Method and apparatus for absorbing thermal energy
US7316262B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 26, 2005 |
| Grant date | Jan 8, 2008 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 26, 2025 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S165/902
- WIPO fieldThermal processes and apparatus
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
The subject invention pertains to a method and apparatus for storing thermal energy. The subject thermal energy storage apparatus can function as a heat absorber in a cooling system. A cooling system can incorporate a cooling cycle that utilizes thermal energy storage and has two coolant loops. The primary cooling loop acquires the waste heat from a heat source, such as an electronic device, by heat transfer to the primary coolant via, for example, a sensible heat process (where sensible heat is heat absorbed or transmitted by a substance during a change in temperature which is not accompanied by a change of state) or by evaporating the primary coolant through a latent heat phase change process. The waste heat absorbed by the primary coolant is transferred to the host material of the heat absorber. The subject invention uses a high thermal conductivity host material to house a lower thermal conductivity phase change material, in order to achieve a thermal energy absorber that has a high effective thermal conductivity. In a specific embodiment, the high thermal conductivity host material has have voids within the structure that can be filled by the phase change material. The increas…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.