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US 11,486,607 B1Granted
Thermal management systems for extended operation
AssigneeBooz Allen Hamilton Inc.
InventorsJames A. Davis, Igor Vaisman, Joshua Peters
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Thermal management systems include an open circuit refrigeration system featuring a first receiver configured to store a gas, a second receiver configured to store a liquid refrigerant fluid, an evaporator configured to extract heat from a heat load that contacts the evaporator, and an exhaust line, where the first receiver, the second receiver, the evaporator, and the exhaust line are connected to provide a refrigerant fluid flow path.
Claims27
A thermal management system, comprising:
- an open circuit refrigeration system that has a refrigerant fluid flow path, with the refrigerant fluid flow path comprising:
- a first receiver that stores an inert gas;
- a second receiver that stores a liquid refrigerant fluid, with the second receiver coupled to the first receiver, and the inert gas disposed to maintain the liquid refrigerant in a subcooled state;
- an evaporator coupled to the second receiver, the evaporator receives the liquid refrigerant and configured to extract heat from a first heat load that contacts the evaporator;
- a heat exchanger connected in the refrigerant fluid flow path, with the heat exchanger configured to extract heat from a second heat load;
- and
- an exhaust line coupled to an outlet of the heat exchanger, the exhaust line discharges refrigerant vapor received from the heat exchanger, with the discharged refrigerant vapor not returning to the second receiver.
4 more elements
A thermal management method, comprising:
- transporting a refrigerant fluid along a refrigerant fluid flow path that extends from a refrigerant receiver through an evaporator and heat exchanger to an exhaust line;
- extracting heat from a first heat load in contact with the evaporator;
- transporting an inert gas from a gas receiver to the refrigerant receiver at least prior to transporting or during transporting of the refrigerant fluid, with transporting of the inert gas controlling a vapor pressure in the refrigerant receiver;
- transporting the refrigerant fluid through the heat exchanger connected along the refrigerant fluid flow path;
- extracting heat from a second heat load connected to the heat exchanger;
- and
- discharging the refrigerant fluid from the heat exchanger through the exhaust line so that the discharged refrigerant fluid is not returned to the refrigerant fluid flow path.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.