Systems and methods for spray cooling

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10156402-B1
Application number	US-201615291698-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Oct 12, 2016
Priority date	Oct 12, 2015
Publication date	Dec 18, 2018
Grant date	Dec 18, 2018

Abstract

The present disclosure is directed to systems, devices and methods for cooling a surface with a plurality of ejectors. The fluid provided to the micro-ejectors includes vapor formed at the surface. The vapor provides the driving force for driving fluid through the micro-ejectors.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A device for cooling a heat source, comprising:
a housing;
a plurality of ejectors disposed within the housing
wherein an ejector of the plurality of ejectors comprises:
a first inlet for providing a first fluid to a converging inlet nozzle; and
a second inlet for providing a second fluid to a motive fluid nozzle, wherein the motive fluid nozzle directs the second fluid nozzle into the converging inlet nozzle to entrain the first fluid and form a fluid mixture;

a diverging outlet diffuser that receives the fluid mixture from the converging inlet nozzle and forms a fluid jet that is directed toward a heated surface and into a fluid heating zone adjacent to and in thermal communication with the heat source; a first conduit disposed within the housing between the fluid heating zone and the first inlet; and a second conduit disposed within the housing between the fluid heating zone and the second inlet.

2. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a wicking material disposed in the first conduit.

3. The device of claim 2 , wherein the wicking material is selected from a group consisting of porous ceramics, porous metals and porous cermets.

4. A system, comprising:
a component comprising a heated surface; and
a device comprising:
a housing;
a plurality of ejectors disposed within the housing
wherein an ejector of the plurality of ejectors comprises:
a first inlet for providing a first fluid to a converging inlet nozzle;
a second inlet for providing a second fluid to a motive fluid nozzle, wherein the motive fluid nozzle directs the second fluid nozzle into the converging inlet nozzle to entrain the first fluid and form a fluid mixture;
a diverging outlet diffuser that receives the fluid mixture from the converging inlet nozzle and forms a fluid jet that is directed toward the heated surface and into a fluid heating zone adjacent to and in thermal communication with the heated surface, the fluid heating zone defined between the plurality of ejectors and the heated surface;
a first conduit disposed within the housing between the fluid heating zone and the first inlet; and
a second conduit disposed within the housing between the fluid heating zone and the second inlet.

5. The system of claim 4 , further comprising:
a wicking material disposed in the first conduit.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the wicking material is selected from a group consisting of porous ceramics, porous metals and porous cermets.

7. A method for cooling a heated surface of a component, comprising
separating a fluid heated at a heated surface into a vaporized fluid stream and a liquid stream;
injecting the vaporized fluid stream into the liquid stream in a converging inlet nozzle to form a two phase fluid stream;
forming a fluid jet in a diverging outlet diffuser; and
directing the jet of fluid directly toward the heated surface.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the vaporized fluid stream provides a motive force for driving the fluid jet.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the liquid stream is transported by a wicking material.

10. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
removing heat from the liquid stream.

11. The method of claim 7 , wherein the fluid is a refrigerant.

Assignees

• Nat Tech & Eng Solutions Sandia Llc

Inventors

• Carlson Matthew David

Classifications

• H10W40/475

  using jet impingement (H10W40/776 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H10W40/73

  for cooling by change of state · CPC title

• F28D15/04

  with tubes having a capillary structure · CPC title

• F28F13/08

  by varying the cross-section of the flow channels · CPC title

• F28D15/046

  characterised by the material or the construction of the capillary structure · CPC title