Heat exchange enhancement
First Claim
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1. An apparatus comprising:
- a heat exchange structure comprising a plurality of elongated air ducts, the heat exchange structure having an exterior heat exchange surface and interior heat exchange surfaces, the interior surfaces being in the elongated air ducts; and
a plurality of heat generators that are distributed on the exterior heat exchange surface along an elongated direction of the air ducts, such that in operation of the heat generators, air flowing in the air duct is heated successively by heat from the heat generators, the air flow in the air duct being enhanced by buoyancy of heated air.
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Abstract
A heat exchange structure includes a plurality of elongated air ducts. The heat exchange structure has an exterior heat exchange surface and interior heat exchange surfaces, the interior surfaces being in the elongated air ducts. The heat exchange structure includes a plurality of heat generators that are distributed on the exterior heat exchange surface along an elongated direction of the air ducts, in which air flowing in the air duct is heated successively by heat from the heat generators, and air flow in the air duct is enhanced by buoyancy of heated air.
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Citations
34 Claims
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1. An apparatus comprising:
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a heat exchange structure comprising a plurality of elongated air ducts, the heat exchange structure having an exterior heat exchange surface and interior heat exchange surfaces, the interior surfaces being in the elongated air ducts; and
a plurality of heat generators that are distributed on the exterior heat exchange surface along an elongated direction of the air ducts, such that in operation of the heat generators, air flowing in the air duct is heated successively by heat from the heat generators, the air flow in the air duct being enhanced by buoyancy of heated air. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. An apparatus for dissipating heat from electronic components, comprising:
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a heat exchange structure comprising an elongated air duct and an interior heat exchange surface being in the air duct; and
signal lines coupled to an exterior heat exchange surface of the heat exchange structure, the signal lines defining locations for attaching the electronic components, the locations being disposed along an elongated direction of the air duct, the heat exchange structure designed and configured to transfer heat from the electronic components through the exterior and interior heat exchange surfaces to air flowing in the air duct such that the air flowing in the air duct is heated successively by heat from the electronic components disposed along the elongated direction of the air duct, the air flow in the air duct being enhanced by buoyancy of heated air. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12)
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13. A vehicle lamp comprising:
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a heat exchange structure comprising a plurality of elongated air ducts, the air ducts comprising heat exchange surfaces configured to exchange thermal energy with air flowing in the air ducts; and
light emitting diodes that are distributed along an elongated direction of the air ducts, the light emitting diodes configured to transfer heat to the heat exchange surfaces in the air ducts to successively heat air as the air flows through the air ducts and enhance air flow in the air ducts by buoyancy of heated air;
wherein the vehicle lamp is configured to dissipate thermal energy generated by the light emitting diodes to the air flowing in the air ducts. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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17. An MR-16 lamp comprising:
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a light source comprising at least one light emitting diode (LED) module, each LED module comprising a heat exchange structure comprising a plurality of elongated air ducts, the air ducts comprising heat exchange surfaces configured to exchange thermal energy with air flowing in the air ducts; and
light emitting diodes that are distributed along an elongated direction of the air ducts, the light emitting diodes configured to transfer heat to the heat exchange surfaces in the air ducts to successively heat air as the air flows through the air ducts and enhance air flow in the air ducts by buoyancy of heated air;
wherein each LED module is configured to dissipate thermal energy generated by the light emitting diodes to the air flowing in the air ducts. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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21. A wall wash lamp comprising:
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a heat exchange structure comprising a plurality of elongated air ducts, the air ducts comprising heat exchange surfaces configured to exchange thermal energy with air flowing in the air ducts; and
light emitting diodes that are distributed along an elongated direction of the air ducts, the light emitting diodes configured to transfer heat to the heat exchange surfaces in the air ducts and successively heat air as the air flows in the air ducts and enhance air flow in the air ducts by buoyancy of heated air;
wherein the wall wash lamp is configured to dissipate thermal energy generated by the light emitting diodes to the air flowing in the air ducts. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24)
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25. A method comprising:
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transferring thermal energy from a plurality of heat generators to multiple locations of an interior heat exchange surface of a heat exchange structure, the interior heat exchange surface being in an air duct of the heat exchange structure, the heat generators being coupled to an exterior heat exchange surface of the heat exchange structure and disposed along an elongated direction of the air duct; and
heating air in the air duct successively by transferring thermal energy from the multiple locations of the interior heat exchange surface to the air as the air flows through the air duct, enhancing air flow in the air duct by buoyancy of heated air. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28)
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29. A method comprising:
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transferring thermal energy from a heat generator to a heat pipe;
transferring thermal energy from different portions of the heat pipe to a heat exchange structure that comprises a plurality of elongated air ducts, the different portions of the heat pipe aligned along an elongated direction of the air ducts; and
heating the air in the air ducts successively by transferring thermal energy from the different portions of the heat pipe to the air flowing in the air ducts, enhancing air flow in the air ducts by buoyancy of heated air. - View Dependent Claims (30)
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31. A method comprising:
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mounting an array of heat generators on an exterior heat exchange surface of a heat exchange structure, the heat exchange structure comprising elongated air ducts, the array of heat generators comprising groups of heat generators, each group having heat generators mounted along an elongated direction of the air ducts, the heat exchange structure comprising interior heat exchange surfaces being in the elongated air ducts, the interior heat exchange surfaces configured to successively heat air in the air ducts by transferring heat from the array of heat generators to the air flowing in the air ducts and enhancing air flow in the air ducts due to buoyancy of heated air. - View Dependent Claims (32)
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33. A method of operating a light source that comprises a plurality of light emitting devices, the method comprising:
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providing electric power to the plurality of light emitting devices;
transferring thermal energy from the light emitting devices to multiple locations of an exterior heat exchange surface of a heat exchange structure, the heat exchange structure comprising an elongated air duct and an interior heat exchange surface being in the air duct;
transferring thermal energy from the multiple locations on the exterior heat exchange surface to multiple locations on the interior heat exchange surface through a wall separating the interior and exterior heat exchange surfaces; and
successively heating air in the air duct by transferring thermal energy from the multiple locations on the second heat exchange surfaces to air flowing in the air ducts, enhancing air flow in the air duct by buoyancy of heated air. - View Dependent Claims (34)
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Specification