Thermal management systems
AssigneeBooz Allen Hamilton Inc.
InventorsIgor Vaisman, Joshua Peters
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A thermal management system is described. The thermal management system includes an open circuit refrigeration circuit that has a refrigerant fluid flow path, with the refrigerant fluid flow path including a receiver configured to store a refrigerant fluid, an ejector having a primary flow inlet configured to receive refrigerant, a liquid separator, an evaporator configured to extract heat from a heat load that contacts the evaporator, with the evaporator coupled to the ejector and the liquid separator, and an exhaust line coupled to a vapor side outlet of the liquid separator. In operation, the evaporator in the open circuit refrigeration circuit would be coupled to a heat load.
Claims31
A thermal management system, comprising:
- an open circuit refrigeration fluid flow path, with the open circuit refrigeration fluid flow path comprising:
- a receiver configured to store a refrigerant fluid, the receiver having a receiver outlet;
- an ejector having a primary inlet coupled to the receiver outlet, a secondary inlet, and an outlet;
- a liquid separator having an inlet and first and second outlets;
- a first evaporator configured to extract heat from a first heat load that contacts the first evaporator, the first evaporator coupled between the outlet of the ejector and the inlet of the liquid separator;
- a second evaporator configured to extract heat from a second heat load that contacts the second evaporator, the second evaporator coupled between the first outlet of the liquid separator and the secondary inlet of the ejector;
- and
- an exhaust line coupled to the second outlet of the liquid separator, with the open circuit refrigerant fluid path using the exhaust line to discharge refrigerant vapor from the liquid separator without returning the discharged refrigerant vapor to the receiver.
A thermal management system comprises:
- an open circuit refrigeration fluid flow path, with the open circuit refrigeration fluid flow path comprising:
- a first receiver configured to store a gas;
- a second receiver configured to store a refrigerant fluid;
- a control device coupled between an outlet of the first receiver and an inlet to the second receiver, configured to control a refrigerant vapor pressure in the second receiver;
- an ejector having a primary inlet coupled to the second receiver, a secondary inlet, and an outlet;
- a liquid separator having an inlet and first and second outlets;
- an expansion valve having an inlet coupled to the first outlet of the liquid separator, and further having an outlet;
- a first evaporator configured to extract heat from a first heat load that contacts the first evaporator, the first evaporator coupled between the outlet of the ejector and the inlet of the liquid separator;
- a second evaporator configured to extract heat from a second heat load that contacts the second evaporator, the second evaporator coupled between the outlet of the expansion valve and the secondary inlet of the ejector;
- and
- an exhaust line coupled to the second outlet of the liquid separator, with the open circuit refrigerant fluid path using the exhaust line to discharge refrigerant vapor from the liquid separator without returning the discharged refrigerant vapor to the second receiver.
A thermal management method, comprising:
- transporting a refrigerant fluid along an open circuit refrigerant fluid flow path that extends from a receiver that stores refrigerant through a primary nozzle of an ejector;
- transporting a secondary flow into a secondary nozzle of the ejector within which the primary flow and secondary flow are mixed to provide a mixed flow;
- transporting the mixed flow through a first evaporator towards a liquid separator;
- transporting refrigerant from a liquid side outlet of the liquid separator through a second evaporator to provide the secondary flow into the secondary nozzle;
- transporting refrigerant vapor from the liquid separator to an exhaust circuit;
- and
- discharging the refrigerant vapor from the exhaust circuit so that the discharged refrigerant vapor is not returned to the open circuit refrigerant fluid flow path.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.