Patent application number | Description | Published |
20110149518 | HEAT-TRANSFER ARRANGEMENT FOR ENCLOSED CIRCUIT BOARDS - An electronics module designed to efficiently remove heat from enclosed circuit boards via one or more configurable heat conduits. Each heat conduit is custom-configured to provide good thermal contact between the corresponding heat-generating electronic device of an enclosed circuit board and the clamshell housing that encloses the circuit board. Good thermal contact between the clamshell housing and the outer case of the electronic module facilitates efficient heat transfer to the finned exterior surface of the outer case, where the heat is dissipated into the ambient environment via thermal conduction, natural convection, forced convection, and/or thermal radiation. Depending on the topology of the circuit board and the individual characteristics of the electronic device to be cooled, the corresponding configurable heat conduit might be based on a nested heat-sink coupler, a fitted movable plug, or a flexible ribbon-shaped heat pipe. | 06-23-2011 |
20120279683 | COOLING APPARATUS FOR COMMUNICATIONS PLATFORMS - An apparatus comprising a rack having one or more shelves, a plurality of electronics circuit boards and heat conduits and a cooler. Each board is held by one of the one or more shelves, some of the boards having a localized heat source thereon. Each heat conduit forms a heat conducting path over and adjacent to a particular one of the boards from a region adjacent to the heat source thereon to a connection zone, the zone being remote from the heat source. The cooler is located on a side of the rack and coupled to the zones such that heat is transferable from the paths to the cooler. The cooler is configured to flow a cooling fluid therein to cool localized thermal interfaces at the cooler, each interface being adjacent to and at a corresponding one of the zones. | 11-08-2012 |
20120281359 | MECHANICALLY-REATTACHABLE LIQUID-COOLED COOLING APPARATUS - An apparatus comprising a rack having a row of shelves, each shelf supporting an electronics circuit board, each one of the circuit boards being manually removable from the shelve supporting the one of the circuit boards and having a local heat source thereon. The apparatus also comprises a cooler attached to the rack and being able to circulate a cooling fluid around a channel forming a closed loop. The apparatus further comprises a plurality of heat conduits, each heat conduit being located over a corresponding one of the circuit boards and forming a path to transport heat from the local heat source of the corresponding one of the circuit boards to the cooler. Each heat conduit is configured to be manually detachable from the cooler or the circuit board, without breaking a circulation pathway of the fluid through the cooler. | 11-08-2012 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090242036 | Directed-flow conduit - Device including channel having channel input and output. Channel has interior channel surface extending along channel path from channel input to output. In one implementation, channel includes plurality of channel sections in serial communication along channel path. Each of channel sections includes first internal circumference spaced apart along channel path from second internal circumference, in each of channel sections the first and second internal circumferences being substantially different. Each of channel sections includes sub-surface of interior channel surface. At least region of sub-surface of each channel section includes distribution of raised micro-scale features. As another implementation, at least first region of interior channel surface includes distribution of raised micro-scale features interrupted by plurality of raised barriers spaced apart along channel path on interior channel surface. Each raised barrier extends on interior channel surface in directions partially transverse to and partially parallel to longitudinal axis. Method also provided. | 10-01-2009 |
20090242175 | Thermal energy transfer device - Device having first wick evaporator including first membrane and plurality of first thermally-conductive supports. First membrane has upper and lower surfaces. First membrane also has plurality of pores with upper pore ends at upper surface of first membrane and with lower pore ends at lower surface of first membrane. Each of first thermally-conductive supports has upper and lower support ends. Upper support ends of first thermally-conductive supports are in contact with first membrane. Each of first thermally-conductive supports has longitudinal axis extending between the upper and lower support ends, average cross-sectional area along axis, and membrane support cross-sectional area at upper support end, the membrane support cross-sectional area effectively being smaller than average cross-sectional area. First thermally-conductive supports are configured to conduct thermal energy from lower support ends of first thermally-conductive supports to first membrane. Process includes providing wick evaporator, providing liquid working fluid in contact with lower or upper surface of membrane, and causing liquid working fluid to be evaporated from liquid-vapor interface in membrane. | 10-01-2009 |
20100104748 | CLOSED-CELL SURFACES WITH ENHANCED DRAG-REDUCTION PROPERTIES - An apparatus, comprising a plurality of closed cells disposed on a surface of a substrate. Each of the closed cells has at least one dimension that is less than about 1 millimeter and are configured to hold a medium therein. The apparatus also comprises a foam that contacts the closed cells. The foam has fluid walls that include a surfactant, and bubbles of the foam layer are filled with the medium. | 04-29-2010 |
