Method and apparatus for cooling electrical components

An apparatus for cooling an electrical component which comprises:

• at least one sorber having a housing forming an enclosure;
• a sorbent located within the enclosure;
• the sorber including at least one port through which a sorbate may be communicated to the sorbent;
• wherein the sorbate is adsorbed by the sorbent to form a sorbate/sorbent compound;
• an electromagnetic wave generator;
• means for coupling electromagnetic waves generated by the electromagnetic wave generator to the sorber;
• wherein electromagnetic waves transmitted by the electromagnetic wave generator are propagated through the enclosure to desorb the sorbate from the sorbate/sorbent compound;
• wherein the sorbate/sorbent compound is not heated by the electromagnetic waves to a degree sufficient to thermally desorb the sorbate from the sorbate/sorbent compound;
• a condenser connected downstream of the sorber in communication with the enclosure;
• an evaporator connected between the condenser and the port and coupled in heat-exchange relation to the electrical component;
• and
• a controllable valve interposed between the condenser and the evaporator;
• wherein sorbate which is desorbed in the sorber is condensed in the condenser and then controllably released into the evaporator to create a cooling effect and thereby cool the electrical component, after which the sorbate is drawn back into the sorber.