MEMS-based cooling systems for closed and open devices

A system, comprising:

• an active cooling system including a plurality of cooling cells, each of the plurality of cooling cells including a cooling element in communication with a fluid and configured to use vibrational motion to direct the fluid toward a surface of at least one heat-generating structure to extract heat from the at least one heat-generating structure, the at least one heat-generating structure being part of the system having a case, the active cooling system being within the case, wherein the cooling element is a centrally anchored cooling element, the centrally anchored cooling element having a central region, the central region having a perimeter, the centrally anchored cooling element being supported by a support structure at the central region, a first portion of the perimeter of the central region undergoing the vibrational motion, a second portion of the perimeter of the central region being located on an opposite side of the central region from the first portion and undergoing the vibrational motion, an orifice plate being disposed between the cooling element and the surface of the at least one heat-generating structure, an orifice being disposed in the orifice plate, a jet channel being located between a surface of the orifice plate and the surface of the at least one heat-generating structure;
• wherein the system is configured such that the fluid follows a path from the surface of the at least one heat-generating structure past a structure within the system, the structure absorbing heat from the fluid, the structure being within the system and distal from the active cooling system, wherein the path of the fluid includes passing through the orifice in the orifice plate to the jet channel.

A method, comprising:

• driving a cooling element of an active cooling system to induce vibrational motion at a frequency, the cooling element being in communication with a fluid and configured to use the vibrational motion to direct the fluid toward a surface of at least one heat-generating structure to extract heat from the at least one heat-generating structure, the heat-generating structure being part of a system having a case, the active cooling system being within the case, wherein the cooling element is a centrally anchored cooling element, the centrally anchored cooling element having a central region, the central region having a perimeter, the centrally anchored cooling element being supported by a support structure at the central region, a first portion of the perimeter of the central region undergoing the vibrational motion, a second portion of the perimeter of the central region being located on an opposite side of the central region from the first portion and undergoing the vibrational motion, an orifice plate being disposed between the cooling element and the surface of the at least one heat-generating structure, an orifice being disposed in the orifice plate, a jet channel being located between a surface of the orifice plate and the surface of the at least one heat-generating structure;
• and
• directing the fluid to follow a path from the surface of the at least one heat-generating structure past a wherein the system is configured such that the fluid follows a path from the surface of the at least one heat-generating structure past a structure of the system having a lower temperature than the surface of the at least one heat-generating structure, the structure absorbing heat from the fluid, the structure being within the system and distal from the active cooling system, wherein the path of the fluid includes passing through the orifice in the orifice plate to the jet channel.