Thermal Energy Battery With Rupture Cooling for Heat-Sensitive Components
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional cooling systems are inadequate for temperature-sensitive components in high-temperature environments, such as electronic components in vehicles and guidance systems, as they fail to maintain operating efficiency beyond critical temperature thresholds without requiring recharging.
Innovation Solution
A thermal energy battery with a monovariant sorbent system and containment material that releases refrigerant at a pre-determined trigger temperature, using thermal conduction to direct heat from components to the battery, causing refrigerant desorption and subsequent rupture for rapid cooling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional heat exchangers or cooling systems are used, then cooling of temperature sensitive components is provided, but they fail to maintain operating efficiency beyond critical temperature thresholds without requiring recharging
Solution Approach 1:
The sorbent system is pre-loaded with refrigerant in adsorbed state during manufacturing, enabling the battery to provide cooling action immediately upon heating without requiring prior charging operations. This preliminary preparation of the sorbent-refrigerant system allows the device to function autonomously when triggered by heat from temperature-sensitive components.
Solution Approach 2:
The system utilizes phase transition of refrigerant between adsorbed and desorbed states on the sorbent material. When heated by temperature-sensitive components, the refrigerant desorbs from the sorbent, providing rapid cooling. This phase transition mechanism enables the battery to maintain cooling effectiveness beyond critical temperature thresholds without requiring recharging.
2Speed
If the sorbent system desorbs refrigerant at trigger temperature, then rapid cooling is achieved, but containment material must rupture to enable refrigerant release
Solution Approach 1:
The containment material is designed with pressure-dependent mechanical properties that change at a threshold pressure differential. When internal battery pressure exceeds external pressure by the threshold ΔP, the containment material transitions from an intact state to a ruptured state, enabling rapid refrigerant release. This parameter-based design allows controlled rupture at the optimal moment for maximum cooling effectiveness.
3Ease of operation
If the battery operates without recharging, then it is suitable for short or extended periods in high-temperature applications, but the refrigerant must be released in a single use
Solution Approach 1:
The thermal energy battery is designed as a single-use device where the sorbent system releases its refrigerant load in one autonomous cooling cycle. After the containment ruptures and refrigerant is released, the battery is discarded. This disposable design eliminates the need for complex recharging mechanisms while providing reliable cooling for short to extended periods in high-temperature applications where simplicity is paramount.
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 thermal energy battery effectively cools temperature-sensitive components by releasing refrigerant at a threshold pressure, maintaining efficiency without recharging, suitable for short or extended periods in high-temperature applications.
Implementation Method 1
the sorbent system desorbs refrigerant thereby increasing internal battery pressure
Implementation Method 2
containment material encasing the composite and configured to rupture and/or enable release of desorbed refrigerant released by the composite when the internal battery pressure reaches a threshold pressure differential (ΔP) from the pressure outside of the battery
Implementation Method 3
thermal conduction means in thermal contact with the thermal energy battery and one or more temperature sensitive components for directing heat from the components to the battery and cooling from the battery to the temperature sensitive components
Data Source
AI summary
A thermal energy battery for cooling temperature sensitive components comprises a composite of a sorbent with ammonia, water, alcohol, amine or a fluorocarbon refrigerant absorbed thereon and incorporated on a substrate material. The composite is encased in a containment material configured to rupture or otherwise release refrigerant desorbed by the sorbent composition when internal battery pressure reaches a threshold ΔP from the outside pressure, and thermal conduction means in thermal contact with the thermal energy battery and one or more temperature sensitive components for directing thermal energy therebetween to heat the composite and cool the temperature sensitive components.