Stratified Coolant Storage for Laser Temperature Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional coolant systems for diode pumped solid state lasers suffer from inefficient mixing of hot and cold coolant, leading to poor thermal management and increased mass requirements due to well-mixed tank configurations, which result in suboptimal temperature control and higher mass usage.
Innovation Solution
A stratified thermal energy storage (TES) device with an inlet and outlet port, featuring a cylindrical body and perforated plates that distribute hot coolant uniformly across the cross-sectional area, minimizing mixing with cold coolant and allowing for controlled temperature regulation by fractional flow management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a well-mixed tank configuration is used for thermal energy storage, then the coolant temperature is uniform throughout the tank, but the mixing of hot and cold coolant is inefficient and requires larger tank mass
Solution Approach 1:
The tank is segmented into multiple zones using internal baffle structures that divide the tank volume into regions for cold coolant storage, hot coolant injection, and mixing zones. This segmentation allows stratified flow patterns where cold coolant remains separated from hot coolant injection points, reducing unnecessary mixing while maintaining temperature uniformity in the delivery region
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the tank are given different functional qualities: the lower region stores cold coolant, the upper region receives hot coolant injection, and specific zones are designed for stratified flow. The baffle structures create local flow patterns that maintain cold coolant density stratification while ensuring uniform temperature in the coolant delivery region through controlled mixing zones
2Ease of manufacture
If hot coolant is injected through a central inlet jet, then the injection is simple, but the hot coolant bypasses most cold coolant resulting in poor mixing and inefficient use of cold coolant
Solution Approach 1:
The single central inlet jet is replaced with multiple distributed injection points arranged in an array across the tank cross-section. This segmentation of the injection system ensures that hot coolant is introduced at multiple locations simultaneously, creating numerous small-scale mixing zones throughout the tank volume rather than a single bypass flow path, thereby improving cold coolant utilization efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The injection approach transitions from a one-dimensional central axial jet to a two-dimensional distributed array of injection points across the tank cross-section. This dimensional change creates radial and circumferential flow patterns that enhance mixing efficiency by distributing thermal energy throughout the cold coolant volume rather than creating a single hot core that bypasses most of the cold coolant
3Quantity of substance
If a large mass of coolant is used in the TES device, then the thermal energy storage capacity is sufficient, but the system weight increases and smaller refrigeration systems cannot be used
Solution Approach 1:
The system exploits changes in coolant density as a function of temperature to create stratified flow patterns. Cold coolant is denser and settles at the bottom, while hot coolant is less dense and rises. By designing injection and extraction points at different heights and using density-driven natural convection, the system achieves enhanced mixing efficiency and thermal energy storage capacity without proportionally increasing coolant mass
Solution Approach 2:
The system utilizes hydraulic principles of natural convection and density-driven flow to achieve thermal energy storage and distribution. By positioning injection and extraction points to exploit buoyancy forces and density differences, the system creates self-sustaining circulation patterns that enhance heat transfer efficiency and thermal energy storage capacity without requiring additional pumping power or increased coolant mass
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 stratified TES device achieves efficient coolant distribution, reducing the mass of coolant needed by up to 60% compared to well-mixed systems, while maintaining precise temperature control and lowering pressure variations, allowing for smaller plumbing and reduced flow rates.
Implementation Method 1
The stratified TES device can be configured to distribute inlet coolant provided at an inlet port over a cross-sectional area of the stratified TES device to provide a substantially uniform, stratified flow of an inlet coolant
Implementation Method 2
mitigates mixing of the inlet coolant with the existing coolant
Data Source
AI summary
A cooling system is provided for providing a coolant to a laser system at a substantially set temperature. The cooling system employs a stratified thermal energy storage (TES) device that is configured to distribute hot coolant provided at an inlet port over a cross-sectional area of the TES device to provide a substantially uniform, stratified flow of a hot coolant that flushes a cold coolant from the TES device at an outlet port. The distributed inflow of the hot coolant provides a uniform downward velocity flow of the hot coolant and the cold coolant and takes advantage of an unmixed condition of the hot coolant and the cold coolant.