Space Cooling Structure Using Water-Absorbing Evaporation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Cooling devices for space environments face efficiency issues due to clogging from low-purity water, requiring high-purity water for effective operation.
Innovation Solution
A cooling device design featuring a water-absorbing body made of polymer materials, such as crosslinked polyacrylic acid partial sodium salt, that absorbs and evaporates feedwater without the need for high-purity water, using a dual flow path system with thermally conductive pipes for efficient heat exchange.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If porous plates are used for water evaporation in space cooling devices, then cooling efficiency is improved through latent heat of evaporation, but the porous plates are easily clogged when using low-purity water
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a filter as an intermediary component between the water supply and the porous evaporation plate. This filter mediates the interaction between low-purity water and the porous plate, removing impurities before they can clog the plate while still allowing water to reach the evaporation surface for cooling.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling device is segmented into distinct functional components: a water supply system, a filtration system, and an evaporation system. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function optimally - the filter handles impurity removal while the porous plate focuses on evaporation and cooling, reducing mutual interference and clogging issues.
2Reliability
If high-purity water is used to prevent porous plate clogging, then reliability is improved, but the requirement for water purification increases system complexity and cost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a relatively simple, maintainable filter structure that can be periodically cleaned or replaced rather than requiring complex continuous purification systems. This approach treats the filter as a consumable or easily replaceable component, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining reliable clogging prevention.
3Productivity
If feedwater is supplied continuously to the water absorbing body, then cooling performance is maintained, but water management complexity increases in the space environment
Solution Approach 1:
The water absorbing body automatically regulates water uptake and evaporation based on its saturation state and environmental conditions. This self-regulating mechanism reduces the need for complex external water management systems, as the body inherently balances water absorption and evaporation to maintain cooling performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The system utilizes changes in physical parameters such as the water absorbing body's saturation level, ambient temperature, and pressure to automatically modulate the effective evaporation rate. These parameter changes allow the system to adapt to varying cooling demands without requiring complex active control mechanisms.
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 effective cooling without high-purity water, preventing clogging and optimizing heat exchange for improved efficiency, while ensuring feedwater is utilized effectively.
Implementation Method 1
The water absorbing body includes a water absorbing member made of water-absorbing material
Implementation Method 2
The feedwater supplied to the feedwater layers 102 and 104 are introduced into the sublimation plates 101 and 105, respectively, and then evaporated into the space environment. This allows capturing heat from the coolant in the coolant layer 103, thereby cooling the coolant.
Implementation Method 3
a cooling device that uses latent heat of evaporation of water for cooling an object to be cooled in the space environment
Implementation Method 4
a second flow path thermally coupled to the first flow path
Data Source
AI summary
A space-environment dedicated cooling device includes a first flow path to which coolant to be cooled is fed, a second flow path thermally coupled to the first flow path and a water absorbing body which is exposed to the space environment when the cooling device is used in the space environment. The second flow path is fed with feedwater. The water absorbing body is fed with the feedwater from the second flow path. The water absorbing body includes a water absorbing member made of water-absorbing material.