Direct air contact liquid cooling system heat exchanger assembly

Abstract

A heat exchanger assembly for use in hybrid liquid-air cooling system adapted to provide a liquid cooling mechanism for components in a personal computer system. The heat exchanger assembly consists of a heat exchanger chamber, though which the thermal transfer liquid flows. An air pump injects air bubbles into the heat exchanger chamber through a porous material. The air bubbles rise up through the thermal transfer liquid and exit at the top of the heat exchanger chamber through a semi-permeable membrane which inhibits loss of the thermal transfer fluid. As the air bubbles pass through the thermal transfer liquid, heat is exchanged directly between the thermal transfer liquid and the contained air. The heat is then removed from the system as the heated air is expelled from the heat exchanger chamber.

1 . A liquid cooling system adapted to provide a direct air contact liquid cooling mechanism, comprising:
 a pathway for circulating a flow of thermal transfer fluid between at least one heat source and a heat exchanger; and   wherein said heat exchanger is configured to facilitate a direct transfer of heat from the thermal transfer fluid to air bubbles passing through the heat exchanger.   
     
     
         2 . The liquid cooling system of  claim 1  wherein said heat exchanger includes
 a heat exchanger chamber having at least one inlet for receiving a flow of thermal transfer fluid, at least one outlet for discharging a flow of thermal transfer fluid, 
 an air insertion assembly for receiving a supply of ambient air; and 
 at least one air exhaust port for evacuating heated air which has passed through said flow of thermal transfer fluid within said heat exchanger chamber and absorbed thermal energy there from. 
 
     
     
         3 . The liquid cooling system of  claim 2  wherein said air insertion assembly includes a porous material disposed between a source of ambient air and said heat exchanger chamber, said porous material generally permitting passage of said ambient air and generally preventing passage of said thermal transfer fluid; and
 an air pump configured to direct a flow of ambient air through said porous material into said heat exchanger chamber. 
 
     
     
         4 . The liquid cooling system of  claim 3  wherein said air insertion assembly further includes a back flow valve configured to prevent a flow of thermal transfer fluid from exiting said heat exchanger chamber through said air pump. 
     
     
         5 . The liquid cooling system of  claim 2  wherein said at least one exhaust port is separated from said heat exchanger chamber by a semi-permeable membrane, said semi-permeable membrane configured to pass a flow of air and to exclude a flow of thermal transfer fluid. 
     
     
         6 . The liquid cooling system of  claim 2  wherein said heat exchanger chamber includes a plurality of moisture condensation fins extending from at least an upper inner surface of said heat exchanger chamber into a pocket of contained air disposed between said upper inner surface of said heat exchanger chamber and a volume of thermal transfer fluid contained within said heat exchanger chamber, said moisture condensation fins configured to facilitate the condensation of moisture from said entrapped air. 
     
     
         7 . The liquid cooling system of  claim 1  wherein said pathway for circulating a flow of thermal transfer fluid and said heat exchanger are adapted for use in a personal computer system. 
     
     
         8 . The liquid cooling system of  claim 1  wherein said pathway for circulating a flow of thermal transfer fluid is a closed loop pathway, and includes at least one means for imparting a flow to said thermal transfer fluid within said pathway.