Thermally Emissive Materials Coupled to Optical Waveguides for Passive Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current technologies face challenges in efficiently extracting thermal energy from heat sources while avoiding electromagnetic interference, which can lead to reduced device performance or failure, especially in high-power devices, and there is a need for passive cooling methods that do not use electrical wires or actively powered approaches.
Innovation Solution
The integration of thermally emissive materials with optical waveguides, such as optical fibers, to extract thermal energy in the form of electromagnetic radiation, allowing for efficient energy transfer without electromagnetic interference, using methods like tunneling, scattering, and direct emission into the waveguide, and modifying the waveguide's properties to optimize energy extraction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If conventional thermal energy extraction methods are used, then thermal energy can be extracted from heat sources, but electromagnetic interference occurs which reduces device performance or causes failure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces conventional electrical/wire-based thermal energy extraction methods with an optical waveguide-based system. The waveguide uses optical fields rather than electrical fields to extract thermal energy, substituting the mechanical/electrical system with an optical system that does not generate electromagnetic interference with electronic devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The optical waveguide acts as an intermediary between the heat source and the thermal energy receiver. It mediates the thermal energy transfer process by converting thermal energy to optical energy through thermally emissive materials, then guiding this optical energy to a remote location, thereby isolating the heat source from direct electromagnetic interaction with electronic devices.
2Temperature
If actively powered cooling methods are used, then cooling can be achieved, but device complexity and power consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The thermally emissive materials integrated with the optical waveguide enable passive cooling by naturally converting thermal energy to optical energy through thermal radiation mechanisms. The system self-regulates thermal energy extraction without requiring external power sources or active control mechanisms, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining effective cooling capability.
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 approach enables efficient extraction and conversion of thermal energy into other forms, such as electrical energy, while providing passive cooling without electromagnetic interference, effectively addressing the limitations of existing technologies by enhancing energy transfer and reducing heat management challenges.
Implementation Method 1
The thermally emissive materials emit electromagnetic radiation collected by the waveguide to create a flow of energy from the thermal energy (heat) source
Implementation Method 2
an electromagnetic waveguide system with material constituents that improve upon the extraction of thermal energy in the form of electromagnetic radiation to a location removed from a source generating the thermal energy
Implementation Method 3
The thermally emissive materials facilitate the collection of electromagnetic energy by tunneling electromagnetic radiation into the waveguide
Implementation Method 4
by scattering electromagnetic radiation into the waveguide
Data Source
AI summary
The method presented uses thermally emissive materials for the extraction of heat through the use of electromagnetic waveguides, wherein the emissive material comprises materials which emit electromagnetic radiation due to thermal excitation, wherein the electromagnetic radiation is coupled to electromagnetic waveguides; a receiver adapted to receive the electromagnetic radiation for utilization, wherein the extracted electromagnetic radiation may propagate arbitrary distances inside the waveguides before the need for processing, for example, to maximize the temperature differential between the emissive material and that of the receiver; and the exchange of the chemical composition of some portion of the environment the apparatus is housed in. The thermal energy extraction apparatus described herein has the purpose of removing heat from a source for conversion to other forms of energy such as electricity and for thermal management applications. Wherein for heat management, the benefit of waveguides would constitute reduced interference with electronics through electromagnetic coupling.