Consumable dry ice cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current thermal management systems for aerospace and missile electronics face challenges in providing rapid and efficient cooling due to high waste heat power, short mission durations, and limited volume constraints, which existing air cooling and metal heat sink techniques cannot adequately address.
Innovation Solution
A consumable dry ice cooling system using compressed liquid carbon dioxide that sublimates into dry ice, which is collected in a coolant container with a low freezing point liquid, allowing for effective heat transfer and heat removal through the sublimation process, utilizing a heat exchanger to manage thermal energy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If compressed liquid carbon dioxide is used and depressurized to form dry ice, then cooling efficiency and heat absorption capacity are improved, but system complexity and equipment requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system utilizes the phase transition of carbon dioxide from liquid to solid (dry ice) during depressurization. This phase change absorbs significant heat energy (571 J/g enthalpy of sublimation), providing high cooling efficiency without requiring complex active cooling mechanisms. The phase transition occurs naturally when compressed CO2 liquid is released to atmospheric pressure.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs passive cooling where the dry ice sublimation process automatically absorbs heat from the surrounding environment and heat-generating components. No external power source or active control is needed for the cooling effect itself - the phase transition self-regulates based on heat input and pressure conditions.
2Temperature
If dry ice is used as a cooling agent, then cooling effectiveness and lack of residue are improved, but volume constraints and storage requirements worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the physical state of CO2 from solid dry ice to compressed liquid for storage and transport. This parameter change increases density and reduces volume significantly, allowing the cooling agent to be stored in compact containers that fit within volume-constrained aerospace and missile systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The compressed liquid CO2 is pre-stored in a compact container before use. When cooling is needed, the liquid is rapidly depressurized to generate dry ice in-situ at the heat-generating component. This preliminary storage approach eliminates the need for large-volume solid dry ice storage while maintaining cooling effectiveness.
3Loss of energy
If liquid coolant is used with dry ice, then heat transfer efficiency is improved, but risk of freezing and system reliability worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses a liquid coolant with a depressed freezing point (such as alcohol-based solutions) to prevent freezing while maintaining excellent heat transfer properties. This parameter change in the coolant's physical properties allows operation at sub-zero temperatures without solidification, ensuring system reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The liquid coolant acts as an intermediary heat transfer medium between the dry ice and the heat-generating component. It absorbs heat from the component and transfers it to the dry ice, improving overall heat transfer efficiency while its low freezing point prevents coolant solidification.
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
The system provides efficient, on-demand cooling with high heat absorption capacity, suitable for volume-constrained applications like missile systems, achieving conversion efficiencies of 20-35% by CO2 mass and offering non-toxic, non-flammable, and dense dry ice for effective thermal management.
Implementation Method 1
Dry ice is formed when liquid carbon dioxide is depressurized
Implementation Method 2
liquid carbon dioxide is depressurized
Implementation Method 3
dry ice sublimates to a gas when heated
Implementation Method 4
high heat absorption capacity
Implementation Method 5
a heat exchanger to couple a heat-generating source to the dry ice container
Implementation Method 6
The dry ice container includes a liquid coolant
Data Source
AI summary
Dry ice cooling systems and methods of making dry ice cooling systems are disclosed. According to embodiments, dry ice cooling systems include a compression container including compressed liquid carbon dioxide. The dry ice cooling systems include a dry ice container coupled to the compression container to receive the liquid carbon dioxide and house dry ice as it forms. The dry ice container includes a liquid coolant. Further, the dry ice cooling system includes a heat exchanger to couple a heat-generating source to the dry ice container.