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US 12,595,937 B2Granted
Thermal management apparatus
AssigneeBAE SYSTEMS plc
InventorLeon Paul Skorczewski
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Provided is a thermal management apparatus for use with a vehicle, the apparatus comprising a plurality of phase change heat exchange units thermally coupled with a vehicle system that requires thermal management, the plurality of phase change heat exchange units operable to remove heat from the vehicle system.
Claims25
A thermal management apparatus for use with a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:
- a plurality of phase change heat exchange units thermally coupled with a vehicle system that requires thermal management, the plurality of phase change heat exchange units being operable to remove heat from the vehicle system, each of the phase change heat exchange units being configured to absorb heat during a heating period until its heat-absorbing capacity is exhausted, and then to re-cool during a cooling period during which heat is not directed to the phase change heat exchange unit, said cooling period being longer than said heating period;
- and
- a controller configured to cause a manifold operable under control of the controller to cyclically repeat the following steps:
- A) direct the heat from the vehicle system to a first of the phase change heat exchange units until the heat-absorbing capacity of the first phase change heat exchange unit is exhausted;
- B) direct the heat from the vehicle system to a next one of the phase change heat exchange units until the heat-absorbing capacity of the next one of the phase change heat exchange units is exhausted;
- and
- C) repeat step B) by directing the heat from the vehicle system to successive next ones of the phase change heat exchange units until the cooling period of the first phase change heat exchange unit has elapsed.
4 more elements
A method of thermal management of a vehicle system, the method comprising:
- providing:
- a plurality of phase change heat exchange units thermally coupled with the vehicle system, each of the phase change heat exchange units being configured to absorb heat during a heating period until its heat-absorbing capacity is exhausted, and then to re-cool during a cooling period during which heat is not directed to the phase change heat exchange unit, said cooling period being longer than said heating period;
- a controller operatively coupled to the phase change heat exchange units;
- and
- a manifold operable under control of the controller;
- and
- causing the manifold to cyclically repeat the following steps:
- A) direct the heat from the vehicle system to a first of the phase change heat exchange units until the heat-absorbing capacity of the first phase change heat exchange units is exhausted;
- B) direct the heat from the vehicle system to a next one of the phase change heat exchange units until the heat-absorbing capacity of the next one of the phase change heat exchange units is exhausted;
- and
- C) repeat step B) by directing the heat from the vehicle system to successive next ones of the phase change heat exchange units until the cooling period of the first phase change heat exchange unit has elapsed.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.