Heat exchanger device and method for heat removal or transfer

• US 8,228,675 B2
• Filed: 03/26/2010
• Issued: 07/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: National Technology & Engineering Solutions Of Sandia LLC (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Sandia Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Inventors: Koplow, Jeffrey P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Datskovskiy, Michail V
• Application Number:
  US12/732,662
• Publication Number:
  US 20100177480A1
• Time in Patent Office: 851 Days
• Field of Search: 36167946-67951, 361690-695, 361704-717, 361719-721, 165/80.2, 165/80.3, 165/80.4, 165/104.33, 165/186, 165/165, 165/85, 165/86, 415/1, 415/66, 415/68, 415/67, 415/119, 415/141, 415/177, 415/178, 415/199.4, 415/206, 415/220, 416/143, 416/146.R, 416/170.R, 416/186.R, 416/169.A, 416/189, 416/242, 416/235, 416/236.R, 416/237, 417/423.8, 310/179, 310/63, 310/64, 310/688, 310/695, 310/309, 310/156.38, 257/706, 257/722, 257/E23.09, 257/E23.099
• US Class Current: 361/697
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 25/0606 the electric motor being specially adapted for integration in the pump
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 25/0633 Details of the magnetic circuit
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 25/066 Linear Motors
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/582 specially adapted for elastic fluid pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/5853 heat insulation or conduction
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 13/125 by stirring
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 3/02 Elements or assemblies thereof with means for increasing heat-transfer area, e.g. with fins, with recesses, with corrugations F28F3/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/467 by flowing gases, e.g. air H01L23/473 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00

Abstract

Systems and methods for a forced-convection heat exchanger are provided. In one embodiment, heat is transferred to or from a thermal load in thermal contact with a heat conducting structure, across a narrow air gap, to a rotating heat transfer structure immersed in a surrounding medium such as air.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a heat conducting structure having a first surface and a second surface, wherein the first surface is adaptable to be in thermal contact with a thermal load; and

a heat transfer structure immersed in a surrounding medium, the heat transfer structure having a third surface substantially parallel to the second surface of the heat conducting structure, said heat transfer structure being coupled to said heat conducting structure using a gas bearing structure, the gas bearing structure configured to cause a gas filled gap region to form between said second surface and said third surface at least in part responsive to a motion of said heat transfer structure, and wherein the heat transfer structure is supported by the gas filled gap region during operation of the apparatus, said gas filled gap region having a substantially low thermal resistance, and said heat transfer structure being movable relative to said heat conducting structure.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said heat transfer structure is provided with surface features comprising one or more of fins, vanes, blades, channels, ducts, pins, posts, plates, slots, protrusions, recesses, perforations, holes, textured surfaces, segmented elements, staggered elements, and smooth surfaces.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said surface features are disposed of in a forward swept, backward swept, and/or radial orientation.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said gas bearing structure is adapted to maintain said gas filled gap region.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, and further comprising a mechanism adapted to rotate and/or translate said heat transfer structure relative to said surrounding medium and/or heat conducting structure.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, and further comprising one or more mechanisms adapted to maintain a constant axis of rotation.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, and further comprising at least one rotor member and one or more stator coils adapted to impart rotation to said heat transfer structure.

8. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said heat transfer structure is adapted to pump, circulate, and/or impart motion to said surrounding medium.

9. The apparatus of claim 5, and further comprising a means for varying an angular velocity of said heat transfer structure.

10. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein angular velocity of said heat transfer structure is high enough to induce turbulent flow over a portion of one or more surfaces of said heat transfer structure.

11. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said heat transfer structure comprises at least one structural element for generating turbulence or promoting convective transport in said gas filled gap region, wherein the thermal resistance of said gas filled gap region is reduced.

12. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein reverse rotation of said heat transfer structure is adapted to removal of foreign matter, including but not limited to particulates, condensation and/or ice, from one or more surfaces said heat transfer structure.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of said second surface and said third surface comprises a lubricant coating, anti-friction coating, or both.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said surrounding medium comprises a pure gas or a mixture of gases.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said gas filled gap region comprises a pure gas or a mixture of gases.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, and further comprising:

an inlet port adapted to direct air received from outside of a building and/or enclosure to said heat transfer structure; and

an outlet port adapted to direct heated air from said heat transfer structure to outside said building and/or enclosure.

17. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said apparatus is adapted to thermal management of one or more active and/or passive electronic components, including but not limited to a resistor, capacitor, inductor, transformer, diode, rectifier, thyristor, transistor, amplifier, integrated circuit, display driver, line driver, buffer, microprocessor, central processing unit, graphics processing unit, coprocessor, transducer, sensor, actuator, power supply, ac to dc converter, dc to ac converter, dc to dc converter, ac to ac converter, or printed circuit assembly.

18. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said gas bearing structure comprises a hydrodynamic gas bearing.

19. A method of transferring heat between a thermal load and a surrounding medium, comprising providing a heat conducting structure in thermal contact with a thermal load, a movable heat transfer structure through which heat may be exchanged with a surrounding medium, a gas filled gap region between at least one surface of said heat conducting structure and at least one surface of said heat transfer structure, wherein said gas filled gap region forms at least in part due to a motion of said heat transfer structure, the method further comprising transferring heat between said at least one surface of said heat conducting structure and at least one surface of said heat transfer structure through said gas filled gap region and transferring heat between said heat transfer structure and said surrounding medium.