20100183906 | RESERVE CELL-ARRAY NANOSTRUCTRED BATTERY - A battery having an electrode with at least one nanostructured surface is disclosed wherein the nanostructured surface is divided into cells and is disposed in a way such that an electrolyte fluid of the battery is prevented from contacting the portion of electrode associated with each cell. When a voltage is passed over the nanostructured surface associated with a particular cell, the electrolyte fluid is caused to penetrate the nanostructured surface of that cell and to contact the electrode, thus activating the portion of the battery associated with that cell. The current/voltage generated by the battery is controlled by selectively activating only a portion of the cells. Multiple cells can be active simultaneously to produce the desired voltage. The more cells that are active, the higher the current/voltage and the lower the overall life of the battery. The life of the battery can be extended by activating fewer cells simultaneously. | 07-22-2010 |
20100221597 | REVERSIBLY-ACTIVATED NANOSTRUCTURED BATTERY - A battery having a nanostructured battery electrode is disclosed wherein it is possible to reverse the contact of the electrolyte with the battery electrode and, thus, to return a battery to a reserve state after it has been used to generate current. In order to achieve this reversibility, the nanostructures on the battery electrode comprise a plurality of closed cells and the pressure within the enclosed cells is varied. In a first embodiment, the pressure is varied by varying the temperature of a fluid within the cells by, for example, applying a voltage to electrodes disposed within said cells. In a second illustrative embodiment, once the battery has been fully discharged, the battery is recharged and then the electrolyte fluid is expelled from the cells in a way such that it is no longer in contact with the battery electrode. | 09-02-2010 |
20100247982 | RESERVE CELL-ARRAY NANOSTRUCTURED BATTERY - A battery having an electrode with at least one nanostructured surface is disclosed wherein the nanostructured surface is divided into cells and is disposed in a way such that an electrolyte fluid of the battery is prevented from contacting the portion of electrode associated with each cell. When a voltage is passed over the nanostructured surface associated with a particular cell, the electrolyte fluid is caused to penetrate the nanostructured surface of that cell and to contact the electrode, thus activating the portion of the battery associated with that cell. The current/voltage generated by the battery is controlled by selectively activating only a portion of the cells. Multiple cells can be active simultaneously to produce the desired voltage. The more cells that are active, the higher the current/voltage and the lower the overall life of the battery. The life of the battery can be extended by activating fewer cells simultaneously. | 09-30-2010 |
20120060937 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING THE FLOW RESISTANCE OF A FLUID ON NANOSTRUCTURED OR MICROSTRUCTURED SURFACES - A method and apparatus is disclosed wherein the flow resistance of a droplet disposed on a nanostructured or microstructured surface is controlled. A closed-cell feature is used in a way such that, when the pressure of at least a first fluid within one or more of the cells of said surface is decreased to or below a desired level, a droplet disposed on that surface is caused to at least partially penetrate the surface. In another illustrative embodiment, the pressure within one or more of the cells is increased to or above a desired level in a way such that the droplet of liquid is returned at least partially to its original, unpenetrated position. In yet another embodiment, a closed-cell structure feature pattern is used to prevent penetration of the nanostructured or microstructured surface, even when the pressure of the fluid disposed on the surface is relatively high. | 03-15-2012 |
20120227243 | CLOSED CELL SURFACES WITH ENHANCED DRAG-REDUCTION PROPERTIES - An apparatus, comprising a plurality of closed cells disposed on a surface of a substrate. Each of the closed cells has at least one dimension that is less than about 1 millimeter and are configured to hold a medium therein. The apparatus also comprises a foam that contacts the closed cells. The foam has fluid walls that include a surfactant, and bubbles of the foam layer are filled with the medium. | 09-13-2012 |
20140197131 | FLUID OSCILLATIONS ON STRUCTURED SURFACES - A device comprising a substrate having a surface that comprises a conductive base layer. The device also comprises fluid-support-structures on the conductive base layer. Each of the fluid-support-structures has at least one dimension of about 1 millimeter or less. Each of the fluid-support-structures is coated with an electrical insulator. The device is configured to oscillate a fluid locatable between tops of the fluid-support-structures and the conductive base layer when a voltage is applied between the conductive base layer and the fluid. | 07-17-2014 |
20140209288 | COOLING TECHNIQUE - A method and an apparatus are provided for cooling a heat source using a refrigerant flow in a heat exchanger. According to some embodiments, a flow property of the refrigerant as it flows through a heat exchanger is measured and based on the measurement a flow distribution rate for the flow of the refrigerant in the heat exchanger is determined. A valve is operated for adjusting the flow rate of the refrigerant in the heat exchanger according to the determined flow distribution rate. | 07-31-2014 |
20140216938 | MICRO-CHEMICAL MIXING - A device comprising, a substrate having a droplet thereover, and an electrical source coupleable to the substrate. The electrical source is configured to apply a voltage between the substrate and the droplet using an electrode. The electrode has a first portion and a second portion non-symmetric to the first portion, the first and second portions defined by a plane located normal to a longitudinal axis and through a midpoint of a length of the electrode. | 08-07-2014 |