US 4,759,191 A · Miniaturized cooling device and method of use

Abstract

Disclosed is a self-contained, rapid cooling device that retains heat produced from the cooling process and can be stored for indefinite periods without loosing its cooling potential. A liquid in a first chamber undergoes a change of phase into vapor, which cools the first chamber. A sorbent in a second chamber is in fluid communication with the vapor and removes the vapor from the first chamber. The cooling process is facilitated by lining the interior surface of the first chamber with a wicking material to retain the largest possible contact between the liquid and the first chamber as the level of the liquid lowers during the vaporization process. A phase separator prevents unvaporized liquid from passing into the second chamber. The device is self-contained because a material in contact with the sorbent removes the heat from the sorbent to prevent the reduction in the cooling effect produced by the first chamber.

Claims32

Dependent claims

A self-contained cooling apparatus, comprising:

a first chamber containing a liquid having a vapor pressure at 20.degree. C. of above about 9 mm Hg;
a second evacuated chamber containing a sorbent for said liquid;
a conduit connecting said first and second chambers;
a valve in said conduit for preventing flow through said conduit between said chambers;
an actuator for opening said valve to connect said first and second chambers, permitting said liquid to vaporize and permitting said vapor to pass through said conduit and into said sorbent, whereby the evaporation of said liquid serves to cool said first chamber;
and
apparatus for substantially inhibiting the heat which is generated in said sorbent during sorption of said vapor from escaping from said self-contained apparatus, said apparatus comprising a material thermally coupled to said sorbent for removing heat from said sorbent.

4 more elements

A method for cooling, comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a cooling device comprising:
(i) a first chamber containing a liquid having a vapor pressure at 20.degree. C. of above about 9 mm Hg.;
(ii) a second evacuated chamber containing a sorbent for said liquid;
(iii) a conduit connecting said first and said second chamber;
(iv) a valve in the conduit preventing communication between said first chamber and said second chamber while said valve is closed;
and
(v) means for opening said valve to connect said first and said second chamber;
(b) opening said valve to permit communication between said first chamber and said second chamber, whereby the pressure in said first chamber is reduced, causing said liquid to boil, forming a vapor, which vapor is directed through said conduit into said second chamber;
(c) removing vapor from said second chamber by collecting same in said sorbent until an equilibrium condition is reached, wherein said sorbent is substantially saturated or substantially all of the liquid originally in said first chamber has been collected in said sorbent;
and
(d) substantially inhibiting heat from said sorbent from escaping from said self-contained apparatus, said inhibiting step comprising:
providing, in thermal communication with said sorbent, a material for removing heat from said sorbent, and
removing heat from said sorbent by means of said heat removing material while said sorbent is removing liquid vapor from said first chamber.

10 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Miniaturized cooling device and method of use

Life of this patent

Miniaturized cooling device and method of use

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims32