Synthetic jet ejector for augmentation of pumped liquid loop cooling and enhancement of pool and flow boiling

Abstract

A thermal management system ( 201 ) is disclosed which comprises (a) a liquid medium ( 207 ), (b) a heat generating device ( 203 ) disposed in said medium, (c) a heat transfer device ( 205 ) in thermal contact with said heat generating device, said heat transfer device comprising a thermally conductive material and having a channel ( 213 ) defined on a surface thereof, and (d) a synthetic jet ejector ( 223 ) adapted to direct a jet of the liquid medium along said channel.

1 . A thermal management system, comprising: 
 a liquid medium;    a heat generating device disposed in said medium;    a heat exchanger in thermal contact with said heat generating element, said heat transfer element comprising a thermally conductive material and having a channel defined on a surface thereof; and    a synthetic jet ejector adapted to direct a jet of the liquid medium along said channel.    
   
   
       2 . The thermal management system of  claim 1 , wherein said heat exchanger has a plurality of channels defined in a surface thereof.  
   
   
       3 . The thermal management system of  claim 2 , further comprising a plurality of synthetic jet ejectors, each being adapted to direct a jet of the liquid medium along one of said plurality of channels.  
   
   
       4 . The thermal management system of  claim 1 , wherein said synthetic jet ejector is disposed adjacent to an opening of said channel.  
   
   
       5 . The thermal management system of  claim 1 , wherein said synthetic jet ejector is disposed within said channel.  
   
   
       6 . The thermal management system of  claim 1 , further comprising a pump adapted to create a flow of the liquid medium across the surface of said heat exchanger.  
   
   
       7 . The thermal management system of  claim 6 , wherein said pump is a closed loop pump.  
   
   
       8 . The thermal management system of  claim 6 , wherein said actuator is positioned such that it does not disrupt the flow of the liquid medium across the heat exchanger.  
   
   
       9 . The thermal management system of  claim 1 , wherein said heat exchanger comprises a plurality of ridges which define a plurality of channels.  
   
   
       10 . The thermal management system of  claim 1 , wherein the heat generating device is a die.  
   
   
       11 . The thermal management system of  claim 10 , wherein said synthetic jet ejector comprises a diaphragm equipped with an actuator.  
   
   
       12 . The thermal management system of  claim 11 , wherein said actuator is a piezoelectric actuator.  
   
   
       13 . The thermal management system of  claim 1 , wherein said heat exchanger comprises a plurality of levels, and wherein each level has a plurality of channels defined therein.  
   
   
       14 . The thermal management system of  claim 13 , wherein each of a plurality of channels within each of said plurality of levels has a synthetic jet ejector disposed therein.  
   
   
       15 . The thermal management system of  claim 13 , wherein said heat exchanger is in fluidic communication with a heat sink.  
   
   
       16 . The thermal management system of  claim 15 , wherein said heat sink is adapted to transfer heat from the liquid medium to the ambient atmosphere.  
   
   
       17 . The thermal management system of  claim 16 , further comprising a pump which is adapted to maintain a flow of the liquid medium between said heat exchanger and said heat sink.  
   
   
       18 . A method for cooling a heat generating device, comprising: 
 providing a heat generating device which is to be cooled, the heat generating device being in thermal contact with a heat exchanger which is immersed in a liquid medium and which has a channel defined in a surface thereof;    providing a synthetic jet ejector which is positioned to direct a jet of the liquid into said channel; and    activating the synthetic jet ejector.    
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the synthetic jet ejector is activated when the device reaches a predetermined temperature threshold.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the synthetic jet ejector is activated when the liquid medium reaches a predetermined temperature threshold.