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A modular capillary pump loop (CPL) cooling system and associated components. The modular CPL cooling system transfers heat from high-power circuit components, such as microprocessors disposed within computer chassis, to other locations within or external to the chassis, where the heat can be more e

A modular capillary pump loop (CPL) cooling system and associated components. The modular CPL cooling system transfers heat from high-power circuit components, such as microprocessors disposed within computer chassis, to other locations within or external to the chassis, where the heat can be more easily removed. In various embodiments, the CPL cooling system includes one or more evaporators connected to one or more condensers via flexible liquid transport and vapor transport lines. A wicking structure, such as a volume of sintered copper, is disposed within each condenser. The wicking structure draws working fluid (e.g., water) in a liquid state into the evaporator based on a capillary mechanism and a pressure differential across a meniscus/vapor interface on an upper surface of the wicking structure. As the liquid meniscus is evaporated, additional fluid is drawn into the evaporator. The working fluid is then condensed back into a liquid in the condenser.

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What is claimed is: 1. A capillary pump loop (CPL) cooling system, comprising: a first evaporator, adapted to be thermally coupled to a first semiconductor heat source, including a cavity in which a working fluid is evaporated from a liquid state into a vapor state and having a liquid inlet port to

What is claimed is: 1. A capillary pump loop (CPL) cooling system, comprising: a first evaporator, adapted to be thermally coupled to a first semiconductor heat source, including a cavity in which a working fluid is evaporated from a liquid state into a vapor state and having a liquid inlet port to receive the working fluid in a liquid state and a vapor outlet port from which the working fluid exits the evaporator in a vapor state; a first wicking structure, having an input side to receive the working fluid in a liquid state and including a plurality of capillary channels to draw the working fluid into the evaporator through a capillary transport mechanism; a first condenser comprising a channeled base member having an external wall extending around a periphery thereof to which a cover plate is secured so as to define a sealed cavity, and further including a pair of internal walls, each internal wall including a portion disposed substantially adjacent to a portion of the external wall so as to define a capillary channel, said pair of internal walls dividing the sealed cavity into a condensing region and the capillary channels, a vapor inlet port to receive a working fluid in a vapor state operatively coupled to the sealed cavity, and a first liquid output port from which the working fluid exits the condenser, operatively coupled to an outlet ends of the capillary channels; a vapor transport line operatively coupling the vapor output port of the evaporator to the vapor inlet port of the condenser; and a liquid transport line operatively coupling the liquid output port of the condenser to the liquid inlet port of the evaporator. 2. The CPL cooling system of claim 1, wherein the first wicking structure is disposed within the cavity in the evaporator. 3. The CPL cooling system of claim 1, wherein the first condenser further includes in internal cavity in which a volume of the working fluid is maintained in its liquid state, thereby functioning as a reservoir in addition to a condenser. 4. The CPL cooling system of claim 1, further comprising a reservoir having an inlet operatively coupled to the liquid outlet port of the first condenser via a first portion of the liquid transport line and an outlet operatively coupled to the liquid inlet port of the evaporator via a second portion of the liquid transport line. 5. The CPL cooling system of claim 1, wherein the first wicking structure comprises a volume of a sintered material. 6. The CPL cooling system of claim 5, wherein the sintered material comprises a sintered copper. 7. The CPL cooling system of claim 1, wherein in first wicking structure comprises a piece of meshed material disposed within the evaporator. 8. The CPL cooling system of claim 1, further comprising: a second evaporator adapted to be thermally coupled to a second semiconductor heat source, including a cavity in which a working fluid is evaporated from a liquid state into a vapor state and having a liquid inlet port to receive a portion of the working fluid in a liquid state and a vapor outlet port from which a portion of the working fluid exits the evaporator in a vapor state; a second wicking structure, having an input side to receive the working fluid in a liquid state and including a plurality of capillary channels to draw the working fluid into the evaporator through a capillary transport mechanism; a vapor transport line connection segment operatively coupling the vapor outlet port of the second evaporator to the vapor transport line; and a liquid transport line connection segment operatively coupling the liquid inlet port of the second evaporator to the liquid transport line. 9. The CPL cooling system of claim 1, further comprising a heatsink thermally coupled to the condenser. 10. The CPL cooling system of claim 9, further comprising a fan disposed relative to the heatsink so as to draw air across the heatsink when the fan is operated. 11. The CPL cooling system of claim 1, wherein the working fluid comprise water. 