System and method for transducer array cooling through forced convection
First Claim
1. A method of cooling an ultrasound transducer:
- immersing, at least partially, said transducer in a volume of fluid contained within a housing, said fluid comprising a first portion occupying a first location in said housing, said first location being proximate to said transducer;
receiving thermal energy from said transducer by said first portion;
inducing movement of said fluid within said housing;
moving, in response to said inducing, said first portion having said thermal energy from said first location to at least a second location in said housing, said second location being different from said first location;
moving, in response to said inducing, a second portion of said fluid to said first location; and
receiving thermal energy from said transducer by said second portion.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for cooling an entirely or partially immersed mechanical or other type of transducer array is disclosed. Motion/flow of the immersion fluid is induced either by motion of the mechanical transducer itself, where the transducer is of the mechanically movable type, or by a separate motion-inducing mechanism located in or coupled with the fluid-filled, or partially filled, array housing. The resultant fluid flow/motion increases, i.e. more efficiently utilizes, the thermal carrying capacity of the immersion fluid by more uniformly distributing the thermal energy convected from the transducer array throughout the fluid volume. This results in an improved ability to cool the transducer array. The disclosed cooling system and method may be used in such a way so as to not substantially inhibit operation of the transducer array.
43 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method of cooling an ultrasound transducer:
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immersing, at least partially, said transducer in a volume of fluid contained within a housing, said fluid comprising a first portion occupying a first location in said housing, said first location being proximate to said transducer;
receiving thermal energy from said transducer by said first portion;
inducing movement of said fluid within said housing;
moving, in response to said inducing, said first portion having said thermal energy from said first location to at least a second location in said housing, said second location being different from said first location;
moving, in response to said inducing, a second portion of said fluid to said first location; and
receiving thermal energy from said transducer by said second portion. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An ultrasound transducer comprising:
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a housing;
a fluid contained within said housing;
a transducer located in said housing and at least partially immersed in said fluid, wherein said fluid comprises a first portion occupying a first location in said housing, said first location being proximate to said transducer, said first portion operative to receive thermal energy from said transducer; and
a fluid moving mechanism located in said housing and operative to induce movement of said fluid within said housing wherein said first portion having said thermal energy is induced to move from said first location to a second location in said housing, said second location being different from said first location, and further wherein a second portion of said fluid is induced to move to said first location, said second portion being operative to receive thermal energy from said transducer. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. An ultrasound transducer comprising:
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means for immersing, at least partially, said transducer in a volume of fluid contained within a housing, said fluid comprising a first portion occupying a first location in said housing, said first location being proximate to said transducer such that said first portion receives thermal energy from said transducer;
means for inducing movement of said fluid within said housing, causing said first portion having said thermal energy to move from said first location to at least a second location in said housing, said second location being different from said first location, and causing a second portion of said fluid to move to said first location to receive thermal energy from said transducer.
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Specification