Thermal management system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016169591-A1
Application number	US-201414570204-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 15, 2014
Priority date	Dec 15, 2014
Publication date	Jun 16, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A system is disclosed. The system includes a thermally conductive enclosure bounding an interior cavity, a metallic cell wall structure disposed within the cavity, in thermal communication with the enclosure, and defining a plurality of cells, and a phase change material disposed within the cells and in thermal communication with the cell walls. The plurality of cells have a cell width less than about 5 millimeters, and the cell wall thickness of the cell wall structure is in a range from about 0.25 millimeter to about 1 millimeter.

First claim

1 . A system, comprising:
a thermally conductive enclosure bounding an interior cavity; a metallic cell wall structure disposed within the cavity and in thermal communication with the enclosure, the structure comprising:
a plurality of cells with cell width less than about 5 millimeters, and
cell wall thickness in a range from about 0.25 millimeter to about 1 millimeter; and
a phase change material disposed within the cells and in thermal communication with the cell walls.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the cell width is greater than about 0.5 millimeter.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the cell width is less than about 2 millimeters.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein a total cell porosity within the interior cavity is in a range from about 50% to about 88%.

5 . The system of claim 4 , wherein the total cell porosity within the interior cavity is in a range from about 70% to about 85%.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein a ratio of the surface area of the cell walls to the cell volume is in a range from about 50 m 2 /m 3 to about 1500 m 2 /m 3 .

7 . The system of claim 1 , comprising a thermal conductor disposed between the enclosure and the cell wall structure.

8 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the thermal conductor comprises a heat pipe, vapor chamber, copper rod, aluminum rod, diamond rod, graphite conductor, or any combinations thereof.

9 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the enclosure, thermal conductor, cell wall structure, and the phase change material within the cells are respectively disposed in thermal communication.

10 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the cell walls have a corrugated structure.

11 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the metallic cell wall structure is integral with the enclosure.

12 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the metallic cell wall structure is a monolithic conductor.

13 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the metallic cell wall structure comprises a heat pipe, a vapor chamber, or a combination of heat pipe and vapor chamber.

14 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the cell wall comprises an anti-corrosive, hydrophilic, or a combination of anti-corrosive and hydrophilic coating.

15 . The system of claim 1 , comprising multiple cell wall structures disposed in the cavity.

16 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the phase change material comprises an inorganic material having solid to liquid transformation at the operating temperature of the interior cavity.

17 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the enclosure is a monolithic conductor.

18 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the enclosure comprises a vapor chamber structure, embedded heat pipe, or a combination of vapor chamber structure and embedded heat pipe.

19 . A system, comprising:
a thermally conductive enclosure bounding an interior cavity; a metallic cell wall structure disposed within the cavity and in thermal communication with the enclosure, the structure comprising:
a plurality of cells with cell width less than about 5 millimeters, and
cell wall thickness in a range from about 0.25 millimeter to about 1 millimeter;
a phase change material disposed within the cells and in thermal communication with the cell walls; and a thermal conductor disposed in thermal communication with the enclosure and the cell wall structure.

20 . A system, comprising:
an enclosure having a vapor chamber structure bounding an interior cavity; a metallic cell wall structure integral to the enclosure and disposed within the cavity, the structure comprising:
a heat pipe, a vapor chamber, or a combination of heat pipe and vapor chamber;
a plurality of cells with cell width less than about 5 millimeters, and
cell wall thickness in a range from about 0.25 millimeter to about 1 millimeter; and
a phase change material disposed within the cells and in thermal communication with cell walls.

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Thiagarajan Naveenan
• De Bock Hendrik Pieter Jacobus
• Gerstler William Dwight

Classifications

• H10W40/735

  by melting or evaporation of solids · CPC title

• H10W40/00

  Arrangements for thermal protection or thermal control (integrated devices comprising arrangements for thermal protection H10D89/60) · CPC title

• F28D15/02 Primary

  in which the medium condenses and evaporates, e.g. heat pipes {(heat pipes used in solar heat collectors F24S10/95; in radiators F28D1/0226; in nuclear reactors G21C15/257)} · CPC title

• Y02E60/10

  Energy storage using batteries · CPC title

• H01M10/659

  by heat storage or buffering, e.g. heat capacity or liquid-solid phase changes or transition · CPC title