Heat exchanger device and method for heat removal or transfer

1. An apparatus comprising:

a heat conducting structure thermally coupled to a thermal load, wherein said thermal load is coupled to said heat conducting structure using a polymer solvent weld;

a heat transfer structure immersed in a surrounding medium and rotatably coupled to said heat conducting structure; and

a gas bearing between said heat conducting structure and said heat transfer structure, the gas bearing configured to form a gap between abutting surfaces of the heat transfer structure and heat conducting structure when the heat transfer structure is rotated at or above a threshold speed relative to the heat conducting structure during operation of the apparatus, the abutting surfaces being in physical contact when the heat transfer structure is stationary.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said heat conducting structure includes a heat pipe.

3. An apparatus comprising:

a heat conducting structure thermally coupled to a thermal load, wherein said heat conducting structure defines, at least in part, a hollow cavity, wherein said thermal load is disposed in said hollow cavity;

electrical feed throughs coupled between the thermal load and an exterior surface of the heat conducting structure;

a heat transfer structure immersed in a surrounding medium and rotatably coupled to said heat conducting structure; and

a gas bearing between said heat conducting structure and said heat transfer structure, the gas bearing configured to form a gap between abutting surfaces of the heat transfer structure and heat conducting structure when the heat transfer structure is rotated at or above a threshold speed relative to the heat conducting structure during operation of the apparatus, the abutting surfaces being in physical contact when the heat transfer structure is stationary.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said heat transfer structure is configured to rotate about an axis of rotation, and wherein rotation of said heat transfer structure causes said surrounding medium to flow at least partially along the axis of rotation.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein said heat transfer structure includes a heat pipe.

6. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein said heat conducting structure includes a structural element provided to reinforce said hollow cavity.

7. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein at least a portion of a surface defining said hollow cavity includes a surface treatment to reduce super-heating of a working fluid within said hollow cavity.

8. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein said thermal load comprises a CPU.

9. The apparatus of claim 3 , further comprising a printed circuit board disposed within said hollow cavity and wherein said thermal load is at least partially supported by said printed circuit board.

10. An apparatus comprising:

a heat conducting structure for thermally coupling the apparatus to a thermal load; and

a heat transfer structure immersed in a surrounding medium and rotatably coupled to said heat conducting structure; and

a gas bearing between said heat conducting structure and said heat transfer structure, the gas bearing configured to form a gap between abutting surfaces of the heat transfer structure and heat conducting structure when the heat transfer structure is rotated at or above a threshold speed relative to the heat conducting structure during operation of the apparatus, the abutting surfaces being in physical contact when the heat transfer structure is stationary,

wherein said heat transfer structure is a first heat transfer structure and said gas bearing is a first gas bearing, the apparatus further comprising a second heat transfer structure and a second gas bearing between said heat conducting structure and said second heat transfer structure, the second gas bearing configured to form a second gap between abutting surfaces of the second heat transfer structure and the heat conducting structure when the second heat transfer structure is rotated relative to the heat conducting structure during operation of the apparatus.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein said first heat transfer structure is coupled to a first side of said heat conducting structure and said second heat transfer structure is coupled to a second side of said heat conducting structure, different than the first side of said heat conducting structure.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 ,

wherein said first heat transfer structure is coupled to a first side of said heat conducting structure and said second heat transfer structure is coupled to as second side of said heat conducting structure, different than the first side of said heat conducting structure; and

wherein said first and second sides of said heat conducting structure are opposite sides of said heat conducting structure.

13. An apparatus comprising:

a heat conducting structure liar thermally coupling the apparatus to a thermal load;

a heat transfer structure immersed in a surrounding medium, said heat transfer structure being coupled to said heat conducting structure using a gas filled gap region which forms between said heat conducting structure and said heat transfer structure during operation of the apparatus, said heat transfer structure being movable relative to said heat conducting structure, and wherein the heat transfer structure is supported by the gas filled gap region during operation of the apparatus, and;

wherein said heat transfer structure is configured to rotate about an axis of rotation, and wherein said heat transfer structure is further configured to impart motion to said surrounding medium in a direction substantially parallel to the axis of rotation; and

wherein said surrounding medium comprises air, and said heat transfer structure is configured to generate air flow through a duct of an HVAC system.

