Thermal management system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11859922-B2
Application number	US-202217745754-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 16, 2022
Priority date	May 8, 2019
Publication date	Jan 2, 2024
Grant date	Jan 2, 2024

Abstract

A thermal management system for a body to be exposed to solar radiation includes an infrared radiating element and a solar-scattering cover disposed on or integrated with the infrared radiating element. The thermal management system further includes a thermal storage sub-system in fluid connection with a solar panel via thermal interconnections.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A thermal management system for a body to be exposed to solar radiation, comprising:
an infrared radiating element;
a solar-scattering cover disposed on or integrated with the infrared radiating element; and
a thermal storage sub-system in fluid connection with a solar panel via thermal interconnections, wherein the thermal interconnections comprise a circulating fluid loop or a heat pipe, and wherein the body to be exposed to the solar radiation includes a photovoltaic (PV) power generator.

2. The thermal management system as defined in claim 1 wherein the solar-scattering cover comprises a nanostructured, IR-transparent polymer selected from nanostructured polyethylene (nanoPE) or nanostructured polyacrylonitrile (nanoPAN).

3. The thermal management system as defined in claim 1 wherein:
the solar-scattering cover is to scatter sunlight diffusely or directionally away from the body;
the solar-scattering cover is substantially transparent to infrared radiation; and
the infrared radiating element is to emit infrared radiation through the solar-scattering cover.

4. A thermal management system for a body to be exposed to solar radiation, comprising:
an infrared radiating element;
a solar-scattering cover disposed on or integrated with the infrared radiating element, wherein the solar-scattering cover comprises a nanostructured, IR-transparent polymer selected from nanostructured polyethylene (nanoPE) or nanostructured polyacrylonitrile (nanoPAN);
a thermal storage sub-system in fluid connection with a solar panel via thermal interconnections; and
a dielectric material disposed on or embedded in the nanostructured, IR-transparent polymer to increase solar scattering of the solar-scattering cover and to protect the nanostructured, IR-transparent polymer from ultra-violet radiation, wherein the dielectric material is deposited on the nanostructured, IR-transparent polymer by physical vapor deposition or by a solution-based process, or embedded into the nanostructured, IR-transparent polymer by electrospinning, wherein the dielectric material is selected from the group consisting of ZnS, ZnO, TiO 2 and combinations thereof.

5. The thermal management system as defined in claim 4 , wherein the body to be exposed to the solar radiation includes a photovoltaic (PV) power generator.

6. The thermal management system as defined in claim 5 wherein the thermal interconnections are passive.

7. A thermal management system for a body to be exposed to solar radiation, comprising:
an infrared radiating element;
a solar-scattering cover disposed on or integrated with the infrared radiating element; and
a thermal storage sub-system in fluid connection with a solar panel via thermal interconnections, wherein:
the solar-scattering cover is to scatter sunlight diffusely or directionally away from the body;
the solar-scattering cover is substantially transparent to infrared radiation;
the infrared radiating element is to emit infrared radiation through the solar-scattering cover;
the solar-scattering cover comprises a nanostructured, IR-transparent polymer; and
the thermal management system further comprises:
a dielectric material disposed on or embedded in the nanostructured, IR-transparent polymer to increase solar scattering of the solar-scattering cover and to protect the nanostructured, IR-transparent polymer from ultra-violet radiation.

8. The thermal management system as defined in claim 7 wherein the nanostructured, IR-transparent polymer is nanostructured polyacrylonitrile (nanoPAN).

9. The thermal management system as defined in claim 7 wherein the solar-scattering cover includes a film, the film comprising the nanostructured, IR-transparent polymer.

10. The thermal management system as defined in claim 9 , wherein the film further comprises:
a first layer including a first flexible polymeric material;
a second layer disposed on the first layer, the second layer including the nanostructured, IR-transparent polymer; and
a third layer disposed on the second layer, the third layer including a second flexible polymeric material, wherein the film is to be removably installed on the infrared radiating element.

11. The thermal management system as defined in claim 10 , wherein the film is further to be reinstalled on the infrared radiating element after being removed from the infrared radiating element.

12. The thermal management system as defined in claim 10 , wherein the nanostructured, IR-transparent polymer includes nanostructured polyacrylonitrile (nanoPAN).

13. The thermal management system as defined in claim 10 , wherein the first flexible polymeric material includes polyethylene; and wherein the second flexible polymeric material includes polyethylene.

14. A thermal management system for a body to be exposed to solar radiation, comprising:
an infrared radiating element;
a solar-scattering cover disposed on or integrated with the infrared radiating element; and
a thermal storage sub-system in fluid connection with a solar panel via thermal interconnections,
wherein:
the solar-scattering cover is to scatter sunlight diffusely or directionally toward an underside of the solar panel; and
the solar-scattering cover is substantially transparent to infrared radiation to allow the infrared radiating element to emit infrared radiation through the solar-scattering cover.

15. The thermal management system as defined in claim 14 wherein the solar-scattering cover comprises a nanostructured, IR-transparent polymer.

16. The thermal management system as defined in claim 15 wherein the nanostructured, IR-transparent polymer is nanostructured polyacrylonitrile (nanoPAN).

17. The thermal management system as defined in claim 15 wherein the nanostructured, IR-transparent polymer is nanostructured polyethylene (nanoPE).

18. A thermal management system for a body to be exposed to solar radiation, comprising:
an infrared radiating element;
a solar-scattering cover disposed on or integrated with the infrared radiating element, wherein the solar-scattering cover comprises a nanostructured, IR-transparent polymer;
a thermal storage sub-system in fluid connection with a solar panel via thermal interconnections; and
a dielectric material disposed on or embedded in the nanostructured, IR-transparent polymer to increase solar scattering of the solar-scattering cover and to protect the nanostructured, IR-transparent polymer from ultra-violet radiation, wherein the dielectric material is deposited on the nanostructured, IR-transparent polymer by physical vapor deposition or by a solution-based process, or embedded into the nanostructured, IR-transparent polymer by electrospinning, wherein the dielectric material is selected from the group consisting of ZnS, ZnO, TiO 2 and combinations thereof, wherein the body to be exposed to the solar radiation includes a photovoltaic (PV) power generator.

19. A thermal management system for a body to be exposed to solar radiation, comprising:
an infrared radiating element;
a solar-scattering cover disposed on or integrated with the infrared radiating element; and
a thermal storage sub-system in fluid connection with a solar panel via thermal interconnections, wherein:
the thermal storage sub-system is to shift and distribute a peak solar heat load over a twenty-four hour time period;
the thermal storage sub-system is to store excess off-peak cooling for use during peak hours;
the thermal storage sub-system is to store natural convection energy; and
the thermal s

Assignees

• Univ Michigan Regents

Inventors

• Lenert Andrej
• Kim Hannah Meekyung

Classifications

• F28F21/089 Primary

  Coatings, claddings or bonding layers made from metals or metal alloys (F28F19/06 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F28F1/32

  the means having portions engaging further tubular elements · CPC title

• H02S40/44

  Means to utilise heat energy, e.g. hybrid systems producing warm water and electricity at the same time (directly associated with the PV cell or integrated with the PV cell H10F77/67) · CPC title

• F24S40/52 Primary

  by modifying the heat collection, e.g. by defocusing or by changing the position of heat-receiving elements · CPC title

• F24S40/55

  Arrangements for cooling, e.g. by using external heat dissipating means or internal cooling circuits (by venting F24S40/53) · CPC title