Peltier Cooler Equipped With Synthetic Jet Ejectors

Abstract

A device ( 301 ) is provided which includes a Peltier device ( 303 ); a heat sink ( 305 ) in thermal contact with the Peltier device; and a synthetic jet ejector ( 307, 309 ) which directs a synthetic jet ( 319, 321 ) onto or adjacent to a surface of the heat sink.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A thermal management system, comprising:
 a Peltier device;   a heat sink in thermal contact with said Peltier device; and   a synthetic jet ejector which directs a synthetic jet onto or adjacent to a surface of said heat sink.   
     
     
         2 . The thermal management system of  claim 1 , wherein said heat sink comprises a plurality of heat fins, and wherein said synthetic jet ejector directs at least one synthetic jet along the longitudinal axis of a channel formed by adjacent heat fins. 
     
     
         3 . The thermal management system of  claim 1 , wherein said heat sink comprises a plurality of heat fins, wherein said synthetic jet ejector directs a first synthetic jet in a first direction along the longitudinal axis of a channel formed by adjacent heat fins, and wherein said synthetic jet ejector directs a second synthetic jet in a second direction along the longitudinal axis of said channel. 
     
     
         4 . The thermal management system of  claim 1 , wherein said heat sink comprises a first plurality of heat fins, and wherein said plurality of heat fins define a plurality of longitudinal channels, each of which is formed by the space between adjacent ones of said plurality of heat fins. 
     
     
         5 . The thermal management system of  claim 4 , wherein said synthetic jet ejector directs a first plurality of synthetic jets into said longitudinal channels. 
     
     
         6 . The thermal management system of  claim 4 , further comprising first and second synthetic jet ejectors, wherein said first synthetic jet ejector directs a first plurality of synthetic jets into said longitudinal channels in a first direction, and wherein said second synthetic jet ejector directs a second plurality of synthetic jets into said longitudinal channels in a second direction. 
     
     
         7 . The thermal management system of  claim 6 , wherein said first and second directions are opposite. 
     
     
         8 . The thermal management system of  claim 6 , wherein said first synthetic jet ejector directs a first plurality of synthetic jets into said longitudinal channels in a first direction and away from the center of said longitudinal channels, and wherein said second synthetic jet ejector directs a second plurality of synthetic jets into said longitudinal channels in a second direction and away from the center of said longitudinal channels. 
     
     
         9 . The thermal management system of  claim 6 , wherein said first synthetic jet ejector directs a first plurality of synthetic jets into said longitudinal channels in a first direction and towards the center of said longitudinal channels, and wherein said second synthetic jet ejector directs a second plurality of synthetic jets into said longitudinal channels in a second direction and towards the center of said longitudinal channels. 
     
     
         10 . The thermal management system of  claim 6 , wherein said first synthetic jet ejector directs a first plurality of synthetic jets into said longitudinal channels in a first direction and towards the center of said longitudinal channels, and wherein said second synthetic jet ejector directs a second plurality of synthetic jets into said longitudinal channels in a second direction and away from the center of said longitudinal channels. 
     
     
         11 . The thermal management system of  claim 8 , wherein said first synthetic jet ejector is disposed on a first side of said heat sink, and wherein said second synthetic jet ejector is disposed on a second side of said heat sink. 
     
     
         12 . The thermal management system of  claim 9 , wherein said first synthetic jet ejector is disposed on a first side of said heat sink, and wherein said second synthetic jet ejector is disposed on a second side of said heat sink. 
     
     
         13 . The thermal management system of  claim 1 , further comprising a heat source disposed on a first major surface of said Peltier device. 
     
     
         14 . The thermal management system of  claim 13 , wherein said heat sink is disposed on a second major surface of said Peltier device. 
     
     
         15 . The thermal management system of  claim 13 , wherein said first and second major surfaces are opposing surfaces. 
     
     
         16 . The thermal management system of  claim 14 , wherein said Peltier device operates such that said second major surface is warmer than said first major surface. 
     
     
         17 . The thermal management system of  claim 14 , wherein said Peltier device operates such that said first major surface is warmer than said second major surface. 
     
     
         18 . A thermal management system, comprising:
 a Peltier device having first and second surfaces;   a heat source disposed on said first surface; and   a synthetic jet ejector which directs a synthetic jet onto or adjacent to said second surface.   
     
     
         19 . The thermal management system of  claim 18 , wherein said first and second surfaces are first and second major surfaces. 
     
     
         20 . The thermal management system of  claim 18 , wherein said first and second surfaces are opposing surfaces. 
     
     
         21 . A method for thermally managing a heat source, comprising:
 providing a thermal management system comprising a Peltier device, a heat sink which is disposed on a first surface of said Peltier device, a heat source which is disposed on a second surface of said Peltier device, and a synthetic jet ejector which directs a synthetic jet onto or adjacent to a surface of said heat sink; and   operating the Peltier device such that a temperature gradient is established between said first and second surfaces.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the Peltier device is operated such that said first surface is warmer than said second surface. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the Peltier device is operated such that said second surface is warmer than said first surface. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the Peltier device is operated such that the synthetic jet ejector cools the heat sink sufficiently to maintain an essentially constant temperature gradient within the Peltier device. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the Peltier device is operated such that the synthetic jet ejector cools the heat sink sufficiently to maintain a temperature gradient within the Peltier device of less than 15° C. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the Peltier device is operated such that the synthetic jet ejector cools the heat sink sufficiently to maintain a temperature gradient within the Peltier device of less than 10° C. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the Peltier device is operated such that the synthetic jet ejector cools the heat sink sufficiently to maintain a temperature gradient within the Peltier device of less than 5° C. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the Peltier device is operated such that the synthetic jet ejector cools the heat sink sufficiently to maintain a temperature gradient within the Peltier device of less than 2° C. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the temperature gradient creates voltage which is supplied to the synthetic jet ejector. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the voltage is stored before being supplied to the synthetic jet ejector.