Pulse thermal loop
First Claim
1. A pulse thermal loop heat transfer system comprising:
- a pair of evaporators, each of the evaporators having an inlet and an outlet;
a condenser operatively coupled to the inlet of each of the evaporators; and
one or more valves between the outlets and the condenser;
wherein the one or more valves are operatively configured to selectively couple one or the other of the outlets to the condenser.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A pulse thermal loop heat transfer system includes a means to use pressure rises in a pair of evaporators to circulate a heat transfer fluid. The system includes one or more valves that iteratively, alternately couple the outlets the evaporators to the condenser. While flow proceeds from one of the evaporators to the condenser, heating creates a pressure rise in the other evaporator, which has its outlet blocked to prevent fluid from exiting the other evaporator. When the flow path is reconfigured to allow flow from the other evaporator to the condenser, the pressure in the other evaporator is used to circulate a pulse of fluid through the system. The reconfiguring of the flow path, by actuating or otherwise changing the configuration of the one or more valves, may be triggered when a predetermined pressure difference between the evaporators is reached.
17 Citations
41 Claims
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1. A pulse thermal loop heat transfer system comprising:
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a pair of evaporators, each of the evaporators having an inlet and an outlet;
a condenser operatively coupled to the inlet of each of the evaporators; and
one or more valves between the outlets and the condenser;
wherein the one or more valves are operatively configured to selectively couple one or the other of the outlets to the condenser. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A pulse thermal loop heat transfer system comprising:
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a pair of evaporators, each of the evaporators having an inlet and an outlet;
a condenser operatively coupled to the inlet of each of the evaporators; and
means for selectively operatively coupling each of the outlets of the evaporators to the condenser. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A pulse method of transferring thermal energy with a heat transfer fluid in a closed system, the system including a condenser and first and second evaporators, the method comprising iteratively switching between 1) putting the first evaporator into communication with the condenser to allow the heat transfer fluid to flow from the first evaporator to the condenser, while substantially blocking flow of the heat transfer fluid from the second evaporator to the condenser;
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2) putting the second evaporator into communication with the condenser to allow the heat transfer fluid to flow from the second evaporator to the condenser, while substantially blocking flow of the heat transfer fluid from the first evaporator to the condenser. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33)
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34. A pulse method of transferring thermal energy with a heat transfer fluid in a closed system, the system including a condenser and first and second evaporators, the method comprising iteratively performing the steps of:
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configuring the system in a first configuration which allows flow of the fluid from the first evaporator to the condenser;
waiting for a first triggering event;
configuring the system in a second configuration which allows flow of the fluid from the second evaporator to the condenser; and
waiting for a second triggering event. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
wherein the first evaporator has a first heating load imposed thereupon; wherein the second evaporator has a second heating load imposed thereupon; and
wherein the iteratively switching includes maintaining the first heating load on the first evaporator, and maintaining the second heating load on the second evaporator, throughout the method.
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41. The method of claim 34,
wherein the first evaporator has a first heating load imposed thereupon; -
wherein the second evaporator has a second heating load imposed thereupon;
wherein the configuring the system in the first configuration includes maintaining the first heating load on the first evaporator, and maintaining the second heating load on the second evaporator; and
wherein the configuring the system in the second configuration includes maintaining the first heating load on the first evaporator, and maintaining the second heating load on the second evaporator.
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Specification