Unlock instant, AI-driven research and patent intelligence for your innovation.

Dual Use Cooling Systems

Inactive Publication Date: 2012-09-27
THE BOEING CO
View PDF7 Cites 21 Cited by
  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0007]Efficiency, size, cost, reliability, or any combination thereof, of a vehicle may be improved by using a single cooling system to cool two or more heat sources that have different operating temperatures. For example, a single cooling system may be used to cool an engine and one or more electronic components. The electronic components may be at a significantly lower operating temperature than the engine. Further, in a particular embodiment, a coolant used to cool the engine is hotter than the operating temperature of the electronic components. However, use of a thermoelectric cooling device, such as a solid-state Peltier heat pump, enables driving heat against a temperature gradient to enable removal of heat from the electronic devices by the higher temperature coolant. Additionally, the thermoelectric cooling device enables control of the temperature of the electronic components by controlling power supplied to the thermoelectric cooling device. Further, a thermoelectric generator may be used to convert some of the waste heat from the electronic components and the engine as power that can be supplied to the thermoelectric cooling device.

Problems solved by technology

Further, additional power is generated by the thermoelectric generator using what would otherwise be waste heat from the fuel cell.
Additionally, due to the reduced number of parts compared to separate cooling systems, the multiple use cooling systems may be lighter and take up less space.
Additionally, the illustrations are merely representational and may not be drawn to scale.

Method used

the structure of the environmentally friendly knitted fabric provided by the present invention; figure 2 Flow chart of the yarn wrapping machine for environmentally friendly knitted fabrics and storage devices; image 3 Is the parameter map of the yarn covering machine
View more

Image

Smart Image Click on the blue labels to locate them in the text.
Viewing Examples
Smart Image
  • Dual Use Cooling Systems
  • Dual Use Cooling Systems
  • Dual Use Cooling Systems

Examples

Experimental program
Comparison scheme
Effect test

first embodiment

[0023]FIG. 1 is a diagram of a system to generate electric power, the system generally designated 100. The system 100 includes a platform where a power generation system is situated. For example, the platform can be a mobile platform, such as an aircraft, a space craft, a watercraft, or a land-based vehicle. In another example, the platform can be a stationary platform, such as a power generation system in a utility power plant, an industrial site, an office building, or another substantially stationary structure. In a particular embodiment, the power generation system of the platform 102 includes components to generate electric power. For example the components to generate electric power may include a fuel cell 104 having an anode 106 and a cathode 108. The components to generate electric power may also include one or more thermoelectric generators (TE), such as a first TE 110 and a second TE 120.

[0024]In a particular embodiment, the first TE 110 is coupled to the anode 106 of the ...

second embodiment

[0029]FIG. 2 is a diagram of a system to generate electric power, the system generally designated 200. In a particular embodiment, the system 200 includes many elements that are the same as or substantially similar to elements of the system 100. Such elements have the same reference number as in FIG. 1 for ease of reference and description.

[0030]In the system 200, a controller 250 controls one or more control valves 252, 254. The control valves 252, 254 are positioned between a fuel cell outlet and a fuel cell inlet (rather than between the fuel cell outlet and the heat exchanger hot-side inlet as in the system 100 of FIG. 1). Thus, the control valves 252, 254 control an amount of the hot exhaust gases 107, 109 that bypass both the TEs 110, 120 and the heat exchanger 130, 140. The control valves 252, 254 are operable to control preheating of preheated intake gas 280 routed to the fuel cell by controlling a portion of the hot exhaust gases 107, 109 that is mixed directly into the pre...

third embodiment

[0031]FIG. 3 is a diagram of a system to generate electric power, the system generally designated 300. In a particular embodiment, the system 300 includes many elements that are the same as or substantially similar to elements of the system 100. Such elements have the same reference number as in FIG. 1 for ease of reference and description.

[0032]In the particular embodiment of FIG. 3, no heat exchangers, such as the heat exchangers 130 and 140 of FIGS. 1 and 2, are present. Rather, TEs 310, 320 coupled to outlets of the fuel cell 104 exchange heat between the hot exhaust gases 107, 109 and the intake gases 162 in addition to generating power based on a temperature differential between the hot exhaust gases 107, 109 and the intake gases 162. A controller 350 controls one or more control valves 352, 354 that are positioned between the fuel cell outlet and the fuel cell inlet. Thus, the control valves 352, 354 control an amount of the hot exhaust gases 107, 109 that bypass TEs 310, 320...

the structure of the environmentally friendly knitted fabric provided by the present invention; figure 2 Flow chart of the yarn wrapping machine for environmentally friendly knitted fabrics and storage devices; image 3 Is the parameter map of the yarn covering machine
Login to View More

PUM

No PUM Login to View More

Abstract

Cooling systems and methods of use are disclosed. A particular method includes routing at least a first portion of a coolant stream from a first heat exchanger to a second heat exchanger to receive heat from a hot side of a thermoelectric cooling device. The method also includes cooling one or more electronic devices using a cold side of the thermoelectric cooling device. The method also includes routing at least a second portion of the coolant stream to an engine.

Description

CLAIM OF PRIORITY[0001]This application claims priority as a continuation-in-part from U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12 / 550,131, filed on Aug. 28, 2009, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE[0002]The present disclosure is generally related to cooling systems and methods of use.BACKGROUND[0003]Multiple heat sources that require temperature control may be present in some systems. For example, some vehicles include an engine that generates heat and electronics that generate heat. These vehicles may include an engine cooling system to cool the engine and an auxiliary cooling system to cool the electronics, etc. The engine cooling system and the auxiliary cooling system may be separate systems due at least in part to a large difference in operating temperatures between the engine and the electronics.SUMMARY[0004]Cooling systems and methods of use are disclosed. A particular system includes two or more heat sources. The first heat source may ...

Claims

the structure of the environmentally friendly knitted fabric provided by the present invention; figure 2 Flow chart of the yarn wrapping machine for environmentally friendly knitted fabrics and storage devices; image 3 Is the parameter map of the yarn covering machine
Login to View More

Application Information

Patent Timeline
no application Login to View More
IPC IPC(8): F01P11/00F25B21/02
CPCB60K1/00B60K11/02F25B21/02F01P2050/24F01P3/20
Inventor GAO, LIJUNCHIEN, CHIN-HSILIU, SHENGYI
Owner THE BOEING CO