Compressor-Free Cooling Device with Temperature-Based Dryout Detection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing cooling devices using latent heat of vaporization without a compressor struggle to quickly detect the occurrence of dryout, leading to inefficient heat recovery and potential temperature rises in the cooling target.

Innovation Solution

A cooling device with a controller that determines dryout based on both evaporator and refrigerant temperatures, using a temperature sensor near the evaporator outlet and a refrigerant pressure sensor to detect changes in heat transfer coefficients, allowing for rapid detection and adjustment of refrigerant flow rates to prevent dryout.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If dryout detection is based only on refrigerant temperature change, then the detection method is simple, but dryout cannot be detected quickly enough because temperature rise only occurs after refrigerant completely changes to gas phase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedryout detection accuracyVSAvoiddryout detection time

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the temperature measurement into two separate components: refrigerant temperature and evaporator temperature. By measuring these temperatures separately and comparing their difference, the system can detect dryout conditions much earlier than by monitoring refrigerant temperature alone, since evaporator temperature rises when liquid refrigerant becomes insufficient for complete evaporation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces the evaporator temperature as an intermediary measurement point between the refrigerant and the final cooling effect. This intermediary temperature measurement provides early warning of dryout conditions by detecting changes in the evaporator's thermal state before the refrigerant temperature itself changes significantly

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If compressor is used for cooling, then cooling performance is reliable, but equipment configuration becomes complex and size increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecooling performanceVSAvoidequipment configuration

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and removes the compressor component from the cooling system, replacing it with a liquid feeding unit that uses latent heat of vaporization for cooling. This extraction eliminates the complexity and size associated with compressors while maintaining reliable cooling performance through phase change heat transfer

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent utilizes the phase transition of the refrigerant from liquid to gas in the evaporator to generate cooling effect. By relying on latent heat of vaporization during this phase transition, the system achieves reliable cooling performance without requiring a compressor to pressurize the refrigerant

Inventive Principle:

Principle #36Phase transitions

3Device complexity

If only sensible heat of refrigerant is utilized for cooling, then equipment is simpler, but refrigerant circulation volume increases leading to larger equipment size

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveequipment configurationVSAvoidrefrigerant circulation volume

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #36Phase transitions

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

Enables quick detection of dryout, maintaining cooling efficiency, reducing device size and refrigerant circulation, and simplifying equipment configuration, particularly beneficial for mobile applications.

Implementation Method 1

a cooling device for performing cooling by utilizing latent heat of vaporization without using a compressor

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLatent heat of vaporization: Latent Heat

Implementation Method 2

an evaporator configured to evaporate the fed refrigerant

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectEvaporation: Evaporation

Implementation Method 3

a condenser configured to condense the evaporated refrigerant

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCondensation: Condensation

Data Source

PatentUS12359878B2Dryout detection for cooling device

Publication Date: 2025.07.15 SHIMADZU CORP

AI summary

A cooling device for performing cooling by utilizing latent heat of vaporization without a compressor and is provided with a liquid feeding unit for feeding a refrigerant, an evaporator for evaporating the fed refrigerant, a condenser for condensing the evaporated refrigerant, and a controller for controlling the flow rate of the refrigerant. The controller is configured to determine whether or not dryout has occurred based on the temperature of the evaporator and the refrigerant temperature of the evaporator, the dryout being defined as a state in which a gas-phase refrigerant is in contact with an inner surface of a refrigerant flow path of the evaporator.