12. The CPL cooling system of claim 1, further comprising: a second condenser to condense a portion of the working fluid front a vapor state into a liquid state, having a vapor inlet port to receive the working fluid in its vapor state and a liquid outlet port from which the working fluid exits the condenser in its liquid state; a vapor transport line connection segment operatively coupling the vapor inlet port of the second condenser to the vapor transport line; and a liquid transport line connection segment operatively coupling the liquid output port of the second condenser to the liquid transport line. 13. The CPL cooling system of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of each of the liquid transport line and the vapor transport line is flexible. 14. The CPL cooling system of claim 1, wherein the components of the cooling system are configured to operate in a computer server having a 1U form factor. 15. A capillary pump loop (CPL) cooling system, comprising: a first evaporator including: a base having a substantially flat bottom with a peripheral wall around the perimeter thereof, wherein the base and the peripheral wall define a cavity and wherein the bottom is configured to be thermally coupled to a semiconductor heat source, a top cover secured to the peripheral wall so as to define a sealed volume in which a working fluid is vaporized, a liquid inlet port operatively coupled to the sealed volume to receive the working fluid in a liquid state, a vapor liquid output port operatively coupled to the sealed volume from which the working fluid exits the evaporator in a vapor state, and a wicking structure, disposed within a portion of the cavity, having a top surface on which a meniscus of the working fluid is formed and a bottom surface into which the working fluid is drawn through a capillary mechanism and a pressure differential between a pressure of the working fluid in the meniscus and a pressure of vaporized working fluid in the sealed volume; a first condenser to condense the working fluid from a vapor state into a liquid state, having a vapor inlet port to receive the working fluid in its vapor state and a liquid outlet port from which the working fluid exits the condenser in its liquid state; a vapor transport line operatively coupling the vapor output port of the evaporator to the vapor inlet port of the condenser; and a liquid transport line operatively coupling the liquid output port of the condenser to the liquid inlet port of the evaporator. 16. The CPL cooling system of claim 15, wherein the first condenser further includes in internal cavity in which a volume of the working fluid is maintained in its liquid state, thereby functioning as a reservoir in addition to a condenser. 17. The CPL cooling system of claim 15, further comprising a reservoir having an inlet operatively coupled to the liquid outlet port of the first condenser via a first portion of the liquid transport line and an outlet operatively coupled to the liquid inlet port of the evaporator via a second portion of the liquid transport line. 18. The CPL cooling system of claim 15, wherein the first wicking structure comprises a volume of a sintered material. 19. The CPL cooling system of claim 18, wherein the sintered material comprises a sintered copper. 20. The CPL cooling system of claim 15, wherein in first wicking structure comprises a piece of meshed material disposed within the evaporator. 21. The CPL cooling system of claim 15, further comprising: a second evaporator adapted to be thermally coupled to a second semiconductor heat source, including a cavity in which a working fluid is evaporated from a liquid state into a vapor state and having a liquid inlet port to receive a portion of the working fluid in a liquid state and a vapor outlet port from which a portion of the working fluid exits the evaporator in a vapor state; a second wicking structure, having an input side to receive the working fluid in a liquid state and including a plurality of capillary channels to draw the working fluid into the evaporator through a capillary transport mechanism; a vapor transport line connection segment operatively coupling the vapor outlet port of the second evaporator to the vapor transport line; and a liquid transport line connection segment operatively coupling the liquid inlet port of the second evaporator to the liquid transport line. 22. The CPL cooling system of claim 15, further comprising a heatsink thermally coupled to the condenser. 23. The CPL cooling system of claim 22, further comprising a fan disposed relative to the heatsink so as to draw air across the heatsink when the fan is operated. 24. The CPL cooling system of claim 15, wherein the working fluid comprise water. 25. The CPL cooling system of claim 15, further comprising: a second condenser to condense a portion of the working fluid from a vapor state into a liquid state, having a vapor inlet port to receive the working fluid in its vapor state and a liquid outlet port from which the working fluid exits the condenser in its liquid state; a vapor transport line connection segment operatively coupling the vapor inlet port of the second condenser to the vapor transport line; and a liquid transport line connection segment operatively coupling the liquid output port of the second condenser to the liquid transport line. 26. The CPL cooling system of claim 15, wherein at least a portion of each of the liquid transport line and the vapor transport line is flexible. 27. The CPL cooling system of claim 15, wherein the components of the cooling system are configured to operate in a computer server having a 1U form factor. 28. The CPL cooling system of claim 15, further comprising posts connected to the bottom and extending substantially between to bottom and the top cover. 29. The CPL cooling system of claim 15, further comprising dimples in the top cover which extend substantially between the top cover and the bottom.