Uniform temperature, ultrahigh flux heat sinks using curved surface subcooled nucleate boiling

A novel type of heat exchange process is described for use in semiconductor heat sinks. It involves the use of subcooled, nucleate boiling at concave curved surfaces where radial acceleration can be used to develop significant and beneficial buoyancy forces. This system provides a heat transfer surface with a uniform temperature, i.e. the boiling point of the fluid, and requires no vapor-liquid separation process since all vapor bubbles are immediately condensed in the subcooled liquid. The authors describe the use of concave curved surfaces to generate an extremely efficient heat transfer device, which provides a high packing density (3000 chips/ft/sup 3/) and is capable of a heat exchange rate of 300000 W/ft/sup 3/. Further benefits include a minimal thermal stress and a low thermal resistance on the order of 0.11 degrees C cm/sup 2//W.<>