Abstract:
A structural cold plate assembly includes a support structure including first and second opposite sides supporting corresponding cold plates and an insert. The insert defines a portion of a fluid passage through the support structure and secures the cold plate to the support structure.

Description:
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     This subject of this disclosure was made with government support under Contract No.: NNJ06TA25C awarded by National Aeronautics and Space Administration. The Government has certain rights in this invention. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     This disclosure generally relates to a cooling structure for cooling electronic components. More particularly, this disclosure relates to a cooling structure including a two sided cold plate support assembly. 
     Electronic components onboard aircraft or other vehicles that operate in extreme temperatures are typically protected from overheating by a cooling device. In some environments, air flow is either not available or insufficient to handle the thermal loads generated by the electronic components. In such applications, a cold plate is utilized through which a cooling fluid flows to remove heat from the electronic component. The cold plate is mounted adjacent the electronic component and supplied with fluid flow through appropriate conduits that lead to a fluid delivery system. 
     SUMMARY 
     A disclosed structural cold plate assembly includes a support structure including first and second opposite sides supporting corresponding cold plates and an insert. The insert defines a portion of a fluid passage through the support structure and secures the cold plate to the support structure. The example threaded insert includes a fluid passage for communicating a cooling medium from one cold plate through the support structure to a second cold plate disposed on an opposite side of the support structure. 
     These and other features disclosed herein can be best understood from the following specification and drawings, the following of which is a brief description. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic view of an example two sided structural cold plate assembly. 
         FIG. 2  is a sectional view of the example two-sided structural cold plate assembly including example threaded inserts. 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of an example threaded insert. 
         FIG. 4  is another perspective view of the example threaded insert. 
         FIG. 5  is a sectional view of another example-threaded insert. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , an example support assembly  10  includes a fixed structure  12  that supports a structural cold plate assembly  14  for thermally controlling and cooling heat generating devices  26 . In the disclosed example, the heat generating devices  26  are electronic devices that generate heat during operation. As appreciated, although electronic devices are described as examples, the disclosed structural cold plate assembly  14  would be useful for any application requiring thermal management. 
     The example structural cold plate assembly  14  includes a panel  16  that includes a first side  18  and a second side  20 . Mounted to the first side  18  is a first cold plate  22  and mounted to the second side  20  is a second cold plate  24 . Each of the first and second cold plates  22 ,  24  define passages through which a cooling medium flows to remove and control heat produced by the devices  26 . The panel  16  and thereby the first and second cold plates  22 ,  24  are supported by at least one mount  28  to the fixed structure  12 . The example fixed structure  12  could be a cabinet, wall, bulkhead or other fixed structure that provides a desired location for the devices  26 . Moreover, although cold plates  22 ,  24  are disclosed by way of example, any heat exchanging device could also be utilized and would benefit from the example disclosures. 
     The first and second cold plates  22 ,  24  include passages or fluid circuits through which the cooling medium flows to remove heat generated by the devices  26 . The devices  26  are mounted in thermal contact with each of the cold plates  22 ,  24  such that thermal energy is transferred through the cold plates  22 ,  24  to the fluid medium. In the disclosed example, the devices  26  are mounted on the corresponding cold plates  22 ,  24 . However, other mounting configurations that place the cold plate in thermal contact with the devices  26  are within the contemplation of this disclosure. 
     The cooling medium is supplied through inlets  30 A and  30 B mounted to the first cooling plate  22 . The cooling medium is then directed through passages ( FIG. 2 ) through the panel  16  to the second cooling plate  24 . The second cooling plate  24  includes outlets  32 A and  32  B that direct cooling medium through other portions of a cooling circulation system. 
     As appreciated, the cooling system may include a heat exchanger to dissipate heat absorbed by the cooling medium and a pump to power circulation of the cooling medium. Moreover, the example structural cold plate assembly  14  provides for the use of different cooling mediums such as different types of fluid in each of several separate circuits to provide desired thermal control capabilities. Further, although the example structural cooling plate assembly  14  includes two separate cooling circuits, one or more than two cooling circuits are also within the contemplation for use with the disclosed device. 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , the example panel  16  includes face sheets  42  that are attached to top and bottom surfaces of several intermediate internal structures. The example panel  16  includes a honeycomb portion  46  that includes a plurality of open cells that is sandwiched between the face sheets  42 . The open cell structure of the honeycomb portion  46  reduces the overall weight of the panel  16  while providing a desired structural integrity and strength. A frame structure  44  is also disposed between the face sheets  42  to provide a solid structure around the outer edges of the panel  16 . The frame structure  44  also provides a location into which fasteners can be inserted. 