14. An apparatus comprising:

a heat conducting structure for thermally coupling the apparatus to a thermal load, the heat conducting structure comprising a first cylindrical tube;

a heat transfer structure immersed in a surrounding medium and rotatably coupled to said heat conducting structure, the heat transfer structure comprising a second cylindrical tube surrounding a plurality of interior fins, the second cylindrical tube disposed inside the first cylindrical tube, the heat transfer structure configured to rotate about an axis or rotation, and wherein rotation of said heat transfer structure cause said surrounding medium to flow substantially along the axis of rotation;

a gas bearing between said heat conducting structure and said heat transfer structure, the gas bearing comprising a gas-filled gap between abutting surfaces of the heat transfer structure and heat conducting structure when the heat transfer structure is rotated, wherein the heat transfer structure further includes a centrifugal flexure to, at least in part, regulate a dimension of said gas bearing.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein said heat transfer structure includes, at least in part, a hollow cavity containing a working fluid, and wherein centrifugal force generated by motion of said heat transfer structure pumps said working fluid in a radially outward direction.

16. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein said plurality of interior fins are twisted along a length of the cylindrical tube.

17. An apparatus comprising:

a heat conducting structure adaptable to be in thermal contact with a thermal load;

a heat transfer structure immersed in a surrounding medium, said heat transfer structure being coupled to said heat conducting structure using a as filled gap region which forms between said heat conducting structure and said heat transfer structure during operation of the apparatus, said heat transfer structure being movable relative to said heat conducting structure, and wherein the heat transfer structure is supported by the gas filled gap region during operation of the apparatus;

a threaded end bell coupled to said heat transfer structure;

a motor configured to move said heat transfer structure relative to said heat conducting structure; and

a threaded spindle coupled to the motor and configured to thread into and out of said threaded end bell during operation, such that a height of said gas filled gap region is set by a geometry of the threaded end bell and the threaded spindle when the heat transfer structure has substantially low angular momentum.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein said threaded end bell at least partially defines an opening configured to circulate air through at least a portion of said motor.

19. A method of dissipating heat from a thermal load, wherein the thermal load is in thermal contact with a heat conducting structure, the method comprising:

providing a first gas bearing between a first heat transfer structure and the heat conducting structure, the first gas bearing configured to form a gap between abutting surfaces of the first heat transfer structure and heat conducting structure when the first heat transfer structure is rotated at or above a threshold speed relative the heat conducting structure, the abutting surfaces being in physical contact when the first heat transfer structure is stationary;

transferring heat from the heat conducting structure to the first heat transfer structure across the gap;

maintaining the gap by rotating the first heat transfer structure relative to the heat conducting structure at a speed equal to or above the threshold speed;

providing a second gas bearing between a second heat transfer structure and the heat conducting structure; and

moving the second heat transfer structure through the surrounding medium relative to the heat conducting structure.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein said rotating the heat transfer structure comprises rotating the heat transfer structure about a common center axis of the heat transfer structure and the heat conducting structure.

21. The method of claim 20 , wherein the heat transfer structure is configured to move the surrounding medium in a direction substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation.

22. The method of claim 20 , wherein the heat transfer structure is configured to move the surrounding medium in a direction substantially parallel to the axis of rotation.

23. The method of claim 19 , wherein said rotating the first heat transfer structure comprises rotating the first heat transfer structure in a first direction and said moving the second heat transfer structure comprises moving the second heat transfer structure in a second, different, direction.

24. The method of claim 19 , further comprising circulating a working fluid through a hollow cavity defined, at least in part, by the heat conducting structure.