Pump-Less Cooling Using a Rotating Disk

Abstract

Cooling in the supersonic region of a compressible fluid is disclosed. The fluid is accelerated by a rotating disk to a velocity equal to or greater than the speed of sound in the fluid in a rotating evaporator tube. No conventional mechanical pump is required to accelerate the fluid. A phase change of the fluid due to a pressure differential may be utilized to transfer heat from an element to be cooled.

1 . A cooling system, the system comprising:
 an enclosure defining a fluid pathway;   a rotating disk positioned in communication with the fluid pathway; and   a driving mechanism to provide a motive force to drive the rotating disk, wherein acceleration of the fluid across a face of the rotating disk causes the fluid to flow in the critical flow regime to generate a compression wave, the compression wave changing the pressure of the fluid so that the temperature of the fluid is reduced, thereby allowing heat to be exchanged with an element to be cooled.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the rotating disk is separated from a base of the enclosure to form an acceleration chamber. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the rotating disk is spaced apart from a base of the enclosure to form an acceleration chamber, and wherein fluid flow within the acceleration chamber creates a shear force that generates cavitation in the fluid as the fluid flows across the face of the rotating disk. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a volume change compensation mechanism in fluid communication with the fluid pathway, the volume change mechanism receiving a portion of the fluid during a phase change. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein a base of the enclosure is in thermal communication with the element to be cooled. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid pathway includes a region in which the fluid undergoes a phase change as the pressure of the fluid changes. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , further comprising a volume change compensation mechanism in fluid communication with the fluid pathway, the volume change mechanism receiving a portion of the fluid during a phase change. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein a surface of a base of the enclosure includes at least one groove that forms a secondary flow path. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid pressure change between a high pressure region and a low pressure region created by the acceleration of the fluid is from approximately 100 PSI to approximately 20 PSI. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the high pressure region of the fluid is at a pressure greater than 100 PSI. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the low pressure region of the fluid is at a pressure less than 20 PSI. 
     
     
         12 . A cooling method, the method comprising:
 rotating a disk to affect the flow of a fluid in a fluid pathway, the disk accelerating the fluid so that the fluid flows across a face of the disk at a velocity greater than or equal to the speed of sound in the fluid, thereby establishing a low pressure region in the pathway;   forming a compression wave in the fluid as the fluid passes from a high pressure region to the low pressure region; and   exchanging heat introduced into the fluid pathway via the cooling effect created during a phase change of the fluid.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising exchanging heat by placing at least one heat conductive surface in thermal communication with the fluid pathway. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising positioning the disk apart from a base of an enclosure containing the fluid pathway to form an acceleration chamber. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising creating a cavitation effect through shear forces generated by the rotation of the disk, the cavitation assisting the formation of the compression wave. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising placing a volume change compensation mechanism in fluid communication with the fluid pathway, the volume change mechanism receiving a portion of the fluid during a phase change. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising providing a secondary flow path via grooves formed in a base of the enclosure. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising moving the fluid from the high pressure region to the low pressure region with the aid of suction. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising effectuating a phase change in the fluid corresponding to a pressure change. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the pressure change of the fluid occurs within a range of approximately 20 PSI to 100 PSI. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the pressure change of the fluid involves a change to a pressure greater than or equal to 100 PSI. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the pressure change of the fluid involves a change to a pressure less than or equal to 20 PSI.