Sub-ambient refrigerating cycle
First Claim
1. A method for cooling heat-generating structure disposed in an environment having an ambient pressure, comprising the acts of:
- providing a fluid refrigerant;
reducing a pressure of the refrigerant to a first sub-ambient pressure at which the refrigerant has a boiling temperature less than a temperature of the heat-generating structure;
bringing the refrigerant at the first sub-ambient pressure into thermal communication with the heat-generating structure, so that the refrigerant boils and vaporizes to thereby absorb heat from the heat-generating structure; and
increasing a pressure of the vaporized refrigerant above the first sub-ambient pressure to a second sub-ambient pressure.
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Accused Products
Abstract
According to one embodiment of the invention, a method for cooling heat-generating structure disposed in an environment having an ambient pressure includes providing a fluid refrigerant and reducing a pressure of the refrigerant to a first sub-ambient pressure at which the refrigerant has a boiling temperature less than a temperature of the heat-generating structure. The method also includes bringing the refrigerant at the first sub-ambient pressure into thermal communication with the heat-generating structure, so that the refrigerant boils and vaporizes to thereby absorb heat from the heat-generating structure. The method further includes increasing a pressure of the vaporized refrigerant above the first sub-ambient pressure to a second sub-ambient pressure.
107 Citations
30 Claims
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1. A method for cooling heat-generating structure disposed in an environment having an ambient pressure, comprising the acts of:
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providing a fluid refrigerant;
reducing a pressure of the refrigerant to a first sub-ambient pressure at which the refrigerant has a boiling temperature less than a temperature of the heat-generating structure;
bringing the refrigerant at the first sub-ambient pressure into thermal communication with the heat-generating structure, so that the refrigerant boils and vaporizes to thereby absorb heat from the heat-generating structure; and
increasing a pressure of the vaporized refrigerant above the first sub-ambient pressure to a second sub-ambient pressure. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An apparatus, comprising a heat-generating structure disposed in an environment having an ambient pressure, and a refrigeration system for removing heat from the heat-generating structure, the refrigeration system including:
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a fluid refrigerant maintained at a pressure less than the ambient pressure at which the refrigerant has a boiling temperature less than a temperature of the heat-generating structure;
a structure that directs a flow of the refrigerant in the form of a liquid at the sub-ambient pressure in a manner causing the liquid refrigerant to be brought into thermal communication with the heat-generating structure, the heat from the heat-generating structure causing the liquid refrigerant to boil and vaporize so that the refrigerant absorbs heat from the heat-generating structure as the refrigerant changes state; and
a compressor that increases the pressure of the vaporized refrigerant to a second sub-ambient pressure. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification