Microcomponent sheet architecture
AssigneeBattelle Memorial Institute
InventorsRobert S. Wegeng, M. Kevin Drost, Carolyn E. McDonald
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The invention is a microcomponent sheet architecture wherein macroscale unit processes are performed by microscale components. The sheet architecture may be a single laminate with a plurality of separate microcomponent sections or the sheet architecture may be a plurality of laminates with one or more microcomponent sections on each laminate. Each microcomponent or plurality of like microcomponents perform at least one unit operation. A first laminate having a plurality of like first microcomponents is combined with at least a second laminate having a plurality of like second microcomponents thereby combining at least two unit operations to achieve a system operation.
Claims15
A microcomponent sheet architecture, comprising:
- (a) a first laminate having a first plurality of microcomponents;
- attached to
- (b) a second laminate having a second plurality of microcomponents;
- (c) wherein said first laminate rejects heat and said second laminate receives heat;
- said first and second laminates attached to opposite sides of an insulating laminate forming a microcomponent thermal assembly.
A microcomponent sheet architecture, comprising;
- (a) a first laminate having a first portion and a second portion, the first portion having a first plurality of mocrocomponents wherein each of said first plurality of microcomponents further comprises:
- (a) a plurality of lands and flow paths;
- and
- (b) a fluid flowing through said flow paths;
- thereby
- (c) rejecting or receiving heat;
- the second portion having a second plurality of microcomponnts wherein each of said second plurality of mocrocomponents further comprises:
- (a) a plurality of active microcomponents;
- and
- (b) the fluid flowed through said flow paths by said active microcomponents;
- thereby
- (c) receiving or rejecting heat and extracting work from or compressing said fluid.
A microcomponent thermal assembly, comprising:
- (a) a first laminate having at least one microcomponent with a plurality of lands and flow paths;
- attached to
- (b) a first side of an insulating laminate;
- and
- (c) a second laminate having at least one microcomponent with a plurality of lands and flow paths, said second laminate attached to a second side of the insulating laminate;
- (d) wherein one or the other of the first and second laminates is used as a heat rejector and the remaining laminate is used as a heat receiver.
A microcomponent sheet architecture, comprising:
- (a) a first laminate having a first plurality of microcomponents for performing at least one unit operation;
- attached to
- (b) a unit requiring heat rejection,
- (c) wherein each of said first plurality of microcomponents further comprises;
- (1) a plurality of lands and flow paths;
- and
- (2) an evaporable fluid flowing through said flow paths;
- thereby
- (d) rejecting or receiving heat.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.