Cooling system and aircraft cooling system comprising the same
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional cooling systems for aircraft, particularly those with composite components, face inefficiencies and weight issues due to the use of hydrofluorocarbon refrigerants like R-134a, and alternative refrigerants like carbon dioxide are too heavy, necessitating a more efficient and environmentally friendly cooling solution.
Innovation Solution
A cooling system with a cold sink and pressure regulating elements along each heat load cooling path, using refrigerants such as 1,1,1,2-Tetrafluoroethane (R-134a) or 2,3,3,3-Tetrafluoropropene (R-1234yf), and incorporating a pump and evaporator to manage a two-phase fluid flow, ensuring consistent pressure drops and flow rates across multiple heat loads.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If conventional vapor compression cycle is used to chill secondary coolant to sub-ambient temperature, then cooling performance is achieved, but system efficiency deteriorates and size and weight increase due to additional components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes phase transition of the cooling fluid from liquid to two-phase state directly at the heat loads through pressure regulating elements, eliminating the need for separate evaporators and condensers. The fluid absorbs heat during evaporation at each heat load location, providing sub-ambient cooling without complex vapor compression components.
Solution Approach 2:
The system divides the cooling function into multiple independent cooling paths, each with its own pressure regulating element that creates a pressure drop to enable phase change. This segmentation allows distributed cooling without a centralized complex vapor compression system.
2Productivity
If pressure regulating elements are added to each heat load cooling path to create pressure drop, then cooling efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The pressure regulating elements change the pressure parameter of the cooling fluid in each cooling path, creating the necessary pressure drop to enable phase change from liquid to two-phase state. This parameter change allows the fluid to absorb heat more effectively at each heat load without requiring complex control systems.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If carbon dioxide is used as refrigerant to reduce global warming potential, then environmental impact is reduced, but system weight increases substantially
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the operating parameters of the refrigerant by using pressure regulating elements to create pressure drops in each cooling path. This enables efficient heat transfer with lighter refrigerants like R-134a or R-1234yf, avoiding the need for heavy carbon dioxide systems while maintaining environmental performance.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration enhances cooling efficiency, reduces system weight, and minimizes environmental impact by maintaining consistent cooling performance across varying heat loads while minimizing the need for additional components and inefficiencies.
Implementation Method 1
each pressure regulating element arranged between the inlet and the heat load along each heat load cooling path and configured to cause a pressure drop in the cooling fluid prior to passing the cooling fluid to each heat load
Implementation Method 2
The cooling fluid is a liquid at the inlet and a two-phase fluid at the outlet
Implementation Method 3
an outlet configured to receive the cooling fluid after passing through the plurality of heat load cooling paths of the cold sink
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 3
AI summary
Cooling systems include a cold sink (102) having a number of heat load cooling paths (206a - d) and a heat load (310a - d) associated with each cooling path. An inlet (202) is configured to supply a cooling fluid into the cold sink and an outlet (214) is configured to receive the cooling fluid after passing through the plurality of heat load cooling paths of the cold sink. A pressure regulating element (316a - d) is arranged along each cooling path, each pressure regulating element arranged between the inlet and the heat load along each cooling path and configured to cause a pressure drop in the cooling fluid prior to passing the cooling fluid to each heat load. The pressure drop caused by each pressure regulating element is the same and is a pressure drop greater than a maximum pressure drop across each heat load of a system without such pressure regulating elements.