Cooling system for two-phase refrigerant
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional cooling systems for fuel cells and similar applications are heavy due to the need for additional components to manage phase changes of refrigerants, which complicates their design and increases weight, particularly in aircraft applications where weight is a critical factor.
Innovation Solution
A two-phase refrigerant cooling system that includes a condenser, evaporator, and a controller to manage the delivery of refrigerant, with a collection system to separate and efficiently reuse gaseous and liquid refrigerant, eliminating the need for additional conveying devices and minimizing weight by optimizing refrigerant flow and pressure control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If additional components (refrigerant delivery systems, superheaters) are integrated to prevent undesirable phase changes, then the reliability of temperature control is improved, but the weight and device complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates unnecessary components from the cooling system. By using a two-phase refrigerant system where refrigerant is directly supplied to the evaporator in liquid form and evaporates to provide cooling, the system removes the need for superheaters and complex refrigerant delivery systems that were present in conventional single-phase systems, thereby reducing weight while maintaining temperature control reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical state parameter of the refrigerant from single-phase liquid to two-phase (liquid-vapor) system. This parameter change allows the refrigerant to absorb heat during evaporation, providing efficient cooling without requiring additional components like superheaters, thus reducing system weight while maintaining reliable temperature control
2Manufacturing precision
If additional components (superheaters, refrigerant delivery systems) are added to convert refrigerant into gaseous state, then the manufacturing precision and control accuracy are improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes superheaters and complex refrigerant delivery systems from the cooling system by utilizing the natural evaporation process of two-phase refrigerant. The refrigerant is supplied in liquid form and naturally evaporates in the evaporator, providing precise temperature control without requiring additional components to convert it to gaseous state
Solution Approach 2:
The two-phase refrigerant system is self-regulating through the phase change process. As liquid refrigerant evaporates in the evaporator, it automatically absorbs heat and maintains temperature control without requiring external superheating equipment or complex control mechanisms, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining control precision
3Ease of operation
If conventional cooling systems use liquid refrigerant throughout the system, then the ease of operation is improved, but the weight increases due to additional conveying devices and components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the refrigerant flow parameter from single-phase liquid flow to two-phase (liquid-vapor) flow. This allows the system to operate with lighter components since the refrigerant naturally circulates through phase change, eliminating the need for heavy-duty conveying devices and complex flow management systems required in conventional liquid-only systems
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 a simpler, lighter design by efficiently managing refrigerant phase changes, reducing the number of components, and maintaining a constant temperature, thereby enhancing cooling efficiency and reducing weight, particularly beneficial for aircraft applications.
Implementation Method 1
a condenser configured to cool the two-phase refrigerant and convert gaseous refrigerant into liquid refrigerant
Implementation Method 2
The condenser can be thermally coupled to a heat sink; for example, the condenser can be traversed by a cold fluid (gas or liquid) which absorbs heat and cools the refrigerant in the condenser
Implementation Method 3
an evaporator configured to heat the two-phase refrigerant, whereby at least a portion of the refrigerant evaporates into gaseous refrigerant
Implementation Method 4
The evaporator can absorb heat from the equipment to be cooled and transfer it to the refrigerant, which in the process at least partially changes from a liquid state to a gaseous state
Implementation Method 5
the first connection for the first drain can be located in a section of the receiver that is at the top when the receiver or the entire cooling system is installed, while the second connection for the second drain is located in a lower section of the installed receiver. This allows the liquid and gaseous refrigerant to be separated by gravity
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A cooling system (10) with a two-phase refrigerant is described, comprising a condenser (110), an evaporator (130), and a conveying device (120). Liquid and gaseous refrigerant from the evaporator (130) are collected in a receiver (135) to which a first outlet (P21) and a second outlet (P22) are connected. Gaseous refrigerant is conveyed to the condenser (110) via the first outlet (P21), while liquid refrigerant is conveyed to a part of the cooling system (10) located downstream of the condenser (110) via the second outlet (P22). A corresponding fuel cell cooling system is also described, comprising a fuel cell that forms the evaporator (130) of the cooling system (10).