Autonomic cooling system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017089618-A1
Application number	US-201615274591-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 23, 2016
Priority date	Sep 25, 2015
Publication date	Mar 30, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

Autonomic cooling of a substrate is achieved using a porous thermal protective layer to provide evaporative cooling combined with capillary pumping. The porous thermal protective layer is manufactured onto the substrate. A vascular network is integrated between the substrate and the protective layer. Applied heat causes fluid contained in the protective layer to evaporate, removing heat. The fluid lost to evaporation is replaced by capillary pressure, pulling fluid from a fluid-containing reservoir through the vascular network. Cooling occurs as liquid evaporates from the protective layer.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An autonomic cooling system comprising a fluid-containing reservoir connected to a material containing the fluid,
the material comprising:
(a) a porous thermal protective layer;
(b) a substrate; and
(c) a vascularized layer integrated between the protective layer and the substrate;
where the system autonomically cools the material upon an application of sufficient heat from a heat source to the material, whereby the vascularized layer disperses the fluid throughout enough of the protective layer to produce a pressure gradient between the reservoir and the pores of the protective layer, the fluid in the protective layer evaporates to remove the applied heat, and the fluid lost by the evaporation is replaced via capillary pressure drawing fluid from the reservoir to the vascularized layer.

2 . The system of claim 1 , where the fluid comprises water, an alcohol, a glycol, an aldehyde, an amine, an amide, or a combination thereof.

3 . The system of claim 2 , where the fluid comprises water.

4 . The system of claim 1 , where the substrate comprises a metal, non-metal, ceramic, polymer, or combination thereof.

5 . The system of claim 4 , where the substrate comprises a polymeric matrix composite (PMC).

6 . The system of claim 5 , where the PMC comprises fiber-glass, carbon fiber, an epoxy resin, or a combination thereof.

7 . The system of claim 6 , where the PMC comprises a combination of the epoxy resin with the fiber-glass or the carbon fiber.

8 . The system of claim 7 , where the PMC has been bonded to the protective layer via an epoxy adhesive.

9 . The system of claim 7 , where the vascularized layer is formed by (i) bonding a sacrificial template of the vascularized layer to the protective layer, (ii) bonding the PMC to the protective layer, and (iii) removing the sacrificial template to form the vascularized layer integrated between the substrate and the protective layer.

10 . The system of claim 9 , where the sacrificial template comprises polylactic acid (PLA)/tin (II) oxalate (SnO x ).

11 . The system of claim 1 , where the protective layer comprises a metal, alloy, polymer, traditional ceramic, advanced ceramic, or a combination thereof.

12 . The system of claim 11 , where the protective layer comprises titanium (Ti), aluminum (Al), stainless steel, alumina (Al 2 O 3 ), titania (TiO 2 ), zirconia (ZrO 2 ), or a combination thereof.

13 . The system of claim 11 , where the protective layer is integrated into the system by (i) filling the pores with a pore filler, (ii) bonding the protective layer to the substrate, and (iii) removing the pore filler.

14 . The system of claim 13 , where the pore filler comprises an alcohol.

15 . The system of claim 14 , where the pore filler comprises isomalt.

16 . The system of claim 1 , where the vascularized layer comprises one or more inlets, one or more straight and/or branching channels, or a combination thereof.

17 . The system of claim 1 , where the integrated vascularized layer is bonded to (i) the protective layer, (ii) the substrate, or (iii) a combination thereof.

18 . A method of manufacturing a material comprising:
(a) providing a porous thermal protective layer; (b) filling the pores of the protective layer with a pore filler; (c) cleaning at least one of the surfaces of the protective layer; (d) bonding a sacrificial template of a vascularized layer to the cleaned surface of the protective layer; (e) bonding a substrate to the cleaned surface of the protective layer; (f) removing the pore filler from the pores of the protective layer; and (g) removing the sacrificial template to form the vascularized layer integrated between the substrate and the protective layer.

19 . A method of autonomically cooling a material exposed to a heat source, comprising
(a) providing the heat source; (b) providing a fluid-containing reservoir connected to the material; and (c) filling the material with the fluid from the reservoir; where the material comprises:
(a) a porous thermal protective layer;
(b) a substrate; and
(c) a vascularized layer integrated between the protective layer and the substrate; and
where the system autonomically cools the material upon an application of sufficient heat from the heat source to the material, whereby the vascularized layer disperses the fluid throughout enough of the protective layer to produce a pressure gradient between the reservoir and the pores of the protective layer, the fluid in the protective layer evaporates to remove the applied heat, and the fluid lost by the evaporation is replaced via capillary pressure drawing fluid from the reservoir to the vascularized layer.

20 . The method of claim 19 , where the fluid comprises water.

Assignees

• Univ Illinois

Inventors

• Coppola Anthony
• White Scott R
• Sottos Nancy R

Classifications

• B32B15/00

  Layered products comprising {a layer of} metal · CPC title

• B32B27/06

  as the main or only constituent of a layer, {which is} next to another layer of {the same or of} a {different material (next to a layer of a particular substance B32B9/045; next to a bituminous or tarry layer B32B11/046; next to a water setting substance layer B32B13/12; next to a metal layer B32B15/08; next to a glass layer B32B17/10; next to a layer formed of natural mineral fibres or particles B32B19/045; next to a wood layer B32B21/08; next to a cellulosic plastic layer B32B23/08; next to a natural or synthetic rubber layer B32B25/08)} · CPC title

• B32B18/00

  Layered products essentially comprising ceramics, e.g. refractory products · CPC title

• B32B9/045

  of synthetic resin · CPC title

• B32B7/12

  using interposed adhesives or interposed materials with bonding properties · CPC title