Compact thermoelastic cooling system
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current thermoelastic cooling systems face challenges in achieving efficient heat exchange, maintaining fatigue life, and cost-effectiveness due to the use of tensile or torsional stress, which leads to limited service life and high costs, while compressive stress offers improved fatigue life but requires complex and costly systems for applying large stresses.
Innovation Solution
A compact thermoelastic cooling system utilizing a pair of rollers to apply compressive stress to a solid refrigerant belt made of thermoelastic materials, where the belt undergoes stress-induced phase transformation, releasing heat to the rollers and absorbing heat from a cold reservoir, with a design that balances heat exchange efficiency and mechanical stress to enhance system power density and cost-effectiveness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If tensile or torsional stress is applied to induce phase transformation, then cooling effect is achieved, but fatigue life is limited and service life is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional approach by applying compressive stress instead of tensile or torsional stress to induce the martensitic phase transformation. This inversion allows the system to achieve the desired cooling effect while significantly extending the fatigue life of the thermoelastic material, as compressive stress does not propagate micro-cracks like tensile stress does.
2Reliability
If compressive stress is applied to improve fatigue life, then service life is extended, but system complexity and cost increase due to requirement of rigid frame and powerful loading cell
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the functions of stress application and heat exchange into a single integrated component. The heat exchanger is designed to simultaneously apply compressive stress to the thermoelastic material and facilitate heat transfer, eliminating the need for separate rigid frames and powerful loading cells. This consolidation significantly reduces system complexity while maintaining the benefits of compressive stress application.
Solution Approach 2:
The heat exchanger component is designed to perform multiple functions: it serves as both the heat transfer medium and the stress application mechanism. By making the heat exchanger universal, the system achieves both cooling efficiency and extended fatigue life without requiring additional complex mechanical structures.
3Reliability
If compressive stress is applied to extend fatigue life, then service life is improved, but manufacturing cost increases due to requirement of complex stress application mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the stress application function with the heat exchanger into a single integrated component. This merging eliminates the need for separate complex mechanical structures such as rigid frames and powerful loading cells, thereby significantly reducing manufacturing costs while maintaining the extended service life benefits of compressive stress application.
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 system achieves efficient heat exchange and extended fatigue life by using compressive stress, reducing costs and improving energy efficiency, while maintaining a compact footprint, thus enhancing the potential of thermoelastic cooling technology for refrigeration applications.
Implementation Method 1
Thermoelastic cooling effect is directly related to the reversible solid-to-solid martensitic phase transformation
Implementation Method 2
both use stress to induce phase transformations, and both utilize latent heat to achieve cooling
Implementation Method 3
A compact thermoelastic cooling system utilizing a pair of rollers to apply compressive stress to a solid refrigerant belt
Data Source
AI summary
A compact cooling system based on thermoelastic effect is provided. In one embodiment, the system comprises a pair of rollers serving as a heat sink, stress applicator and belt drive, a cold reservoir and a solid refrigerant belt coupled to the cold reservoir and to the heat sinks to pump heat from the cold reservoir to the heat sink. The refrigerant belt comprises solid thermoelastic materials capable of thermoelastic effect. The refrigerant material is mechanically compressed when entering the gap of the roller and subsequently released after passing through. When compressed the refrigerant material transforms to martensite phase and releases heat to the roller and neighboring materials. After released by the rollers, the refrigerant material transforms back to austenite and absorbs heat from the ambient atmosphere.