     The example face sheets  42  are adhered to the honeycomb portion  46  and the frame structure  44  by an adhesive. The example adhesive is selected to provide the desired bond between the honeycomb portion  46 , the frame structure  44  and the face sheets  42  throughout the environmental operating range of the structural cold plate assembly  14 . 
     The first and second cold plates  22 ,  24  each include two separate fluid circuits. Each of the first and second cold plates includes a top cover  48  and a bottom cover  50 . Fluid circuit plates  54  and  52  are sandwiched between the top and bottom covers  48 ,  50 . Each of the fluid circuit plates  54 ,  52  define a portion of a passage through which a cooling medium flows. The cooling medium can include a cooling fluid, air, or gas along with a combination of fluid, air and gas that facilitate the removal of heat generated by the devices  26 . 
     The example structural cold plate assembly  14  includes a passage  40  through the panel  16 . The passage  40  is defined through a mount portion  38 . The mount portion  38  is positioned within the panel  16  and includes machined features for receiving first and second inserts  34 ,  36 . In the disclosed example the mount portion  38  includes internal threads  60  that mate with threads  68  of the inserts  34 ,  36 . The first and second inserts  34 ,  36  secure the corresponding cold plate  22 ,  24  to the panel  16  and further define a portion of the fluid passage through the panel  16 . As appreciated, the inserts  34 ,  36  secure a portion of the cold plates  22 ,  24 . Additional fastener may also be utilized as required to secure the cold plates  22 ,  24  to the panel  16 . 
     The mount portion  38  also receives alignment pins  74  that extend upward into a corresponding opening in each of the cold plates  22 ,  24 . The inserts  34 ,  36  include a threaded portion  68  that threadingly engages corresponding threads defined in the mount portion  38 . A longitudinal cavity  64  extends through a portion of each insert  34 ,  36  and is intersected by windows  62 . Cooling fluid from the cold plate  22  flows through the windows  62  into the longitudinal passage  64  into the passage  40  and through the second insert  36  into the second cold plate  24 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 3  with continued reference to  FIG. 2 , the inserts  34 ,  36  each include a cap  72  that includes a hex opening  70  for receiving a tool to tighten the insert into the mount portion  38 . Although a hex opening  70  is disclosed, other shapes that correspond with other tool configuration could also be utilized within the scope of this disclosure. 
     Each of the inserts  34 ,  36  include a seal groove  76  on which the seal  80  can be mounted. The seals  78  and  80  are provided on each of the inserts  34 ,  36  to provide a fluid or airtight seal between the mount portion  38  and the corresponding part of the cold plate. The example seals  78 ,  80  are o-rings that are mounted into corresponding o-ring grooves on the insert and the corresponding circuit plate. As appreciated, other seal configurations could be utilized within the scope of this disclosure. 
     The example inserts  34 ,  36  include the longitudinal passage  64  that terminates at one end at an opening  66  and dead ends at the cap  72  on another end. The windows  62  open transverse to the longitudinal passage  64  and communicate cooling medium transverse to the longitudinal passage  64 . 
     Each of the cold plates  22 ,  24  includes an opening  56  through which the corresponding insert  34 ,  36  is installed. In this disclosed example, the opening  56  extends through the top plate  48  and the first circuit plate  52 . The opening  56  through the top plate  48  and first circuit plate  52  is defined to receive the diameter of the cap  72 . The circuit plate  54  includes an opening large enough to receive the threaded portion such that a bottom portion of the cap  72  engages a ledge  58  of the circuit plate  54  and compresses the seal  78  sufficiently to provide the desired seal. 
