US 12,460,882 B2 · Passive flow control for captive vortex

Abstract

A passive vortex formed or induced from a temperature difference across a cavity or void aggregates and supports a horizontal flow over the top of the cavity. A cavity of a suitable depth and width exhibits a small difference in temperature, or heat source, along the sides or bottom of cavity. A resulting convective flow tends to form a rising current along a warmer side, and a complementary downward current on an opposed side of the cavity. The formed vortex tends to draw the cooler downward flow across the warmer, heated surface, enhancing the vortex flow. The vortex aligns with a horizontal flow across the top of the cavity as the upward current complements the downward current on an opposed side of the cavity. A plurality of adjacent cavities tend to align with an aggregate horizontal flow contributed from each cavity.

Claims7

Dependent claims

A thermal device, comprising:

a cavity having walls adjacent a flow surface flush with a top of the cavity;
a plurality of opposed side surfaces defining an interior of the cavity;
a bottom surface adjacent the opposed side surfaces;
and
a heat source thermally engaged with at least one of the opposed side surfaces and the bottom surface, the heat source defining a thermal difference between at least one of the opposed side surfaces and a bottom of the cavity, the heat source inducing a vortex flow in the cavity, the vortex aligned with a fluidic flow across the flow surface at the top of the cavity,
the plurality of opposed side surfaces defining a temperature differential between at least two of the opposed side surfaces, the temperature differential resulting in a cyclic convective flow across the opposed side surfaces and across an open void aligned with the flow surface.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Passive flow control for captive vortex

Life of this patent

Passive flow control for captive vortex

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims7