Phase change based cooling for high burst mode heat loads with temperature regulation above the phase change temperature
Abstract
An apparatus and method for transferring thermal energy from a heat load is disclosed. In particular, use of a phase change material and specific flow designs enables cooling with temperature regulation well above the fusion temperature of the phase change material for medium and high heat loads from devices operated intermittently (in burst mode). Exemplary heat loads include burst mode lasers and laser diodes, flight avionics, and high power space instruments. Thermal energy is transferred from the heat load to liquid phase change material from a phase change material reservoir. The liquid phase change material is split into two flows. Thermal energy is transferred from the first flow via a phase change material heat sink. The second flow bypasses the phase change material heat sink and joins with liquid phase change material exiting from the phase change material heat sink. The combined liquid phase change material is returned to the liquid phase change material reservoir. The ratio of bypass flow to flow into the phase change material heat sink can be varied to adjust the temperature of the liquid phase change material returned to the liquid phase change material reservoir. Varying the flowrate and temperature of the liquid phase changemore »
- Inventors:
-
- (Washington, DC)
- Issue Date:
- Research Org.:
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE
- OSTI Identifier:
- 970598
- Patent Number(s):
- 7633980
- Application Number:
- 12/039,766
- Assignee:
- The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy (Washington, DC)
- Patent Classifications (CPCs):
-
F - MECHANICAL ENGINEERING F28 - HEAT EXCHANGE IN GENERAL F28D - HEAT-EXCHANGE APPARATUS, NOT PROVIDED FOR IN ANOTHER SUBCLASS, IN WHICH THE HEAT-EXCHANGE MEDIA DO NOT COME INTO DIRECT CONTACT
F - MECHANICAL ENGINEERING F28 - HEAT EXCHANGE IN GENERAL F28F - DETAILS OF HEAT-EXCHANGE AND HEAT-TRANSFER APPARATUS, OF GENERAL APPLICATION
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-48
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION
Citation Formats
The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy. Phase change based cooling for high burst mode heat loads with temperature regulation above the phase change temperature. United States: N. p., 2009.
Web.
The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy. Phase change based cooling for high burst mode heat loads with temperature regulation above the phase change temperature. United States.
The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy. Tue .
"Phase change based cooling for high burst mode heat loads with temperature regulation above the phase change temperature". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/970598.
@article{osti_970598,
title = {Phase change based cooling for high burst mode heat loads with temperature regulation above the phase change temperature},
author = {The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy},
abstractNote = {An apparatus and method for transferring thermal energy from a heat load is disclosed. In particular, use of a phase change material and specific flow designs enables cooling with temperature regulation well above the fusion temperature of the phase change material for medium and high heat loads from devices operated intermittently (in burst mode). Exemplary heat loads include burst mode lasers and laser diodes, flight avionics, and high power space instruments. Thermal energy is transferred from the heat load to liquid phase change material from a phase change material reservoir. The liquid phase change material is split into two flows. Thermal energy is transferred from the first flow via a phase change material heat sink. The second flow bypasses the phase change material heat sink and joins with liquid phase change material exiting from the phase change material heat sink. The combined liquid phase change material is returned to the liquid phase change material reservoir. The ratio of bypass flow to flow into the phase change material heat sink can be varied to adjust the temperature of the liquid phase change material returned to the liquid phase change material reservoir. Varying the flowrate and temperature of the liquid phase change material presented to the heat load determines the magnitude of thermal energy transferred from the heat load.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Dec 15 00:00:00 EST 2009},
month = {Tue Dec 15 00:00:00 EST 2009}
}