SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR TRANSFERRING HEAT BETWEEN TWO UNITS

• US 20150168079A1
• Filed: 12/17/2013
• Published: 06/18/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Stautner, Ernst Wolfgang, Leach, Andrew Michael
• Application Number:
  US14/108,387
• Publication Number:
  US 20150168079A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 9/14 characterised by the cycle used, e.g. Stirling cycle
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 19/006 Thermal coupling structure or interface
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 15/0266 with separate evaporating and condensing chambers connected by at least one conduit; Loop-type heat pipes; with multiple or common evaporating or condensing chambers F28D15/043 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 15/0275 Arrangements for coupling heat-pipes together or with other structures, e.g. with base blocks; Heat pipe cores
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 15/043 forming loops, e.g. capillary pumped loops
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 15/06 Control arrangements therefor
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 2013/005 Thermal joints

Abstract

A thermal switching device is presented. The thermal switching device includes a plurality of serpentine capillaries having a first end and a second end, where the first end is configured to be operatively coupled to a heating unit and the second end is configured to be operatively coupled to a cooling unit, and where the plurality of serpentine capillaries is configured to transfer heat from the heating unit to the cooling unit by circulating a working fluid in the plurality of serpentine capillaries.

Claims

1. A thermal switching device, comprising:

a plurality of serpentine capillaries having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is configured to be operatively coupled to a heating unit and the second end is configured to be operatively coupled to a cooling unit, and wherein the plurality of serpentine capillaries is configured to transfer heat from the heating unit to the cooling unit by circulating a working fluid in the plurality of serpentine capillaries.

2. The thermal switching device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of serpentine capillaries is configured to transfer the heat from the heating unit to the cooling unit when a temperature of the working fluid is above a threshold temperature.

3. The thermal switching device of claim 2, wherein the plurality of serpentine capillaries is configured to circulate the working fluid in the plurality of serpentine capillaries without use of a pumping unit.

4. The thermal switching device of claim 1, further comprising:

a reservoir configured to house the working fluid; and

an inlet valve operatively coupled to the reservoir and the plurality of serpentine capillaries and configured to permit flow of the working fluid between the reservoir and the plurality of serpentine capillaries.

5. The thermal switching device of claim 1, wherein one or more dimensions of the plurality of serpentine capillaries are customized based on a choice of the working fluid.

6. The thermal switching device of claim 1, wherein an inner diameter of the plurality of serpentine capillaries is in a range from about 0.3 mm to about 2 mm.

7. The thermal switching device of claim 1, wherein an outer diameter of the plurality of serpentine capillaries is in a range from about 0.5 mm to about 2.5 mm.

8. The thermal switching device of claim 1, wherein a volume of the working fluid in the plurality of serpentine capillaries is in a range from about 0.5 ml to about 20 ml.

9. The thermal switching device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of serpentine capillaries comprises pulsating heat pipes coupled to each other to form a closed loop between the heating unit and the cooling unit.

10. The thermal switching device of claim 9, wherein a length of each of the pulsating heat pipes is in a range from about 50 mm to about 200 mm.

11. A method for transferring heat from a heating unit to a cooling unit, comprising:

coupling a plurality of serpentine capillaries between the heating unit and the cooling unit, wherein the plurality of serpentine capillaries is partially filled with a working fluid; and

circulating the working fluid in the plurality of serpentine capillaries to transfer heat from the heating unit to the cooling unit.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein coupling the plurality of serpentine capillaries comprises forming a closed loop of the plurality of serpentine capillaries between the heating unit and the cooling unit.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein circulating the working fluid comprises oscillating the working fluid in the plurality of serpentine capillaries by increasing a temperature of the working fluid at a first end of the plurality of serpentine capillaries and decreasing the temperature of the working fluid at a second end of the plurality of serpentine capillaries.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein circulating the working fluid comprises circulating the working fluid in the plurality of serpentine capillaries when a temperature of the working fluid is above a threshold temperature.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising impeding the circulation of working fluid in the plurality of serpentine capillaries when the temperature of the working fluid is below the threshold temperature.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising coupling an inlet valve to the plurality of serpentine capillaries to permit flow of the working fluid between a reservoir and the plurality of serpentine capillaries.

17. A polarizer system, comprising:

a thermal switching device comprising;

a plurality of serpentine capillaries arranged to form a closed loop, wherein the plurality of serpentine capillaries is partially filled with a working fluid;

a heating unit operatively coupled to a first end of the plurality of serpentine capillaries and configured to heat the working fluid at the first end of the plurality of serpentine capillaries;

a cooling unit operatively coupled to a second end of the plurality of serpentine capillaries and configured to condense the working fluid at the second end of the plurality of serpentine capillaries,

wherein the working fluid is circulated in the closed loop of the plurality of serpentine capillaries to transfer heat from the heating unit to the cooling unit when a temperature of the working fluid is above a threshold temperature;

a sorption pump operatively coupled to the heating unit; and

a thermal bus operatively coupled to the cooling unit.

18. The polarizer system of claim 17, further comprising:

a reservoir configured to house the working fluid; and

an inlet valve operatively coupled to the reservoir and the plurality of serpentine capillaries and configured to permit flow of the working fluid between the reservoir and the plurality of serpentine capillaries.

19. The polarizer system of claim 17, wherein the thermal switching device is configured to transfer heat from the sorption pump to the thermal bus when the thermal switching device is in an ON state.

20. The polarizer system of claim 17, wherein the thermal switching device is configured to prevent transfer of heat from the sorption pump to the thermal bus when the thermal switching device is in an OFF state.