Device temperature regulator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11029098-B2
Application number	US-201916282477-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 22, 2019
Priority date	Sep 9, 2016
Publication date	Jun 8, 2021
Grant date	Jun 8, 2021

Abstract

A device temperature regulator includes a forward passage in which a forward flow passage is formed to cause a working fluid to flow to a heat absorber from a heat radiator, and a backward passage in which a backward flow passage is formed to cause the working fluid to flow to the heat radiator from the heat absorber. In addition, the device temperature regulator includes a bubble generator, which generates a bubble in the working fluid collecting in the heat absorber and having a liquid phase, and a controller that causes the bubble generator to generate the bubble in a precondition is satisfied.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A device temperature regulator in which a working fluid circulates and which regulates a temperature of a target device by a phase change between a liquid phase and a gas phase of the working fluid, the device temperature regulator comprising:
a heat absorber that causes the working fluid to absorb heat from the target device, so as to evaporate the working fluid;
a heat radiator that is arranged above the heat absorber and that causes the working fluid to radiate heat, so as to condense the working fluid;
a forward passage in which a forward flow passage is provided, the forward flow passage causing the working fluid to flow to the heat absorber from the heat radiator;
a backward passage in which a backward flow passage is provided, the backward flow passage causing the working fluid to flow to the heat radiator from the heat absorber;
a bubble generator configured to generate a bubble in the working fluid collecting in the heat absorber and having the liquid phase; and
a controller configured to cause the bubble generator to generate the bubble (i) when the working fluid circulates in a fluid circulation circuit made of the heat radiator, the forward passage, the heat absorber and the backward passage, to cool the target device, and (ii) when a circulation flow rate of the working fluid circulating in the fluid circulation circuit is a specified flow rate or less.

2. The device temperature regulator according to claim 1 , wherein
the controller causes the bubble generator to generate the bubble, in a case where a precondition is satisfied and where the circulation flow rate of the working fluid is the specified flow rate or less.

3. The device temperature regulator according to claim 2 , wherein
the controller causes the bubble generator to temporarily generate the bubble, in a case where the precondition is satisfied and where the circulation flow rate of the working fluid is the specified flow rate or less.

4. The device temperature regulator according to claim 3 , wherein
when the circulation flow rate of the working fluid becomes more than the specified flow rate in a case where the controller causes the bubble generator to start generating the bubble, the controller causes the bubble generator to stop generating the bubble.

5. The device temperature regulator according to claim 3 , wherein
when a predetermined time passes after the bubble generator starts generating the bubble, the controller causes the bubble generator to stop generating the bubble.

6. The device temperature regulator according to claim 2 , wherein
the case where the precondition is satisfied is a case where the heat absorber is inclined by a specified angle or more with respect to a predetermined reference posture.

7. The device temperature regulator according to claim 2 , wherein
the case where the precondition is satisfied is a case where the temperature of the target device becomes a specified temperature threshold value or more.

8. The device temperature regulator according to claim 1 , wherein
the heat absorber is provided with an inflow port causing the forward flow passage to communicate with an interior of the heat absorber, and an outflow port causing the backward flow passage to communicate with the interior of the heat absorber, and
the bubble generator is arranged at a position closer to the inflow port than the outflow port of the heat absorber.

9. The device temperature regulator according to claim 8 , wherein the bubble generator is provided in the heat absorber.

10. The device temperature regulator according to claim 1 , wherein
the forward passage includes a bubble-generator arrangement part in which the bubble generator is provided, and a lower arrangement part arranged below the bubble-generator arrangement part, and
the lower arrangement part is arranged closer to a side of the heat radiator than the bubble-generator arrangement part in a working fluid flow in the forward flow passage.

11. The device temperature regulator according to claim 1 , wherein
the forward passage includes a bubble-generator arrangement part in which the bubble generator is provided, and a check valve that allows the working fluid to flow to the heat absorber from the heat radiator while inhibiting the working fluid from flowing backward, and
the check valve is arranged closer to a side of the heat radiator than the bubble-generator arrangement part in a working fluid flow in the forward flow passage.

12. The device temperature regulator according to claim 1 , wherein
the bubble generator heats the working fluid of the liquid phase to generate the bubble.

13. The device temperature regulator according to claim 1 , wherein
the bubble generator applies an ultrasonic vibration to the working fluid of the liquid phase to generate the bubble.

14. A device temperature regulator in which a working fluid circulates and which regulates a temperature of a target device by a phase change between a liquid phase and a gas phase of the working fluid, the device temperature regulator comprising:
a heat absorber that causes the working fluid to absorb heat from the target device, so as to evaporate the working fluid;
a heat radiator that is arranged above the heat absorber and that causes the working fluid to radiate heat, so as to condense the working fluid;
a forward passage in which a forward flow passage is provided, the forward flow passage causing the working fluid to flow to the heat absorber from the heat radiator;
a backward passage in which a backward flow passage is provided, the backward flow passage causing the working fluid to flow to the heat radiator from the heat absorber;
a bubble generator configured to generate a bubble in the working fluid collecting in the heat absorber and having the liquid phase; and
a controller configured to cause the bubble generator to generate the bubble, (i) when the working fluid circulates in a fluid circulation circuit made of the heat radiator, the forward passage, the heat absorber and the backward passage, to cool the target device, and (ii) when an upstream side area of the working fluid within the heat absorber is the liquid phase and a downstream side area of the working fluid within the heat absorber is the gas phase.

15. A device temperature regulator for regulating a temperature of a target device by a phase change between a liquid phase and a gas phase of the working fluid, the device temperature regulator comprising:
a heat absorber disposed in a fluid circulation circuit in which the working fluid circulates, to evaporate the working fluid by absorbing heat from the target device;
a heat radiator disposed in the fluid circulation circuit above the heat absorber and configured to condense the working fluid by radiating heat;
a forward passage through which the working fluid flows to the heat absorber from the heat radiator in the fluid circulation circuit;
a backward passage through which the working fluid flows to the heat radiator from the heat absorber in the fluid circulation circuit;
a heater disposed at the heat absorber to heat the working fluid, the heater being configured to generate a bubble in the working fluid of the liquid phase in the heat absorber by heating the working fluid; and
a controller configured to cause the heater to generate the bubble, when at least one of a condition where a circulation flow rate of the working fluid circulating in the fluid circulation circuit is a specified flow rate or less, a condition where the heat absorber is inclined by a specified angle or more with respect to a reference posture, or

Assignees

• Denso Corp

Inventors

• Takeuchi Masayuki
• Omi Yasumitsu
• Yamanaka Takashi
• Kato Yoshiki
• Yoshinori Takeshi
• Miura Koji

Classifications

• H01M10/652

  characterised by gradients (for achieving a desired temperature gradient H01M10/617) · CPC title

• B60H2001/00307

  Component temperature regulation using a liquid flow · CPC title

• H01M10/63

  Control systems (charging or discharging in response to temperature H01M10/44 {, H01M10/443}; measurement of temperature H01M10/48 {, H01M10/486}) · CPC title

• H01M2220/20

  Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane · CPC title

• H01M10/625

  Vehicles · CPC title