Thermal management system for embedded environment and method for making same

Abstract

A thermal management system for an embedded environment is described. The thermal management system includes a pleumo-jet that has at least one wall defining a chamber, at least one piezoelectric device on the at least one wall, and a compliant material within the at least one wall and encompassing the chamber. The compliant material has at least one opening providing fluid communication between said chamber and the embedded environment. A cooling system is also described. A method for making a pleumo-jet is also described.

1 . A thermal management system for a heated environment, comprising:
 a pleumo-jet, comprising:
 at least one wall defining a chamber; 
 at least one active material on said at least one wall; and 
 a compliant material within said at least one wall and encompassing said chamber, said compliant material having at least one opening facilitating fluid communication between said chamber and the heated environment. 
   
   
   
       2 . The thermal management system of  claim 1 , wherein said compliant material comprises an elastomeric material. 
   
   
       3 . The thermal management system of  claim 1 , comprising an electrical circuit to provide an electrical current to said pleumo-jet. 
   
   
       4 . The thermal management system of  claim 3 , wherein said electrical current is one exhibiting lowered harmonics. 
   
   
       5 . The thermal management system of  claim 4 , wherein said electrical current omprises a sine wave. 
   
   
       6 . The thermal management system of  claim 1 , wherein the heated environment includes single board computers, programmable logic controllers (PLCs), operator interface computers, laptop computers, cell phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), and personal pocket computers. 
   
   
       7 . The thermal management system of  claim 1 , wherein the heated environment comprises at least one heated body. 
   
   
       8 . The thermal management system of  claim 7 , wherein said at least one opening is positioned to eject an ambient fluid directly on said at least one heated body. 
   
   
       9 . The thermal management system of  claim 8 , wherein said at least one opening is at an angle transverse to an upper surface of the at least one heated body. 
   
   
       10 . The thermal management system of  claim 1 , wherein said elastomeric material comprises a plurality of openings facilitating fluid communication between said chamber and the heated environment. 
   
   
       11 . The thermal management system of  claim 10 , wherein said at least one wall has a circular profile. 
   
   
       12 . The thermal management system of  claim 10 , wherein said at least one wall has a rectangular profile. 
   
   
       13 . The thermal management system of  claim 1 , comprising:
 a base upon which said pleumo-jet is positioned; and   a plurality of fins surrounding said pleumo-jet.   
   
   
       14 . The thermal management system of  claim 13 , comprising a plurality of pleumo-jets positioned on said base in a stacked arrangement. 
   
   
       15 . The thermal management system of  claim 1 , wherein said pleumo-jet comprises a pair of walls sandwiching said elastomeric material, each of said walls having said at least one piezoelectric device. 
   
   
       16 . A pleumo-jet, comprising:
 a first flexible structure;   a second flexible structure;   at least one active material on at least one of said first and second flexible structures; and   a compliant material positioned between said first and second flexible structures and defining a chamber, wherein said compliant material comprises at least one orifice for facilitating fluid communication between said chamber and an ambient environment.   
   
   
       17 . The pleumo-jet of  claim 16 , comprising an electrical circuit to provide an electrical current to the at least one active material. 
   
   
       18 . The pleumo-jet of  claim 16 , wherein said compliant material comprises an elastomeric material. 
   
   
       19 . The pleumo-jet of  claim 16 , wherein said apparatus is no larger than meso-scale sized. 
   
   
       20 . The pleumo-jet of  claim 16 , wherein said at least one active material comprises a piezoceramic material. 
   
   
       21 . The pleumo-jet of  claim 16 , wherein said at least one active material is positioned on both of said first and second flexible structures. 
   
   
       22 . A cooling system for a heated environment, comprising:
 a substrate having one free end and one anchored end;   at least one piezoelectric device positioned on said substrate; and   an electrical circuit to provide an electrical current to the at least one piezoelectric device.   
   
   
       23 . The cooling system of  claim 22 , wherein the heated environment includes single board computers, programmable logic controllers (PLCs), operator interface computers, laptop computers, cell phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), and personal pocket computers. 
   
   
       24 . The cooling system of  claim 22 , wherein said substrate is no larger than meso-scale sized. 
   
   
       25 . A method for making a pleumo-jet, comprising:
 providing a pair of flexible flexible structures, at least one of the structures having an attached active material;   attaching a compliant material between the pair of flexible structures, said elastomeric material having at least one orifice; and   adding electrical contacts to the pair of flexible structures.   
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein said providing comprises providing attached active material for each of the pair of flexible flexible structures. 
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein said attaching comprises attaching an elastomeric material between the pair of flexible structures. 
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein said attaching comprises:
 dispensing the compliant material as a semi-liquid silicone-based material;   contacting the semi-liquid silicon-based material with one of the flexible structures; and   placing the other of the flexible structures in contact with the semi-liquid silicone-based material.   
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein said attaching comprises:
 forming the compliant material from a pre-made sheet of silicone-based material; and   bonding the compliant material to the pair of flexible structures.