Variable thermal resistance mounting system

Abstract

A variable-thermal-resistance mounting system may include a cylinder coupled to a heat source, or heat load and a rod movably engaged to the cylinder and coupled to a remaining one of the heat source and heat load. The rod may be coupled to a heat load. The rod may be axially slidable relative to the cylinder between a collapsed position and an extended position in a manner causing a change in heat flow between the heat source and the heat load such that the warm-side temperature of the heat load is initially set at a substantially optimal value.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A variable-thermal-resistance mounting system, comprising:
 a cylinder coupled to one of a heat source and a heat load, the heat load having an optimal warm-side temperature;   a rod movably engaged to the cylinder and being coupled to a remaining one of the heat source and heat load; and   the rod being axially slidable relative to the cylinder between a collapsed position and an extended position in a manner causing a change in heat flow between the heat source and the heat load such that the warm-side temperature of the heat load is initially set at a substantially optimal value.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the rod extending out of the cylinder by an extension length when the rod is in an extended position;   the cylinder has a cylinder inner surface;   the rod having a rod outer surface in contact with the cylinder inner surface along a contact surface area; and   the contact surface area increasing and decreasing in correspondence with a respective increase and decrease in the extension length.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the heat load comprises a thermoelectric generator.   
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a mechanical clamp configured to axially lock an axial position of the rod relative to the cylinder.   
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a mechanical mount coupling the heat source to the rod or the cylinder and being formed of material providing a desired level of thermal resistance between the heat source and the cylinder or rod.   
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a thermal platform coupling the heat load to the rod or the cylinder; and   the thermal platform being formed of one or more thermal materials having a predetermined thermal conductivity and geometry selected to provide a desired operating temperature range of the heat load.   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the cylinder contains a cylinder fluid that expands when heated causing an increase in pressure within the cylinder; and   the increasing cylinder pressure extending the rod out of the cylinder causing an increase in a thermal resistance between the rod and cylinder and a reduction in the heat flow between the heat source and the heat load.   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a bellows located between the heat load and the cylinder, the bellows containing a bellows fluid that expands when heated causing the bellows to increase in length; and   the increase in bellows length causing extension of the rod and a reduction in heat flow between the heat source and the heat load.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein:
 the bellows fluid contracts upon cooling causing the bellows to decrease in length; and   the decrease in bellows length resulting in retraction of the rod and an increase in heat flow between the heat source and the heat load.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the cylinder and the rod each include at least two segmented contacts in axially slidable engagement with one another; and   the segmented contacts being sized and configured such that axial movement of the rod causes a change in thermal resistance of the cylinder and rod.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein:
 the cylinder and rod each have at least two segmented contacts axially spaced from one another and of substantially equal length such that axial movement of the rod causes a linear change in thermal resistance of the cylinder and rod.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein:
 the cylinder and rod each have at least two segmented contacts axially spaced from one another and of unequal length such that axial movement of the rod causes a non-linear change in thermal resistance of the cylinder and rod.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 a motor coupled to the rod and actively controlling axial displacement of the rod relative to the cylinder for adjusting a thermal resistance between the rod and the cylinder.   
     
     
         14 . A variable-thermal-resistance mounting system, comprising:
 a cylinder coupled to a heat source;   a rod movably engaged to the cylinder and being coupled to a thermoelectric generator having an optimal warm-side temperature; and   the rod being axially slidable relative to the cylinder between a collapsed position and an extended position in a manner causing a change in thermal resistance between the heat source and the thermoelectric generator such that the warm-side temperature of the thermoelectric generator is initially set at a substantially optimal value.   
     
     
         15 . A method of regulating heat flow between a heat source and a heat load, comprising the steps of:
 coupling a rod to one of a heat source and a heat load, and coupling a cylinder to a remaining one of the heat source and the heat load;   axially moving the rod relative to the cylinder between a collapsed position and an extended position;   changing a heat flow between the heat source and the heat load in response to moving the rod between the collapsed position and the extended position; and   adjusting a warm-side temperature of the heat load in response to changing the heat flow.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the cylinder has a cylinder inner surface, the rod has a rod outer surface slidably engaged to the cylinder inner surface along a contact surface area, the method further comprising:
 extending the rod out of the cylinder;   changing the contact surface area in correspondence with extending the rod; and   altering the heat flow between the heat source and heat load in response to changing the contact surface area.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the cylinder contains a cylinder fluid, the method further comprising:
 heating the cylinder fluid with heat from the heat source;   expanding the cylinder fluid when heated causing an increase in pressure within the cylinder;   extending the rod out of the cylinder in response to the increasing cylinder pressure;   increasing a thermal resistance between the rod and cylinder in response to pushing the rod; and   reducing the heat flow between the heat source and the heat load in response to increasing the thermal resistance.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein a bellows is mounted between the heat load and the cylinder, the bellows containing a bellows fluid, the method further comprising:
 heating the bellows fluid with heat from the heat source;   expanding the bellows fluid when heated causing the bellows to increase in length;   extending the rod at least partially out of the cylinder in response to increasing a bellows length;   increasing a thermal resistance between the rod and cylinder in response to extending the rod; and   reducing the heat flow between the heat source and the heat load in response to increasing the thermal resistance.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 allowing the bellows fluid to cool;   contracting the bellows fluid upon cooling resulting in the bellows decreasing in length;   retracting the rod at least partially into the cylinder in response to decreasing the bellows length;   decreasing a thermal resistance in response to retracting the rod; and   increasing the heat flow between the heat source and the heat load in response to decreasing the thermal resistance.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the cylinder and the rod each include at least two axially-spaced segmented contacts of substantially equal length and in axially slidable engagement with one another, the method further comprising;
 axially moving the rod relative to the cylinder; and   linearly changing a thermal resistance of the cylinder and rod in response to axially moving the rod.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the cylinder and the rod each include at least two axially-spaced segmented contacts of unequal length and in axially slidable engagement with one another, the method further comprising;
 axially moving the rod relative to the cylinder; and   non-linearly changing a thermal resistance of the cylinder and rod in response to axially moving the rod.