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US 7,743,619 B1Granted
Heat exchanger system
AssigneeIsothermal Research Systems, Inc.
InventorsCharles L. Tilton, Philip W. Appel
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A heat exchanger system for efficiently thermally managing coolant within a multiple-phase thermal management system. The heat exchanger system includes a thermal management unit, a release valve within the thermal management unit to release vaporized coolant, and a heat exchanger fluidly connected to the release valve and to the thermal management unit to return liquid coolant to the thermal management unit.
Claims53
A thermal management system for thermally managing one or more heat producing electronic devices, comprising:
- a thermal management unit;
- a release valve fluidly connected to said thermal management unit to selectively release a coolant from within said thermal management unit, wherein said coolant is in a substantially vaporized state;
- and
- a heat exchanger having an inlet and an outlet, wherein said inlet of said heat exchanger is fluidly connected to said release valve to receive the vaporized coolant and wherein said outlet is fluidly connected to said thermal management unit to return liquid coolant to said thermal management unit;
- wherein said release valve is opened and closed based upon an environmental condition of said thermal management unit;
- wherein vaporized coolant is transferred from said thermal management unit to said heat exchanger via a passive transfer system.
3 more elements
A thermal management system for thermally managing one or more heat producing electronic devices, comprising:
- a plurality of thermal management units;
- a plurality of release valves fluidly connected respectively to said plurality of thermal management units to selectively release a coolant from within said plurality of thermal management units, wherein said coolant is in a substantially vaporized state;
- and
- a heat exchanger having an inlet and an outlet, wherein said inlet of said heat exchanger is fluidly connected to said plurality of release valves to receive the vaporized coolant and wherein said outlet is fluidly connected to said plurality of thermal management units to return liquid coolant to said plurality of thermal management units.
1 more element
A thermal management system for thermally managing one or more heat producing devices, comprising:
- a thermal management unit;
- a heat exchanger having an inlet and an outlet;
- and
- a valve fluidly connected to said thermal management unit, to said inlet and to said outlet, wherein said valve selectively releases substantially vaporized coolant from within said thermal management unit to said heat exchanger and wherein said valve selectively returns liquid coolant from said heat exchanger to said thermal management unit;
- wherein said valve is comprised of a proportional valve to simultaneously release the vaporized coolant to said heat exchanger and return the liquid coolant from said heat exchanger.
2 more elements
A method of thermally conditioning coolant within a thermal management unit, said method comprising:
- accumulating vaporized coolant within a thermal management unit;
- releasing at least a portion of said vaporized coolant when an internal pressure or an internal temperature within said thermal management unit exceeds a first level;
- terminating said step of releasing when said internal pressure or said internal temperature is below a second level;
- returning liquid coolant from a heat exchanger to said thermal management unit until the released vaporized coolant has been substantially replaced.
1 more element
A method of thermally conditioning coolant within a thermal management unit, said method comprising:
- accumulating vaporized coolant within a thermal management unit;
- releasing at least a portion of said vaporized coolant having a first mass flow rate when an internal pressure within said thermal management unit exceeds a first level;
- and
- returning liquid coolant from a heat exchanger to said thermal management unit having a second mass flow rate, wherein said second mass flow rate is substantially equal to said first mass flow rate.
1 more element
A thermal management system for thermally managing one or more heat producing electronic devices, comprising:
- a thermal management unit;
- a release valve fluidly connected to said thermal management unit to selectively release a coolant from within said thermal management unit, wherein said coolant is in a substantially vaporized state;
- and
- a heat exchanger having an inlet and an outlet, wherein said inlet of said heat exchanger is fluidly connected to said release valve to receive the vaporized coolant and wherein said outlet is fluidly connected to said thermal management unit to return liquid coolant to said thermal management unit;
- a return valve fluidly connected between said heat exchanger and said thermal management unit to control a flow of liquid coolant to said thermal management unit, wherein said return valve is closed when a desired coolant level exists within said thermal management unit.
2 more elements
A thermal management system for thermally managing one or more heat producing devices, comprising:
- a thermal management unit;
- a heat exchanger having an inlet and an outlet;
- and
- a valve fluidly connected to said thermal management unit, to said inlet and to said outlet, wherein said valve selectively releases substantially vaporized coolant from within said thermal management unit to said heat exchanger and wherein said valve selectively returns liquid coolant from said heat exchanger to said thermal management unit;
- wherein said valve is comprised of a 3-way valve to release the vaporized coolant to said heat exchanger and to return the liquid coolant from said heat exchanger.
