# US 10,119,767 B2 · Two-phase thermal loop with membrane separation > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,119,767 B2 - Document ID: US10119767B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/429,789 - Filed: 2017-02-10 - Published: 2018-08-16 - Granted: 2018-11-06 - Earliest claimed: 2017-02-10 - Assignees: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation - Applicants: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation - Inventors: Gary A. Adamson; Wei-Lin Cho - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10119767B2 ## CPC - F28D 15/06: Control arrangements therefor - B01D 19/0031: {by filtration} - F28D 15/025: {having non-capillary condensate return means} - F28D 15/0258: {with means to remove contaminants, e.g. getters} - F28D 15/0266: {with separate evaporating and condensing chambers connected by at least one conduit; Loop-type heat pipes; with multiple or common evaporating or condensing chambers (F28D15/043 takes precedence)} - F28D 15/04: with tubes having a capillary structure - F28D 15/043: {forming loops, e.g. capillary pumped loops} - F28F 27/00: Control arrangements or safety devices specially adapted for heat-exchange or heat-transfer apparatus (control arrangements in general G05) - F28F 27/02: for controlling the distribution of heat-exchange media between different channels ({static flow control means in header boxes F28F9/026}; arrangements of guide plates or guide vanes F28F9/22, F28F25/12) - B01D 2311/2673: Evaporation - F28D: HEAT-EXCHANGE APPARATUS, NOT PROVIDED FOR IN ANOTHER SUBCLASS, IN WHICH THE HEAT-EXCHANGE MEDIA DO NOT COME INTO DIRECT CONTACT (fluid heaters having heat generating means and heat transferring means F24H; furnaces F27; details of heat-exchange apparatus of general) - B01D: SEPARATION (separating solids from solids by wet methods B03B, B03D; by pneumatic jigs or tables B03B; by other dry methods B07; magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high-voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges, vortex apparatus B04; presses per se for squeezing-out liquid from liquid-containing material B30B9/02; treatment of water C02F, e.g. softening by ion-exchange C02F1/42; {arrangements of air intake cleaners in gas turbine plants F02C7/05} ; arrangements or mounting of filters in air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation F24F13/28) - F28F: DETAILS OF HEAT-EXCHANGE AND HEAT-TRANSFER APPARATUS, OF GENERAL APPLICATION (water and air traps, air venting F16) ## Abstract A thermal management loop system may include an accumulator, an evaporator in fluid receiving communication with the accumulator, a condenser in fluid receiving communication with the evaporator, and a membrane separator in fluid receiving communication with the condenser. Gas exiting the membrane separator may recirculate back to the condenser and liquid exiting the membrane separator may flow to the accumulator. The thermal management loop system may be a dual-mode system and thus may be operable in a powered-pump mode or a passive-capillary mode. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A dual-mode thermal management loop system configured to operate in either a powered-pump mode or a passive-capillary mode, wherein the dual-mode thermal management loop system comprises: a controller having a processor; and a tangible, non-transitory memory configured to communicate with the processor, the tangible, non-transitory memory having instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by the processor, cause the dual-mode thermal management loop system to perform operations comprising: identifying, by the processor, a heat transfer load on the dual-mode thermal management loop system, wherein identifying the heat transfer load comprises detecting a flow of fluid in a membrane separator that is fluidly coupled between a condenser and an accumulator; determining, by the processor, whether the heat transfer load exceeds a predetermined threshold; in response to determining that the heat transfer load does not exceed the predetermined threshold, operating, by the processor, the dual-mode thermal management loop system in the passive-capillary mode; and in response to determining that the heat transfer load exceeds the predetermined threshold, operating, by the processor, the dual-mode thermal management loop system in the powered-pump mode. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The dual-mode thermal management loop system of claim 1, wherein operating the dual-mode thermal management loop system in the passive-capillary mode comprises transmitting a first valve command to a first valve to prevent fluid circulation through a pump. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The dual-mode thermal management loop system of claim 1, wherein operating the dual-mode thermal management loop system in the powered-pump mode comprises transmitting a first valve command to a first valve to prevent fluid circulation through a pump bypass line. ### Claim 4 A method of controlling a dual-mode thermal management loop system, the method comprising: identifying, by a controller, a heat transfer load on the dual-mode thermal management loop system; determining, by the controller, whether the heat transfer load exceeds a predetermined threshold; in response to determining that the heat transfer load does not exceed the predetermined threshold, operating, by the controller, the dual-mode thermal management loop system in a passive-capillary mode; and in response to determining that the heat transfer load exceeds the predetermined threshold, operating, by the controller, the dual-mode thermal management loop system in a powered-pump mode. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein identifying the heat transfer load comprises detecting a flow of fluid in a membrane separator that is fluidly coupled between a condenser and an accumulator. ### Claim 6 A dual-mode thermal management loop system configured to operate in either a powered-pump mode or a passive-capillary mode, wherein the dual-mode thermal management loop system comprises: a controller having a processor; and a tangible, non-transitory memory configured to communicate with the processor, the tangible, non-transitory memory having instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by the processor, cause the dual-mode thermal management loop system to perform operations comprising: identifying, by the processor, a heat transfer load on the dual-mode thermal management loop system, wherein identifying the heat transfer load comprises determining whether an evaporator is dried out; determining, by the processor, whether the heat transfer load exceeds a predetermined threshold; in response to determining that the heat transfer load does not exceed the predetermined threshold, operating, by the processor, the dual-mode thermal management loop system in the passive-capillary mode; and in response to determining that the heat transfer load exceeds the predetermined threshold, operating, by the processor, the dual-mode thermal management loop system in the powered-pump mode.