution is a heat sink which relies on a heat transfer medium (e.g., a gas or liquid) to carry away the heat generated by a heat-generating electronic component. For instance, a cooling block (sometimes referred to as a "water block" or "cold plate") can be thermally coupled at a thermal transfer surface to a heat-generating electronic component and water (or other fluid) is made to flow through a conduit in the cooling block to absorb heat from the heat-generating electronic component through the thermal transfer surface. As water flows out of the cooling block, so does the thermal energy collected thereby. A consideration in cooling heat-generating electronic components is a space efficiency of the cooling solution to enable, for example, stacking of multiple cooling blocks and multiple heat-generating electronic components. The cooling block can be paired with one or more heat-generating electronic components in contact with one or both thermal transfer surfaces of the cooling block, respectively. For space efficiency, it is desirable for many cooling block - heat-generating electronic component units to be stacked together yet the size, shape and configuration of existing cooling blocks does not readily permit this. Another consideration is minimization of a material used to make the cooling block, whilst maximising a surface area of the thermal transfer surfaces. There is therefore a desire for a cooling block which can alleviate at least some of these drawbacks. SUMMARY It is an object of the present technology to ameliorate at least some of the inconveniences present in the prior art. According to one aspect of the present technology, there is provided a cooling block for cooling a heat-generating electronic component. Broadly, the cooling block includes a connector which is connected to a base of the cooling block. The connector is configured to fluidly connect piping of a fluid source with an inlet and/or an outlet of the cooling block. The connector is configured such that the piping does not interfere with one or more thermal transfer surfaces of the cooling block. In certain embodiments, connection of the connector to the cooling block enables reducing a thickness of the cooling block compared to cooling blocks of the prior art which do not have a modular configuration like the present technology. The connector has a thickness which is greater than a thickness of the cooling block body. The piping is fluidly connectable to a portion of the connector that extends outwardly from the cooling block body. Another portion of the connector is received within the cooling block body. This can permit larger numbers of cooling blocks and heat-generating electronic components to be stacked together without increasing an overall footprint. For example, one cooling block could be thermally in contact with two GPUs. From one aspect, there is provided a cooling block for cooling a heat-generating electronic component, the cooling block comprising: a cooling block body defining a fluid conduit therein for circulating a cooling fluid therethrough, the fluid conduit having a conduit inlet and a conduit outlet for receiving and discharging the cooling fluid respectively, and at least one connector connected to the cooling block body at a top side of the cooling block body, the at least one connector having a connector body defining at least one connector passage in fluid communication with one or both of the conduit inlet and the conduit outlet, and fluidly connectable to piping of a fluid source. In certain embodiments, the at least one connector passage extends between a side face of the connector body and a lower face of the connector body. In certain embodiments, a height of the cooling block body is less than a height of the at least one connector body. In certain embodiments, a portion of the at least one connector protrudes outwardly from the cooling block body when the at least one conne