Cooling augmentation using microchannels with rotatable separating plates

Abstract

A DL-microchannel cooling device with rotatable separating plate is disclosed. The separating plate is supported via anti-leaking flexible seals. The only allowable motion for that plate is the rotational motion about a pivot rod. The rod is taken to be aligned along the microchannel center line normal to its sides boundaries. The device can be configured as a flexible microheat exchanger and a heated DL-flexible microchannel device. The theory of linear elasticity applied to flexible seals supporting the separating plate is used to relate the moment of the pressure forces on that plate to its rotational angle. The energy equations for both fluids flows are solved numerically and analytically under special conditions. As such, the effectiveness of the flexible microheat exchanger and other performance indicators for flexible microheat exchanger and heated DL-flexible microchannel devices are calculated. The advantages of the proposed device in cooling attributes over the performance of the DL-rigid microchannel device is examined.

1 . An apparatus comprising:
 a first substrate and a second substrate, said first substrate having a face in contact with at least one hot medium and having another face in contact with a first heat exchanging fluid;   said second substrate having a face in contact with a cold medium and having said other face in contact with a second heat exchanging fluid;   said faces of said first and second substrates in contact with said first heat exchanging fluid and said second heat exchanging fluid are opposing each other;   at least one flexible seal attached to said first substrate and to said second substrate to form at least one closed enclosure;   a pivoted rod aligned along said centre line between said first and second substrates; and   a separating plate mounted about a pivoted axis of said pivoted rod such that said at least one closed enclosure is divided to form an upper microchannel and a lower microchannel.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said separating plate is supported via said at least one flexible seal. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said first substrate comprises at least two confined openings. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said second substrate comprises at least two confined openings. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said hot and cold media are replaceable with insulated media. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said first and second heat exchanging fluids possess at least one of the following: different temperatures, different phases or both different temperatures and different phases. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said second heat exchanging fluid flows in said upper microchannel and said first heat exchanging fluid flows in said lower microchannel. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said separating plate rotates about said pivoted axis. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said first substrate, said second substrate and said separating plate are configured from ultrahigh thermally conductive materials. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said first heat exchanging fluid and said second heat exchanging fluid are allowed to flow either in a counter-direction, a parallel-direction, a cross-direction or skew-directions within said lower and upper microchannels. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said moment of pressure forces on said separating plate is related to its rotational angle by a theorem of linear elasticity applied to said at least one flexible seal. 
     
     
         12 . An apparatus comprising:
 a first substrate and a second substrate, said first substrate having a face in contact with at least one hot medium and having an other face in contact with a first heat exchanging fluid;   said second substrate having a face in contact with a cold medium and having said other face in contact with a second heat exchanging fluid;   said faces of said first and second substrates in contact with said first heat exchanging fluid and said second heat exchanging fluid are opposing each other;   at least one flexible seal attached to said first substrate and to said second substrate to form at least one closed enclosure;   a pivoted rod aligned along said centre line between said first and second substrates; and   a separating plate mounted about a pivoted axis of said pivoted rod such that said at least one closed enclosure is divided to form an upper microchannel and a lower microchannel, wherein said separating plate is supported via said at least one flexible seal.   
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12  wherein said first substrate comprises at least two confined openings. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 12  wherein said second substrate comprises at least two confined openings. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 12  wherein said hot and cold media are replaceable with insulated media. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 12  wherein said first and second heat exchanging fluids possess at least one of the following: different temperatures, different phases or both different temperatures and different phases. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 12  wherein said second heat exchanging fluid flows in said upper microchannel and said first heat exchanging fluid flows in said lower microchannel. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 12  wherein said separating plate rotates about said pivoted axis. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 12  wherein said first substrate, said second substrate and said separating plate are configured from ultrahigh thermally conductive materials. 
     
     
         20 . An apparatus comprising:
 a first substrate and a second substrate, said first substrate having a face in contact with at least one hot medium and having an other face in contact with a first heat exchanging fluid;   said second substrate having a face in contact with a cold medium and having said other face in contact with a second heat exchanging fluid;   said faces of said first and second substrates in contact with said first heat exchanging fluid and said second heat exchanging fluid are opposing each other;   at least one flexible seal attached to said first substrate and to said second substrate to form at least one closed enclosure;   a pivoted rod aligned along said centre line between said first and second substrates; and   a separating plate mounted about a pivoted axis of said pivoted rod such that said at least one closed enclosure is divided to form an upper microchannel and a lower microchannel, wherein said first heat exchanging fluid and said second heat exchanging fluid are allowed to flow either in a counter-direction, a parallel-direction, a cross-direction or skew-directions within said lower and upper microchannels.