Fluid Assisted Thermoelectric PCB Thermal Management System
A cooling system for electronics includes an electronic component to be cooled, a first chamber containing the electronic component, means for converting heat into electrical energy, a second chamber containing the converting means, a first conduit fluidly interconnecting the first chamber and the second chamber, a second conduit fluidly interconnecting the first chamber and the second chamber such that the first chamber, the second chamber, the first conduit and the second conduit form a fluid circuit. Thermal transfer fluid is disposed in the fluid circuit, wherein the fluid circuit circulates the thermal transfer fluid therein.
1 . A cooling system for electronics, the system comprising:
an electronic component to be cooled;
a first chamber containing or adjacent to the electronic component;
means for converting heat into electrical energy;
a second chamber containing or adjacent to the converting means;
a first conduit fluidly interconnecting the first chamber and the second chamber;
a second conduit fluidly interconnecting the first chamber and the second chamber such that the first chamber, the second chamber, the first conduit and the second conduit form a fluid circuit; and
thermal transfer fluid disposed in the fluid circuit, wherein the fluid circuit is configured to circulate the thermal transfer fluid therein.
2 . The system of claim 1 wherein the converting means comprises at least one thermoelectric junction.
3 . The system of claim 2 wherein the at least one thermoelectric junction comprises a plurality of thermoelectric junctions.
4 . The system of claim 3 wherein the plurality of thermoelectric junctions are connected together electrically in series and thermally substantially in parallel.
5 . The system of claim 1 wherein the first conduit comprises a first Tesla valve.
6 . The system of claim 5 wherein the second conduit comprises a second Tesla valve.
7 . The system of claim 1 wherein the first conduit comprises a first one-way valve, and the second conduit comprises a second one-way valve.
8 . A method for cooling an electronic component, the method comprising:
providing a sealed fluid circuit including:
a first chamber;
a second chamber;
a first fluid conduit interconnecting the first chamber and the second chamber; and
a second fluid conduit interconnecting the first chamber and the second chamber;
placing the electronic component in or adjacent to the first chamber;
placing thermal transfer fluid in the fluid circuit such that heat from the electronic component is transferred to the thermal transfer fluid;
circulating the thermal transfer fluid within the sealed fluid circuit; and
converting heat from the thermal transfer fluid into electrical energy, the converting occurring within the second chamber.
9 . The method of claim 8 wherein the converting step is performed by using at least one thermoelectric junction.
10 . The method of claim 9 wherein the at least one thermoelectric junction comprises a plurality of thermoelectric junctions.
11 . The method of claim 10 further comprising connecting the plurality of thermoelectric junctions together electrically in series and thermally substantially in parallel.
12 . The method of claim 8 wherein the first fluid conduit comprises a first Tesla valve.
13 . The method of claim 12 wherein the second conduit comprises a second Tesla valve.
14 . The method of claim 8 wherein the first fluid conduit comprises a first one-way valve, and the second fluid conduit comprises a second one-way valve.
15 . A cooling system for cooling an electronic component, the system comprising:
a first chamber configured to contain or adjacent to the electronic component;
at least one Seebeck effect thermoelectric junction configured to convert heat into electrical energy;
a second chamber containing or adjacent to the at least one Seebeck effect thermoelectric junction;
a first conduit fluidly interconnecting the first chamber and the second chamber;
a second conduit fluidly interconnecting the first chamber and the second chamber such that the first chamber, the second chamber, the first conduit and the second conduit form a fluid circuit; and
thermal transfer fluid disposed in the fluid circuit, wherein the fluid circuit is configured to circulate the thermal transfer fluid therein.
16 . The system of claim 15 wherein the at least one Seebeck effect thermoelectric junction comprises a plurality of Seebeck effect thermoelectric junctions.
17 . The system of claim 16 wherein the plurality of Seebeck effect thermoelectric junctions are connected together electrically in series and thermally substantially in parallel.
18 . The system of claim 15 wherein the first conduit comprises a first Tesla valve.
19 . The system of claim 18 wherein the second conduit comprises a second Tesla valve.
20 . The system of claim 15 wherein the first conduit comprises a first one-way valve, and the second conduit comprises a second one-way valve.