Cooling system with controlled biphase mixing of refrigerant and a method for cooling with the cooling system
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cooling systems for semiconductor components under test face challenges in achieving precise and rapid temperature regulation over large ranges while maintaining power efficiency and reducing noise, with inverter compressors being costly and mechanically complex.
Innovation Solution
A bi-phase refrigerant cooling system with dedicated flow paths for liquid and gas phases and a mixing chamber to dynamically control the refrigerant ratio entering the evaporator, allowing for high accuracy temperature regulation without additional moving parts or complex mechanical elements, and enabling operation at a constant compressor speed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If inverter compressors are used to achieve fast cooling and variable speed operation, then cooling speed and power efficiency are improved, but manufacturing cost and mechanical complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the speed control function from the compressor itself and relocates it to the refrigerant flow control system. By using a mixing chamber to blend liquid and gas refrigerant in variable proportions, the system achieves effective capacity control without modifying compressor speed, thereby eliminating the need for complex inverter mechanisms while maintaining fast cooling capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The mixing chamber acts as an intermediary device that decouples the compressor's constant speed operation from the variable cooling demand. By introducing a mixing chamber that combines liquid and gas refrigerant in controllable ratios, the system mediates between the fixed-speed compressor and the variable cooling requirements, achieving inverter-like performance without mechanical complexity.
2Ease of manufacture
If the compressor is turned ON/OFF frequently to regulate temperature, then system cost and mechanical complexity are reduced, but power efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces dynamic control of refrigerant flow ratios through the mixing chamber, allowing continuous adjustment of cooling capacity while the compressor runs at constant speed. This dynamic flow control enables precise temperature regulation without frequent compressor cycling, improving power efficiency while maintaining simple mechanical design.
Solution Approach 2:
The system maintains continuous compressor operation with constant speed, eliminating the start-stop cycles that waste energy. The mixing chamber continuously blends refrigerant phases in varying proportions to match cooling demand, ensuring the compressor always performs useful work without frequent interruptions, thereby improving power efficiency.
3Use of energy by moving object
If constant compressor speed is used to reduce noise and improve power efficiency, then power efficiency and noise are reduced, but temperature regulation precision and rapid changes are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality control at the mixing chamber where refrigerant flow proportions are precisely adjusted according to instantaneous cooling demand. By controlling the local mixing ratio of liquid and gas refrigerant, the system achieves precise temperature regulation at the evaporator inlet, enabling accurate temperature control even with constant-speed compressor operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the physical parameter of refrigerant flow composition (liquid-to-gas ratio) rather than compressor speed to control cooling capacity. By dynamically adjusting the proportion of liquid and gas refrigerant entering the evaporator, the system achieves rapid temperature changes and precise regulation while maintaining constant compressor speed, thereby preserving power efficiency and reducing noise.
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 solution achieves high accuracy temperature regulation (up to 0.5°C) with rapid changes over large ranges, improving power efficiency and reducing noise by controlling the refrigerant ratio dynamically, and can be integrated into various cooling systems including air conditioning and refrigerators.
Implementation Method 1
A mixing chamber in which the liquid and gas refrigerant may be mixed at the desired ratio
Implementation Method 2
circulating a refrigerant between an accumulator, compressor, condenser and an evaporator
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
A method for cooling with a refrigerant based cooling system includes circulating a refrigerant in a main flow path of a refrigeration cycle including an accumulator, compressor, condenser and an evaporator, diverting a portion of flow to a bypass flow path from a location along the main flow path that is downstream the compressor and upstream the condenser and combining flow through the bypass flow path with flow through the main flow path downstream the condenser and upstream from the evaporator. The rate of flow through the bypass flow path may be dynamically controlled.