Pool boiling system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9974208-B2
Application number	US-201514666881-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 24, 2015
Priority date	Mar 24, 2015
Publication date	May 15, 2018
Grant date	May 15, 2018

Abstract

Pool boiling systems, cooling systems configured to cool one or more heat generating portions of a vehicle, and methods of maintaining a functional orientation of a pool boiling unit are disclosed. A pool boiling system may include the pool boiling unit and a stabilizing unit coupled to the pool boiling unit. The stabilizing unit maintains the pool boiling unit in a functional orientation across a plurality of operating orientations of the pool boiling system.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A pool boiling system comprising:
a pool boiling unit; and
a stabilizing unit coupled to the pool boiling unit, wherein the stabilizing unit maintains the pool boiling unit in a vertical orientation across a plurality of operating orientations of the pool boiling system.

2. The pool boiling system of claim 1 , wherein the pool boiling unit is thermally coupled to a heat generating device such that the pool boiling unit cools the heat generating device by pool boiling cooling.

3. The pool boiling system of claim 1 , wherein the stabilizing unit is a gyroscope.

4. The pool boiling system of claim 3 , wherein the gyroscope comprises:
an outer frame coupled to a fixed surface such that the outer frame pivots about a first axis that extends perpendicularly from the fixed surface;
a first gimbal pivotally mounted to the outer frame such that the first gimbal rotates about a second axis that is perpendicular to the first axis;
a second gimbal pivotally mounted to the first gimbal such that the second gimbal rotates about a third axis that is perpendicular to the second axis; and
the pool boiling unit pivotally mounted to the second gimbal.

5. The pool boiling system of claim 1 , further comprising an electronic device configured to receive one or more signals from the stabilizing unit and direct the stabilizing unit to adjust an orientation of the stabilizing unit to maintain the pool boiling unit in the vertical orientation.

6. The pool boiling system of claim 1 , wherein the pool boiling unit comprises:
a heat exchanger;
a reservoir for containing a fluid in a liquid state, wherein the reservoir is thermally coupled to a heat generating device;
a conduit fluidly coupling the heat exchanger with the reservoir such that the fluid circulates between the heat exchanger and the reservoir by natural convection; and
one or more fans positioned adjacent to the heat exchanger, wherein the one or more fans promote cooling of the fluid in the heat exchanger.

7. The pool boiling system of claim 6 , wherein the fluid is a dielectric material.

8. The pool boiling system of claim 6 , wherein the heat exchanger is a finned condenser.

9. A cooling system for cooling one or more heat generating components of a vehicle, the cooling system comprising:
a pool boiling unit thermally coupled to the one or more heat generating components of the vehicle; and
a stabilizing unit coupled to the pool boiling unit, wherein the stabilizing unit maintains the pool boiling unit in a vertical orientation over a plurality of operating orientations of the vehicle.

10. The cooling system of claim 9 , wherein the stabilizing unit is a gyroscope.

11. The cooling system of claim 10 , wherein the gyroscope comprises:
an outer frame coupled to a fixed surface such that the outer frame pivots about a first axis that extends perpendicularly from the fixed surface;
a first gimbal pivotally mounted to the outer frame such that the first gimbal rotates about a second axis that is perpendicular to the first axis;
a second gimbal pivotally mounted to the first gimbal such that the second gimbal rotates about a third axis that is perpendicular to the second axis; and
the pool boiling unit pivotally mounted to the second gimbal.

12. The cooling system of claim 9 , further comprising an electronic device configured to receive one or more signals from the stabilizing unit and direct the stabilizing unit to adjust an orientation of the stabilizing unit to maintain the pool boiling unit in the vertical orientation.

13. The cooling system of claim 9 , wherein the pool boiling unit comprises:
a heat exchanger;
a reservoir for containing a fluid in a liquid state, wherein the reservoir is thermally coupled to a heat generating device;
a conduit fluidly coupling the heat exchanger with the reservoir such that the fluid circulates between the heat exchanger and the reservoir by natural convection; and
one or more fans positioned adjacent to the heat exchanger, wherein the one or more fans promote cooling of the fluid in the heat exchanger.

14. The cooling system of claim 13 , wherein the fluid is a dielectric material.

15. A method of maintaining a pool boiling unit in a vertical orientation, the method comprising:
monitoring an orientation of the pool boiling unit; and
if the orientation of the pool boiling unit is not in a vertical orientation, directing a stabilizing unit to orient the pool boiling unit in the vertical orientation.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein monitoring the orientation comprises monitoring at least one of the following portions of the stabilizing unit: an outer frame, a first gimbal, and a second gimbal.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein monitoring the orientation comprises receiving one or more signals from the stabilizing unit indicative of the orientation of the pool boiling unit.

Assignees

• Toyota Eng & Mfg North America

Inventors

• Joshi Shailesh N
• Dede Ercan Mehmet

Classifications

• H10W40/226

  characterised by projecting parts, e.g. fins to increase surface area (leadframes for cooling H10W70/461) · CPC title

• H10W40/73

  for cooling by change of state · CPC title

• H10W40/43

  by flowing gases, e.g. forced air cooling · CPC title

• B60K1/00

  Arrangement or mounting of electrical propulsion units (B60K7/00 takes precedence; arrangement or mounting of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion B60K6/00) · CPC title

• H05K7/20327 Primary

  Accessories for moving fluid, for connecting fluid conduits, for distributing fluid or for preventing leakage, e.g. pumps, tanks or manifolds · CPC title