Aircraft Electronics Cooling Apparatus For An Aircraft Having A Liquid Cooling System
The invention relates to an improved aircraft electronics cooling system for an aircraft having a liquid cooling system ( 2 ), the aircraft electronics cooling system providing a thermal coupling between an electronic device ( 40 a, 40 b, 40 c, 40 d , 42, 44) to be cooled and the liquid cooling system ( 2 ) of the aircraft. A coolant delivered by the liquid cooling system ( 2 ) may flow through a board of the electronic device ( 40 a, 40 b, 40 c, 40 d ), through a heat sink on which the electronic device ( 42 ) is arranged and/or through a housing in which the electronic device ( 44 ) is arranged. The coolant may be permanently in the liquid state in a cooling circuit. The coolant may vaporize at least partially while cooling the electronic device.
1 . An aircraft electronics cooling apparatus comprising:
a liquid cooling system onboard the aircraft, including a coolant circulating therein;
an electronic device to be cooled, mounted within a housing; and
a cooling conduit operatively connecting the electronic device to the liquid cooling system,
wherein the coolant exiting the liquid cooling system passes through the housing to cool the electronic device.
2 . The aircraft electronics cooling apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the coolant passes through an outer region of the housing to cool the electronic device.
3 . The aircraft electronics cooling apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the coolant passes through an interior of the housing to cool the electronic device.
4 . The aircraft electronics cooling apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the coolant delivered by the liquid cooling system is permanently in the liquid state in the cooling conduit.
5 . The aircraft electronics cooling apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the coolant delivered by the liquid cooling system vaporizes at least partially in the housing.
6 . The aircraft electronics cooling apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the coolant delivered by the liquid cooling system is a dielectric liquid or an electrically non-conductive liquid.
7 . A method for cooling an electronic device mounted in a housing in an aircraft having a liquid cooling system and a cooling conduit, the method comprising:
cooling a coolant in the liquid cooling system;
delivering cold coolant from the liquid cooling system to the housing to cool the electronic device; and
directing warm coolant from the housing back to the liquid cooling system.
8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein delivering cold cooling from the liquid cooling system further comprises:
passing cold coolant through an outer region of the housing.
9 . The method of claim 7 , wherein delivering cold cooling from the liquid cooling system further comprises:
passing cold coolant through an interior of the housing.
10 . The method of claim 7 , wherein coolant passing through the cooling conduit is maintained in a liquid state.
11 . The method of claim 7 , wherein coolant passing through the housing vaporizes at least partially in the housing.