High efficiency thermal management system

Abstract

Disclosed are methods and apparatuses for cooling a work piece surface using two-phase impingement, such as direct jet impingement. Preferred methods include flowing a coolant through a chamber comprising a surface to be cooled by projecting a jet stream of coolant against the surface while maintaining pressure in the chamber to permit at least a portion of coolant contacting the surface to boil. Preferred apparatuses include a chamber comprising the surface and tubular nozzles configured to project a stream of coolant against the surface, a pump for forcing coolant through the tubular nozzles, a pressurizer for maintaining an appropriate pressure in the chamber, and a heat exchanger for cooling the coolant exiting the chamber. The apparatuses may further include a pressure regulator for detecting changes in temperature of the coolant exiting the chamber and communicating with the pressurizer to adjust the maintained pressure accordingly. The methods and apparatuses disclosed herein provide for effective and efficient cooling of work piece surfaces.

1 . An apparatus for cooling a surface comprising:
 at least one chamber with the surface exposed therein, the chamber comprising an inlet and an outlet and being configured for flowing fluid therethrough by entering through the inlet in a stream projected against the surface and exiting through the outlet;   a pump in fluid communication with the inlet, the pump configured to project a stream of fluid through the inlet into the chamber and against the surface; and   a pressurizer in fluid communication with the chamber, the pressurizer configured to maintain a pressure in the chamber.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a coolant filling the chamber and in contact with the surface, wherein at least a portion of the coolant in contact with the surface has a temperature approximately equal to the saturation temperature of the coolant. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a heat exchanger in fluid communication with the outlet of the chamber, the heat exchanger configured to cool fluid exiting from the outlet. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a pressure regulator that includes a device configured to detect temperature of fluid exiting from the outlet, wherein the pressure regulator is configured to communicate with the pressurizer to adjust the maintained pressure upon a detected change in temperature. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the pressurizer is further in fluid communication with the pump, and wherein the pressurizer is disposed between the pump and the outlet. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the pressurizer is selected from the group consisting of a bladder tank, a piston system, and a reservoir of temperature-controlled, mixed phase fluid. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising at least a second chamber with a second surface exposed therein, the second chamber comprising a second inlet and a second outlet and being configured for flowing fluid therethrough, wherein the second inlet is in fluid communication with the pump and the second outlet is in fluid communication with the pressurizer. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the inlet comprises at least one tubular nozzle extending into the chamber and configured to project a stream of fluid at the surface. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8  wherein the tubular nozzle is configured to project a stream of fluid having a central axis oriented non-perpendicularly with respect to the surface. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 8  wherein the tubular nozzle has a central axis that is oriented non-perpendicularly with respect to the surface. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 8  wherein the tubular nozzle has a central axis that is collinear with a central axis of a stream of fluid that the tubular nozzle is configured to project. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 8  wherein the at least one tubular nozzle comprises an array of tubular nozzles, wherein each tubular nozzle in the array is configured to project a stream of fluid having a central axis oriented at a substantially same angle with respect to the surface. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 8  wherein the at least one tubular nozzle comprises an array of tubular nozzles, wherein the array comprises tubular nozzles configured to project streams of fluid having central axes oriented at substantially different angles with respect to the surface. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 8  wherein the at least one tubular nozzle comprises an array of tubular nozzles, wherein each tubular nozzle in the array has a central axis oriented at a substantially same angle with respect to the surface. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 8  wherein the at least one tubular nozzle comprises an array of tubular nozzles, wherein the array comprises tubular nozzles having central axes oriented at substantially different angles with respect to the surface. 
     
     
         16 . An apparatus for cooling a surface comprising:
 at least one chamber with the surface exposed therein, the chamber comprising an inlet and an outlet and being configured for flowing fluid therethrough by entering the inlet in a stream projected against the surface and exiting the outlet, wherein the inlet comprises an array of tubular nozzles, wherein each tubular nozzle in the array is configured to project a stream of fluid having a central axis oriented non-perpendicularly with respect to the surface, and wherein each tubular nozzle has a central axis that is collinear with the central axis of each respective stream of fluid that the tubular nozzle is configured to project;   a pump in fluid communication with the inlet, the pump being configured to project a stream of fluid through the inlet into the chamber and against the surface; and   a pressurizer in fluid communication with the chamber, the pressurizer configured to maintain a pressure in the chamber.   
     
     
         17 . A method of cooling a surface comprising:
 flowing a coolant through a chamber with the surface exposed therein by introducing the coolant through an inlet of the chamber and draining the coolant through an outlet of the chamber, wherein the introducing the coolant through the inlet includes projecting a stream of coolant against the surface; and   maintaining pressure in the chamber wherein at least a portion of coolant in the chamber evaporates as it receives thermal energy from the surface.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the introducing the coolant through the inlet includes projecting a jet stream of coolant against the surface. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the introducing the coolant through the inlet includes projecting a spray stream of coolant against the surface. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17  further comprising cooling coolant draining from the outlet to below a saturation temperature of coolant in the chamber. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 17  further comprising detecting temperature of coolant draining from the outlet, wherein the maintaining the pressure in the chamber comprises adjusting the pressure in the chamber in response to the detected temperature. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the introducing the coolant through the inlet includes forcing the coolant through at least one tubular nozzle that extends into the chamber. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the projecting a stream of coolant against the surface includes projecting a stream having a central axis oriented non-perpendicularly with respect to the surface. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the projecting a stream of coolant against the surface includes projecting an array of streams with central axes oriented at a substantially same angle with respect to the surface. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24  wherein coolant flows across the surface in a substantially same direction, wherein the array of streams contact the surface in an array of contact points organized in columns and rows, wherein the columns are oriented perpendicularly with respect to the substantially same direction and the rows are oriented in parallel with respect to the substantially same direction, and wherein a given contact point in a given row and column does not have a corresponding contact point in a neighboring row in the given column or a contact point in a neighboring column in the given row. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the projecting a stream of coolant against the surface includes projecting an array of streams with central axes oriented at substantially different angles with respect to the surface.