Personal Cooling System

Abstract

A personal cooling system operates by pumping liquid through a garment. Because the personal cooling system pumps liquid, the compression system that generates the cooling power does not require the use of a condenser. The compression system utilizes a compression wave. An evaporator of the cooling system operates in the critical flow regime in which the pressure in an evaporator tube will remain almost constant and then ‘jump’ or ‘shock up’ to an increased pressure.

1 . A personal cooling system comprising:
 a garment including a cooling fluid circulation path to carry a cooling fluid throughout the garment, the circulation path being thermally coupled to a fluid flow path;   a pump that maintains a fluid flow of a working fluid through a fluid flow path, the pump also maintaining flow of the cooling fluid through the cooling fluid circulation path;   an evaporator that operates in the critical flow regime of the working fluid and generates a compression wave that shocks the maintained fluid flow in the fluid flow path, thereby changing the pressure of the maintained fluid flow to cool the fluid;   a heat exchanging mechanism to transfer heat from the system.   
     
     
         2 . The personal cooling system of  claim 1 , further comprising a control pack, the control pack including a battery to power the system. 
     
     
         3 . The personal cooling system of  claim 1 , further comprising a control pack, the control pack including a thermostat to control the temperature of the system. 
     
     
         4 . The personal cooling system of  claim 1 , further comprising a control pack, the control pack including a solar cell to charge the battery. 
     
     
         5 . The personal cooling system of  claim 1 , further comprising a control pack, an external surface of the control pack including at least one vent. 
     
     
         6 . The personal cooling system of  claim 5 , wherein the heat exchanging mechanism comprises a plurality of fins to increase the surface area of the heat exchanging mechanism. 
     
     
         7 . The personal cooling system of  claim 1 , wherein a single tube is utilized in the evaporator. 
     
     
         8 . The personal cooling system of  claim 1 , wherein the evaporator generates approximately 300 watts of cooling power. 
     
     
         9 . The personal cooling system of  claim 1 , further comprising a manifold coupling a cooling fluid supply to the cooling fluid circulation path, the cooling fluid circulation path including one or more branches coupled to the manifold. 
     
     
         10 . The personal cooling system of  claim 1 , wherein the garment is made from a stretchable fabric fitted to hold the cooling fluid circulation path in close proximity to the body of a user. 
     
     
         11 . The personal cooling system of  claim 1 , wherein the cooling fluid circulation path traces major arteries of the body of a user. 
     
     
         12 . A personal cooling system comprising:
 a garment including a cooling fluid circulation path thermally coupled to a fluid flow path;   a pump that maintains a fluid flow of a compressible working fluid through a fluid flow path and through the cooling fluid circulation path; and   an evaporator that effects a phase change in the compressible working fluid, wherein the evaporator establishes a compression wave in the compressible working fluid by passing the compressible working fluid from a high pressure region to a low pressure region, the velocity of the fluid being greater than or equal to the speed of sound in the compressible working fluid, the compressible working fluid being cooled during a phase change, the cooled working fluid cooling the cooling fluid in the fluid circulation path, thereby cooling the user of the personal cooling system.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the garment is made from a stretchable fabric fitted to hold the cooling fluid circulation path in close proximity to the body of a user. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the working fluid is water. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the evaporator induces a pressure drop in the working fluid to approximately 5.5 PSI, a corresponding phase change resulting in a lowered temperature of the working fluid. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein a pressure change within the fluid flow of the compressible working fluid occurs within a range of approximately 20 PSI to 100 PSI. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein a pressure change within the fluid flow of the compressible working fluid involves a change to an excess of 100 PSI. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein cooling fluid circulation path traces major arteries of the body of a user. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the pump raises the pressure of the fluid flow from approximately 20 PSI to approximately 100 PSI. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the pump raises the pressure of the fluid flow to more than 100 PSI.