2 more elements
A thermal management system for thermally managing one or more heat producing electronic devices, comprising:
- a thermal management unit;
- a release valve fluidly connected to said thermal management unit to selectively release a coolant from within said thermal management unit, wherein said coolant is in a substantially vaporized state;
- and
- a heat exchanger having an inlet and an outlet, wherein said inlet of said heat exchanger is fluidly connected to said release valve to receive the vaporized coolant and wherein said outlet is fluidly connected to said thermal management unit to return liquid coolant to said thermal management unit;
- wherein said release valve is opened and closed based upon an environmental condition of said thermal management unit;
- a return valve fluidly connected between said heat exchanger and said thermal management unit to control a flow of liquid coolant to said thermal management unit, wherein said return valve is closed when a desired coolant level exists within said thermal management unit.
3 more elements
A thermal management system for thermally managing one or more heat producing electronic devices, comprising:
- a thermal management unit;
- a release valve fluidly connected to said thermal management unit to selectively release a coolant from within said thermal management unit, wherein said coolant is in a substantially vaporized state;
- and
- a heat exchanger having an inlet and an outlet, wherein said inlet of said heat exchanger is fluidly connected to said release valve to receive the vaporized coolant and wherein said outlet is fluidly connected to said thermal management unit to return liquid coolant to said thermal management unit;
- wherein said release valve is opened and closed based upon an environmental condition of said thermal management unit;
- a return valve fluidly connected between said heat exchanger and said thermal management unit to control a flow of liquid coolant to said thermal management unit, wherein said return valve is open when a desired coolant level does not exist within said thermal management unit.
3 more elements
A thermal management system for thermally managing one or more heat producing electronic devices, comprising:
- a thermal management unit;
- a release valve fluidly connected to said thermal management unit to selectively release a coolant from within said thermal management unit, wherein said coolant is in a substantially vaporized state;
- and
- a heat exchanger having an inlet and an outlet, wherein said inlet of said heat exchanger is fluidly connected to said release valve to receive the vaporized coolant and wherein said outlet is fluidly connected to said thermal management unit to return liquid coolant to said thermal management unit;
- wherein said release valve is opened and closed based upon an environmental condition of said thermal management unit;
- a return valve fluidly connected between said heat exchanger and said thermal management unit to control a flow of liquid coolant to said thermal management unit, wherein said return valve is opened to approximately replace the coolant vented through said release valve.
3 more elements
A thermal management system for thermally managing one or more heat producing electronic devices, comprising:
- a thermal management unit;
- a release valve fluidly connected to said thermal management unit to selectively release a coolant from within said thermal management unit, wherein said coolant is in a substantially vaporized state;
- and
- a heat exchanger having an inlet and an outlet, wherein said inlet of said heat exchanger is fluidly connected to said release valve to receive the vaporized coolant and wherein said outlet is fluidly connected to said thermal management unit to return liquid coolant to said thermal management unit;
- wherein said release valve is opened and closed based upon an environmental condition of said thermal management unit, wherein said release valve is closed when a pressure within said thermal management unit is below a minimum pressure and wherein said release valve is open when a pressure within said thermal management unit is above said minimum pressure.
2 more elements
A thermal management system for thermally managing one or more heat producing electronic devices, comprising:
- a thermal management unit;
- a release valve fluidly connected to said thermal management unit to selectively release a coolant from within said thermal management unit, wherein said coolant is in a substantially vaporized state;
- and
- a heat exchanger having an inlet and an outlet, wherein said inlet of said heat exchanger is fluidly connected to said release valve to receive the vaporized coolant and wherein said outlet is fluidly connected to said thermal management unit to return liquid coolant to said thermal management unit;
- wherein said release valve is opened and closed based upon an environmental condition of said thermal management unit, wherein said release valve is closed when a temperature within said thermal management unit is below a minimum temperature and wherein said release valve is open when a temperature within said thermal management unit is above said minimum temperature.
2 more elements
A thermal management system for thermally managing one or more heat producing electronic devices, comprising:
- a thermal management unit;
- a release valve fluidly connected to said thermal management unit to selectively release a coolant from within said thermal management unit, wherein said coolant is in a substantially vaporized state;
- a heat exchanger having an inlet and an outlet, wherein said inlet of said heat exchanger is fluidly connected to said release valve to receive the vaporized coolant and wherein said outlet is fluidly connected to said thermal management unit to return liquid coolant to said thermal management unit;
- wherein said release valve is opened and closed based upon an environmental condition of said thermal management unit;
- and
- a reservoir fluidly connected between said heat exchanger and said thermal management unit.
3 more elements
A thermal management system for thermally managing one or more heat producing electronic devices, comprising:
- a thermal management unit;
- a release valve fluidly connected to said thermal management unit to selectively release a coolant from within said thermal management unit, wherein said coolant is in a substantially vaporized state;
- a heat exchanger having an inlet and an outlet, wherein said inlet of said heat exchanger is fluidly connected to said release valve to receive the vaporized coolant and wherein said outlet is fluidly connected to said thermal management unit to return liquid coolant to said thermal management unit;
- wherein said release valve is opened and closed based upon an environmental condition of said thermal management unit;
- and
- a return pump fluidly connected between said heat exchanger and said thermal management unit.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.