Integrated power and cooling architecture

An apparatus comprising:

• a substrate with an electrical conductor on at least one side thereof;
• an electrical load mounted on the substrate in electrical communication with the electrical conductor;
• and
• a thermal management structure abutting the substrate and in thermal communication with at least a portion of a heat producing section of the electrical load, wherein the thermal management structure comprises a structural support, a phase change material integrated into a void space of the structural support, and a thermoelectric device in electrical communication with the electrical conductor and in thermal communication with both the heat producing portion of the electrical load and the phase change material.

A transmit/receive apparatus comprising:

• a substrate with an electrical interconnect circuit on at least one side thereof;
• a plurality of electronic components defining an electronics submodule, the electronics submodule disposed on the substrate in electrical communication with the electrical interconnect circuit;
• a radiating element proximate an outer surface of the transmit/receive apparatus and in electrical communication with the electronics submodule;
• an energy storage device mounted on the substrate in electrical communication with the electrical interconnect circuit;
• and
• a thermal management structure abutting the substrate and in thermal communication with at least a portion of the heat producing section of the electronics submodule, wherein the thermal management structure comprises a structural support and a phase change material integrated into a void space of the structural support.

An apparatus positioned in a space of an airborne vehicle for transmitting or receiving electromagnetic radiation, the apparatus comprising:

• a unit within a faradaic shield comprising a plurality of electronic elements, at least one energy storage device, at least one substrate, and at least one thermal management structure;
• and
• at least one radiating element having a first surface that is conformal to an outer surface of the airborne vehicle and a second surface that is in electrical communication with the unit,
• wherein each of the electronic elements, the energy storage device, the substrate, and the thermal management structure are arranged in a planar-stacked arrangement, the electronic elements and the energy storage device being electrically interconnected to produce a desired wavelength of electromagnetic radiation emitted from the radiating element, and wherein the electronic elements, the energy storage device, the substrate, and the thermal management structure are in thermal contact to maintain a temperature of at least the electronic components below a predetermined temperature.

A method to manage thermal energy generated by an electronic device, the method comprising the steps of:

• developing a thermal gradient across a thermal management structure comprising a phase change material;
• supplying an electrical energy to the electronic device, which generates thermal energy;
• dissipating a first portion of the thermal energy generated by the electronic device using the phase change material,
• absorbing at least a second portion of the thermal energy generated by the electronic device using a thermoelectric device positioned between the electronic device and the phase change material;
• converting thermal energy absorbed by the thermoelectric device into electrical energy;
• and
• supplying the converted electrical energy to the electronic device.