Protective Instrument Housing Cooling With Refrigerant Phase Change
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing passively cooled instrument protective housings are ineffective in extreme climatic zones due to insufficient temperature differences with water as the cooling medium, leading to unusability in extreme conditions.
Innovation Solution
A passively cooled instrument protective housing with an internal and external heat exchanger, a stratified storage tank for cooling medium, and a cooling unit that includes an evaporator and condenser, controlled by a regulatory device to manage temperature and time parameters, ensuring optimal heat exchange and temperature regulation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If water is used as the cooling medium in passively cooled instrument protective housings, then the housing can be cooled without active cooling systems, but the temperature difference becomes insufficient in extreme climatic zones, rendering the system unusable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the cooling medium from water to a refrigerant with superior heat absorption properties. This parameter change enables sufficient temperature differences even in extreme climatic zones, resolving the contradiction between passive cooling reliability and temperature difference insufficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes phase transitions of the refrigerant (evaporation and condensation) to enhance heat exchange efficiency. The evaporator absorbs heat through refrigerant evaporation, while the condenser releases heat through condensation, providing reliable passive cooling with adequate temperature differences in extreme conditions
2Reliability
If a passive cooling system with heat exchangers and storage tank is implemented, then temperature regulation is achieved, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the cooling medium storage function with the heat exchanger system by integrating the storage tank directly into the cooling circuit. This combination reduces the number of separate components and simplifies the overall system structure while maintaining reliable temperature regulation
Solution Approach 2:
The passive cooling system operates automatically using natural convection and phase transitions without requiring external power or control systems. The refrigerant circulates through the evaporator, storage tank, and condenser autonomously, achieving temperature regulation with minimal system complexity
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 solution enables reliable temperature regulation within the housing, even in extreme conditions, by ensuring a sufficient quantity of cool coolant is always available, effectively addressing the limitations of previous designs.
Implementation Method 1
which cooling unit has at least one cooling unit evaporator, in which a cooling unit coolant is evaporated with the extraction of heat from the storage tank cooling medium
Implementation Method 2
at least one condenser or liquefier, in which the vaporous or gaseous cooling unit coolant emanating from the cooling unit evaporator is liquefied
Implementation Method 3
at least one internal heat exchanger, disposed in the housing interior, and at least one external heat exchanger, disposed outside the housing
Implementation Method 4
When the interspaces are flowed through, the air streams absorb heat from the inner walls and evacuate this heat into the environment
Implementation Method 5
an internal heat exchanger, by means of which a heat exchange with the interior of the protective housing can be implemented
Data Source
AI summary
A passively cooled instrument protective housing has an internal heat exchanger, an external heat exchanger, and a storage tank for a cooling medium and disposed in a housing interior. A cooling unit having a cooling unit evaporator is disposed in the storage tank and in which a cooling unit coolant is evaporated with the use of heat from the storage tank cooling medium. A condenser or a liquefier is disposed outside the housing and in which the vaporous or gaseous cooling unit coolant emanating from the cooling unit evaporator is liquefied. A switching and/or shut-off device is provided, by which the cooling unit can be switched off and/or can be uncoupled from the passive cooling system formed by the internal and external heat exchangers and by the storage tank. In addition, a control and/or regulating device is provided, which same is operatively connected to the cooling unit.