High heat flux evaporative spray cooling
US5220804A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 9, 1991 |
| Grant date | Jun 22, 1993 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 9, 2011 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01L2924/0002
- WIPO fieldThermal processes and apparatus
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A compact and efficient spray cooling system is provided for cooling a heat source or a plurality of heat sources. The system uses at least one atomizer arranged in an array to deliver a fine spray across a wide distribution to impinge upon the surface to be cooled. The spray maintains a thin liquid film upon the cooled surface where heat is transfered in a phase change process. The liquid and vapor resulting from the heat transfer process is removed from the system at the edges of the heat source(s) and uses the momentum of the original spray to move the vapor and liquid to a fluid removal port. The use of the momentum of the spray to remove the liquid from the system allows the system to be gravity independent and used in transportation, avionics, and spacecraft applications where adverse gravity conditions exist. The atomizer array can be spaced closely to the heat source because the individual atomizers develop the spray in a relatively short distance. This allows the entire cooling system to be arranged in a compact and efficient package with wide ranging applications.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.