     In this example each cold plate  22 ,  24  includes two fluid circuit plates  52 ,  54 . The example cap  72  extends through the fluid circuit plate  52  to align the windows  62  with the second fluid circuit plate  54 . Thereby fluid from the second fluid circuit plate  54  is permitted to flow through the windows  62  and into the longitudinally passage  64  that leads further to the second cold plate  24 . The example inserts  34 ,  36  can also be configured to provide fluid communication between the first fluid circuit plates  52  of each corresponding cold plate  22 ,  24 . In other words, another set of inserts  34 ,  36  can be provided within the example structural cold plate assembly  14  that aligns windows  62  with the specific ones of the fluid circuit plates  52 ,  54  that defines the desired fluid passage between fluid circuit plates in the different cold plates  22 ,  24 . 
     The seal  80  provides sealing of between the inserts  34 ,  36  and the cold plate  22 ,  24  to further seal against leakage past the threads  68 . The specific thread configuration between the threads  68  of each insert  34 ,  36  and the mount portion  38  provides not only a desired sealing feature, but also provides for securing each of the cold plates  22 ,  24  to the panel  16 . Because the threaded inserts  34 ,  36  are utilized for securing the cold plates  22 ,  24  to the panel  16 , it remains possible to disassemble each of the cold plates  22 ,  24  from the panel  16  by unthreading the corresponding inserts  34 ,  36 . 
     Alternatively, each of the inserts  34 ,  36  could also be welded to both provide a seal and to prevent disassembly. A weld can be provided at an interface between the outer circumference of the cap  72  and the adjacent circuit plate  54 , or top plate  48 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 5 , another example insert  84  includes a cap  85  that is welded about its outer perimeter to form the desired seal. In this example an electron beam welding process is utilized to form a weld  92  between the outer circumference of the cap  85  and the circuit plate  54 . The weld  92  provides the desired seal and therefore no seal is provided between the bottom surface of the cap  85  and the circuit plate  52  as is disclosed in the previous example. The insert  84  includes seals  88  and  90  that are disposed at the top and bottom of the threads  86 . The threads  86  engage corresponding threads  82  on the mount portion  38  to both hold the insert  84  and cold plate  22  in place. The example insert  84  includes windows  96  that intersect longitudinal passage  94  to define a portion of the passage  40 . 
     The example structural cooling plate assembly  14  is fabricated by first assembling the panel  16 . The example panel  16  is assembled by bonding the top and bottom face sheets  42  to the honeycomb portion  46  and frame structure  44  and the mount portion  38 . The mount portion  38  is positioned where the inserts are desired. The example panel  16  bonds the face sheets  42  to the surfaces utilizing an adhesive. As appreciated other bonding processes such as brazing could also be utilized. The face sheets  42  can be fabricated from sheet metal material along with other sheet materials that provide the desired structure and strength properties. 
     The first and second cold plates  22 ,  24  are then assembled to include the desired circuit configurations. The example cold plates  22 ,  24  include two circuit plates each that separate fluid circuits that will be connected by the fluid passage through the panel. The cold plates  22 ,  24  are mounted to the panel  16 . The openings  56  are then either created, or aligned through each of the cold plates  22 ,  24  and aligned with each other. In the example, the cold plates  22 ,  24  are aligned by engaging the pins  74 . Once the cold plates  22 ,  24  are aligned, the inserts  34 ,  36  are installed. The installation of the inserts  34 ,  36  include mounting of the seals  78 ,  80  and threading the insert  34 ,  36  into the corresponding threads of the mount portion  38 . With the inserts  34 ,  36  installed, a passage between both cold plates  22 ,  24  are formed. The inserts  34 ,  36  can then remain in the threaded condition that provides for disassembly if desired. Alternatively, the insert can be welded in place to prevent disassembly and provide a desired seal. 
     Accordingly, the example structural cold plate assembly  14  provides a two-sided thermal control structure that is built into the support structure and that reduces the number of exposed fluid conduits and connectors. Moreover, the integral structure of the disclosed structural cold plate assembly  14  aids in assembly and reduces overall package size and weight. 
     Although an example embodiment has been disclosed, a worker of ordinary skill in this art would recognize that certain modifications would come within the scope of this disclosure. For that reason, the following claims should be studied to determine the scope and content of this invention.