Osmotic Transport System for High-Gravity Heat Transfer
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Passive heat transfer systems, such as heat pipes, fail to function effectively in high-gravity environments due to increased hydrostatic pressure, leading to inadequate fluid flow and weakened phase change heat transfer, prompting the need for alternative thermal management solutions that do not consume excess electrical power or add unnecessary weight in aerospace applications.
Innovation Solution
An osmotic transport apparatus with a heat conducting chamber, osmotic membranes, and a liquid salt solution that utilizes osmotic pressure to passively transport heat and condensate vapor to overcome hydrostatic pressure, allowing for efficient heat transfer without electrical power consumption, featuring a heat conductive mesh to restrain the osmotic membranes and enhance heat transfer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If traditional heat pipes using internal wick structure are used for heat transfer, then heat transfer efficiency is improved, but hydrostatic pressure drop increases significantly in high-gravity environments causing inadequate fluid flow
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the traditional mechanical capillary wick structure with an osmotic membrane-based system. Instead of relying on capillary forces that fail under high gravity, the system uses osmotic pressure generated by a salt solution to drive fluid transport. The osmotic membrane selectively allows water molecules to pass through while blocking salt, creating a passive pumping mechanism that overcomes hydrostatic pressure in high-gravity environments.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the fundamental transport mechanism parameter from capillary pressure to osmotic pressure. By introducing a salt solution and osmotic membrane, the system transforms the driving force for fluid transport. This parameter change enables the system to maintain adequate fluid flow under high-gravity conditions where traditional capillary-based heat pipes fail, while still achieving effective heat transfer.
2Reliability
If liquid cooling systems with pumps are used to overcome high-gravity flow resistance, then adequate fluid flow is maintained, but weight and electrical power consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The osmotic transport system is entirely passive and self-powered. The salt solution generates osmotic pressure automatically when water evaporates from the hot end, creating a self-sustaining cycle that requires no external pumps or power sources. The system uses the phase change of water itself to drive the transport process, making it perfectly suited for aerospace applications where weight and power consumption must be minimized.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent eliminates mechanical pumps by substituting them with an osmotic membrane-based passive transport system. The osmotic pressure generated by the salt solution replaces the need for active pumping, achieving reliable fluid flow without the weight and power consumption associated with mechanical pumps and electrical systems.
3Weight of moving object
If fan cooling approaches are used instead of liquid cooling, then weight is reduced, but heat transfer effectiveness decreases by one order of magnitude
Solution Approach 1:
The patent exploits phase transitions of water (evaporation at the hot end, condensation at the cold end) to achieve highly efficient heat transfer. The evaporation process absorbs latent heat from the hot component, while condensation releases heat at the cold end. This phase change mechanism provides heat transfer coefficients comparable to liquid cooling, far exceeding fan cooling, while maintaining minimal system weight through the use of a passive osmotic transport system.
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 osmotic transport system enables continuous heat and liquid transfer in high-gravity environments, providing a lightweight and efficient heat transfer solution with a heat carrying capability of 3,500 W over 10 m under 10 g gravitational force, effectively addressing the limitations of existing technologies.
Implementation Method 1
An osmotic transport apparatus includes a heat conducting chamber having an inner wall, a heat absorption end and a heat dissipation end, an osmotic membrane extending substantially longitudinally along an inner wall of the heat conducting chamber from the heat absorption end to the heat dissipation end, a liquid salt solution enclosed in the osmotic membrane
Implementation Method 2
when heat is applied to the heat absorption end, vapor is expelled from the osmotic membrane at the heat absorption end
Implementation Method 3
is condensed on the osmotic membrane at the heat dissipation end
Implementation Method 4
heat transport through the osmotic membrane and heat conductive mesh to the liquid salt solution
Data Source
AI summary
An osmotic transport apparatus includes a heat conducting chamber having an inner wall, a heat absorption end and a heat dissipation end, an osmotic membrane extending substantially longitudinally along an inner wall of the heat conducting chamber from the heat absorption end to the heat dissipation end, a liquid salt solution disposed in the osmotic membrane, and an inner vapor cavity so that when heat is applied to the heat absorption end, vapor is expelled from the osmotic membrane at the heat absorption end, is condensed on the osmotic membrane at the heat dissipation end, and is drawn into the osmotic membrane at the heat dissipation end for passive pumping transport back to the heat absorption end as more condensate is drawn through the osmotic membrane.