Heat transfer bridge

Abstract

A heat transfer bridge for absorbing heat from electronic circuits and electrical distribution transformers to thereby cool said components is disclosed. The heat transfer bridge includes a passive pump for pumping a fluid having a low boiling point that readily creates bubbles when heated to its boiling point. The bubbles are directed via selected flow paths to effectively push or drive the fluid from adjacent a heat source such as an electronic circuit or transformer to heat dissipating components such as cooling fins. In one embodiment, the fluid in the inventive heat transfer bridge comprises a fluid comprising metallic slurry that provides many times the heat dissipation rate as compared to a clear fluid.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0001]This utility application claims the benefit of the earlier filing date of the provisional application of the same title, “Heat Transfer Bridge”, Ser. No. 61 / 575,946 having a filing date of Aug. 31, 2011 and of the same inventor, Troy W. Livingston.[0002]The present invention relates to system for removing heat from heat generating components, and more particularly to a method and system for removing heat from electronic circuit boards, electronic chips and transformers.[0003]As is well known in the electrical industry, circuit boards and electronic chips and transformers create unwanted heat during operation. Heat build-up may cause a circuit board or transformer to malfunction or burn up and cause the entire system to also malfunction or to short out. The problem has become even more acute due to the fact that circuit boards have become smaller and / or more highly populated with components thus causing the source of heat to become more intense. Accor...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0005]There is a need for providing a method and system for developing a circuit board and IC chip cooling system which will enable designers and engineers to create and operate electronic systems that are smaller in size and lighter in weight. It is thus an object and purpose of the present invention to address the foregoing problem and to provide a system and method for efficiently removing heat from circuit boards and IC chips which system is itself small and of light weight.

[0006]There is also a need for increasing the output of power line transformers without having to replace the transformers, and accordingly to provide improved cooling of the transformer during operation which will result in an increased capability of operating the transformers at a higher rating and / or to reduce the heat stress on the transformers.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0007]A basic feature of the present invention is the utilization of a system and structure including a passive transfer pump for cycling a liquid having or carrying a metallic slurry in the liquid. The pump is driven by the heat source itself. More specifically, the present invention rapidly removes thermal energy from a heat source to heat sink areas by incorporating a bubble generating effect of the low boiling point of a fluid to pump the liquid in a closed loop to the heat dissipating areas. The inventive system has no moving parts and therefore eliminates the maintenance and service life restrictions found in rotating or pulsating pump systems. An important feature of the invention is that it provides an efficient means of removing heat from a source wherein the liquid carries a metallic slurry that has been found to be multiple times more effective in transferring and conveying heat from one surface to another than does a liquid such as a fluorocarbon as water.

[0009]In a second embodiment, the present invention provides a heat transfer bridge for power transformers that can be non evasively retrofitted onto transformers and can be included in building new transformers. Transformers as referred to herein comprise a primary winding and a secondary winding which must be physically and electrically separated from one another. Electrical separation is achieved by use of an insulating material. The dielectric strength of an insulating material is reduced with increasing temperature. Continuous transformer operation at elevated temperatures therefore results in faster aging of the insulating material with a consequent reduction of the insulating properties of the material. Reduction or loss of the insulating properties of the material results in the failure of the transformer.

Problems solved by technology

Continuous transformer operation at elevated temperatures therefore results in faster aging of the insulating material with a consequent reduction of the insulating properties of the material.

Reduction or loss of the insulating properties of the material results in the failure of the transformer.

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