High-surface area thermal protection modules and an uninterruptible cooling system utilizing the same

Abstract

An uninterruptible cooling system includes a refrigeration unit and a thermal protection module. The refrigeration unit is configured to chill a cooling fluid to a desired temperature. The thermal protection module includes a heat transfer element having a shell and a fluid passageway. The shell defines a cavity. The cavity is filled with a phase-change material sealed therein. The fluid passageway extends through the cavity. The fluid passageway has a tunnel wall that defined a tunnel extending therethrough. The tunnel is fluidly sealed from the cavity. The tunnel is in fluid communication with the refrigeration unit.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A thermal protection module comprising:
 a first heat transfer element having:
 a first shell defining a first cavity, the first cavity sealed and filled with a first medium; and 
 a first fluid passageway extending through the first cavity, the first fluid passageway having a first tunnel wall that defines a first tunnel extending therethrough, the first tunnel fluidly sealed separate from the first cavity. 
   
     
     
         2 . The thermal protection module according to  claim 1 , further comprising a second heat transfer element spaced apart from the first heat transfer element to define a gap therebetween, the second heat transfer element having:
 a second shell defining a second cavity, the second cavity filled with a second medium; and   a second fluid passageway extending through the second cavity, the second fluid passageway having a second tunnel wall that defines a second tunnel extending therethrough, the second tunnel fluidly sealed from the second cavity.   
     
     
         3 . The thermal protection module according to  claim 2 , wherein the first medium and the second medium are a phase-change material. 
     
     
         4 . The thermal protection module according to  claim 2 , comprising a first manifold that receives a respective first end of each of the first fluid passageway and the second fluid passageway, the first tunnel in fluid communication with the second tunnel through the first manifold. 
     
     
         5 . The thermal protection module according to  claim 4 , comprising a second manifold that receives a respective second end of each of the first fluid passageway and the second fluid passageway, the first tunnel in fluid communication with the second tunnel through the second manifold. 
     
     
         6 . The thermal protection module according to  claim 1 , wherein the first heat transfer element includes a first end cap and a second end cap opposite the first end cap, the first end cap and the second end cap enclosing the first cavity. 
     
     
         7 . The thermal protection module according to  claim 1 , wherein the first tunnel wall of the first fluid passageway has a plurality of fins projecting radially outwardly therefrom into the first cavity of the first shell. 
     
     
         8 . The thermal protection module according to  claim 1 , wherein the first fluid passageway includes a second tunnel wall extending coaxially through the first tunnel wall such that the second tunnel wall defines a supply tunnel therethrough and the first tunnel wall defines a return tunnel with the second tunnel wall, the supply tunnel and the return tunnel in fluid communication with each other. 
     
     
         9 . The thermal protection module according to  claim 1 , wherein the first medium is a phase-change material having a first state in which the first medium is solid and a second state in which the first medium is liquid, the first medium tuned to transition from the first state to the second state at a desired temperature. 
     
     
         10 . The thermal protection module according to  claim 9 , wherein the first fluid passageway is a heat pipe, the heat pipe filled with a fluid that evaporates at temperature that is lower than the temperature that the first medium transitions from the first state to the second state. 
     
     
         11 . The thermal protection module according to  claim 10 , wherein the heat pipe is entirely sealed. 
     
     
         12 . The thermal protection module according to  claim 10 , wherein the fluid in the heat pipe is n-butane. 
     
     
         13 . An uninterruptible cooling system comprising:
 a refrigeration unit configured to chill a cooling fluid to a desired temperature; and   a thermal protection module comprising:
 a heat transfer element having: 
 a shell defining a cavity, the cavity filled with a phase-change material sealed therein; and 
 a fluid passageway extending through the cavity, the fluid passageway having a tunnel wall that defines a tunnel extending therethrough, the tunnel fluidly sealed from the cavity, the tunnel in fluid communication with the refrigeration unit. 
   
     
     
         14 . The system according to  claim 13 , wherein the phase-change material has a first state in which the phase-change material is a solid and a second state in which the phase-change material is a liquid, the phase-change material tuned to transition from the first state to the second state at a desired temperature. 
     
     
         15 . The system according to  claim 14 , wherein the refrigeration unit is configured to circulate the cooling fluid through the tunnel of the fluid passageway to transition the phase-change material between the first state and the second state or to maintain the phase-change material in the first state. 
     
     
         16 . The system according to  claim 13 , wherein the thermal protection module comprises ten heat transfer elements, each heat transfer element spaced apart from an adjacent heat transfer unit to define a gap therebetween. 
     
     
         17 . The system according to  claim 16 , further comprising a manifold that receives a respective first end of each fluid passageway of each heat transfer element, the manifold in fluid communication with the refrigeration unit and configured to distribute the cooling fluid to each tunnel. 
     
     
         18 . A heat transfer element for a thermal protection module, the heat transfer element comprising:
 a shell defining a cavity that is sealed and filled with a phase-change material, the phase-change material having a first state in which the phase-change material is solid and a second state in which the phase-change material is liquid; and   a fluid passageway extending through the cavity of the shell, the fluid passageway defining a tunnel extending therethrough, the tunnel fluidly sealed from the cavity, the fluid passageway configured to receive a fluid through the tunnel to transition the phase-change material between the first state and the second state or to maintain the phase-change material in the first state.   
     
     
         19 . The heat transfer element according to  claim 18 , wherein the phase-change material is configured to absorb heat from a surrounding environment when the phase-change material transitions from the first state to the second state. 
     
     
         20 . The heat transfer element according to  claim 19 , wherein the phase-change material is configured to transition from the first state to the second state at a temperature above 0 degrees Celsius.