System, method, and apparatus for providing cooling

Abstract

An apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus has a cooling fluid passage, a gaseous fluid blower disposed at an upstream portion or a downstream portion of the cooling fluid passage, and a liquid droplet sprayer disposed at the upstream portion of the cooling fluid passage. A surface portion of the cooling fluid passage is hydrophobic.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a cooling fluid passage fluidly connecting an upstream portion and a downstream portion;   a gaseous fluid blower disposed at the upstream portion or the downstream portion of the cooling fluid passage; and   a liquid droplet sprayer disposed at the upstream portion of the cooling fluid passage;   wherein an interior surface portion of the cooling fluid passage is hydrophobic.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein a heat source is disposed at a downstream portion of the cooling fluid passage. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the interior surface portion of the cooling fluid passage is super-hydrophobic. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the gaseous fluid blower is an air blower. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the cooling fluid passage has a width that is greater than or equal to twice a height of the cooling fluid passage. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the interior surface portion of the cooling fluid passage is water-repellant. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the interior surface portion of the cooling fluid passage has a water contact angle that is greater than or equal to 120 degrees and less than 180 degrees. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the interior surface portion has a restitution coefficient of between about 0.2 and about 0.95. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a reservoir and a pump that are fluidly connected to the liquid droplet sprayer. 
     
     
         10 . A method, comprising:
 providing a gaseous fluid flow in a passage;   spraying liquid droplets into the gaseous fluid flow;   repelling the liquid droplets in the gaseous fluid flow from a surface of the passage; and   directing the gaseous fluid flow including the liquid droplets to a heat source;   wherein repelling the liquid droplets includes maintaining a size of the liquid droplets.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the gaseous fluid flow is an airflow. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the liquid droplets are water droplets. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein repelling the liquid droplets includes causing the liquid droplets to substantially form a sphere at the surface of the passage. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein repelling the liquid droplets includes substantially preventing agglomeration of the liquid droplets on the surface of the passage.