Method and system for cooling high power density devices

1. A turbomachinery system for cooling a high power density device, comprising:

a turbomachine configured to deliver a high flux cooling medium, said turbomachine having a motor and a compressor driven by said motor;

a housing containing at least one of said motor and said compressor, said housing having a passage for air flow, an inlet at a first end for accepting air flow, and an outlet at a second end for discharging air flow;

a heat exchanger in fluid communication with said turbomachine and arranged for being thermally coupled to the high power density device; and

a transition duct arranged intermediate said heat exchanger and said inlet for funneling air flow from said heat exchanger to said turbomachine.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein said heat exchanger comprises a porous medium having a plurality of interconnected flow paths.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein said flow paths comprise an open-cell metallic foam or an open-cell non-metallic foam.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein said porous medium comprises graphitized carbon foam, aluminum foam, copper foam, boron nitride foam, or any combination comprising at least one of the foregoing.

5. The system of claim 2 , wherein said heat exchanger further comprises:

a base thermally coupled to said porous medium, said base arranged for being thermally coupled to the high power density device.

6. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:

an audio sensor arranged for sensing noise generated at said turbomachine; and

a noise generating device responsive to said audio sensor and arranged for at least partially canceling the noise generated at said turbomachine.

7. The system of claim 6 , further comprising:

a control circuit arranged for receiving an input signal from said audio sensor and for sending an output signal to said noise generating device;

wherein said input signal is representative of the noise generated at said turbomachine, and said output signal is for generating a sound wave at said noise generating device that is phase-shifted with respect to the noise sensed at said audio sensor.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein said phase-shifted sound wave is phase-shifted by about 180-degrees with respect to the primary tone sensed at said audio sensor.

9. The system of claim 6 , wherein said audio sensor and said noise generating device are disposed at said outlet.

10. The system of claim 6 , wherein said noise generating device comprises an audio speaker.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein said audio speaker comprises an air mover comprising plastic, fiber, paper, metal, or any combination comprising at least one of the foregoing.

12. A method for cooling a high power density device, comprising:

drawing air through a porous medium using a turbomachine, the porous medium having a plurality of interconnected flow paths and arranged for being thermally coupled to the high power density device;

compressing the air at a turbocompressor of the turbomachine, the turbomachine having an overall dimension of equal to or less than 1U; and

exhausting the drawn and compressed air.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

sensing a noise generated at the turbomachine; and

generating a phase-shifted sound wave in response to the sensed noise for at least partially canceling the noise generated at the turbomachine.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein:

said sensing a noise comprises sensing a noise at an exhaust of the turbomachine; and

said generating a phase-shifted sound wave comprises generating a phase-shifted sound wave at the exhaust of the turbomachine.

15. A method for cooling a high power density device, comprising:

drawing air through a heat exchanger using a turbomachine, the heat exchanger arranged for being thermally coupled to the high power density device;

compressing the air at a turbocompressor of the turbomachine, the turbomachine having an overall dimension of equal to or less than 1U;

sensing a noise generated at the turbomachine;

generating a phase-shifted sound wave in response to the sensed noise for at least partially canceling the noise generated at the turbomachine; and

exhausting the drawn, compressed, and noise-reduced air.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

receiving at a control circuit an input signal representative of the sensed noise and generating thereat an output signal phase-shifted from the input signal; and

sending the output signal to a noise generating device for generating a sound wave phase-shifted with respect to the sensed noise.

17. A turbomachinery system for cooling a high power density device, comprising:

a turbomachine configured to deliver a high flux cooling medium toward the high power density device, said turbomachine having a motor and a compressor driven by said motor;

a porous heat exchanger in fluid communication with said turbomachine and arranged for being thermally coupled to the high power density device;

an audio sensor arranged for sensing noise generated at said turbomachine; and

a noise generating device responsive to said audio sensor and arranged for at least partially cancelling the noise generated at said turbomachine.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein said high flux cooling medium comprises air, refrigerant, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing.

19. The system of claim 18 , wherein said turbomachine has an overall dimension of equal to or less than 1U.

20. The system of claim 19 , wherein:

said porous heat exchanger comprises graphitized carbon foam, aluminum foam, copper foam, boron nitride foam, or any combination comprising at least one of the foregoing; and

said noise generating device comprises an air mover comprising plastic, fiber, paper, metal, or any combination comprising at least one of the foregoing.