AIR COOLED HIGH HEAT FLUX THERMAL PACKAGE

CONTINUOUS, FULL POWER OPERATION OF HIGH OUTPUT SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES IS GENERALLY LIMITED BY THE HEAT DISSIPATION CAPABILITY OF THE DEVICE PACKAGE. EXISTING COOLING SCHEMES REQUIRE COOLING PUMPS AND SECONDARY RADIATORS, WHICH LIMITS THE APPLICATION OF THESE DEVICES TO LARGE VEHICLES. THIS PROPOSAL CONCERNS THE ANALYSIS AND DESIGN OF A THERMAL PACKAGE WHICH IS CAPABLE OF DISSIPATING HIGH HEAT FLUX LOADS, WITH NO COOLING PUMPS, AND IS COMPACT. A COMBINATION OF A HIGH HEAT FLUX HEAT SINK, HEAT PIPE AND SECONDARY AIR COOLED HEAT EXCHANGER COMPRISE THE THERMAL PACKAGE. CRUCIAL TO THE OVERALL PERFORMANCE, THE HEAT SINK, IS FABRICATED BY A PROPRIETARY PROCESS THAT ALLOWS SUBSTANTIAL FLEXIBILITY IN THERMAL DESIGN. PREVIOUS LIMITS ON HEAT SINK PERFORMANCE DUE TO MANUFACTURING CONSTRAINTS ARE DRAMATICALLY REDUCED. A HEAT PIPE TRANSPORTS THE DISSIPATED HEAT, ELIMINATING COOLING PUMPS, TO THE SECONDARY AIR COOLED HEAT EXCHANGER.THIS PROPOSED EFFORT CONCERNS THE ANALYSIS AND DESIGN OF EACH COMPONENT AND A SYSTEMS ANALYSIS. THE PHASE II EFFORT WILL ENTAIL BUILDING & TESTING A PROTOTYPE UNIT.