Heat differential power system

Abstract

Heat differential power systems and apparatus for powering liquid cooling systems and/or generating electrical power in a data processing system or a telecommunication system are presented. A number of embodiments are presented. In each embodiment a heat differential power system is implemented which utilizes the heat created a heat-generating component such as a microprocessor within the data processing or telecommunications system and the resulting heat differential created with other parts of the system as power to operate the heat differential power system and convert thermal energy into mechanical and/or electrical energy for powering a liquid cooling system, fans, other electrical components, and/or extending the battery life in a portable data processing or telecommunications system.

1 . A system for providing power to an electronic system comprising: 
 a heat differential power system;    a first contact means thermally coupling a hot region of the electronic system to the heat differential power system; and    a second contact means for thermally coupling a cold region of the electronic system to the heat differential power system.    
   
   
       2 . The system as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the heat differential power system comprises: 
 a housing containing a gas and having a surface thermally coupled to the first contact means and having another surface thermally coupled to the second contact means;    a first piston disposed within the housing for alternately moving the gas toward the surfaces causing the gas to expand as it nears the surface thermally coupled to the first contact means and to contract as it nears the surface thermally coupled to the second contact means;    a second piston disposed within or adjacent to the housing which responds to the alternate expansion and contraction of the gas for powering the first piston; and    means coupled to the pistons for receiving the mechanical motion of the second piston and providing the first piston with mechanical motion.    
   
   
       3 . The system as set forth in  claim 2  wherein the gas is air.  
   
   
       4 . The system as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the hot region of the electronic system is one or more surfaces of one or more heat-generating components.  
   
   
       5 . The system as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the cold region of the electronic system is the casing of the electronic system.  
   
   
       6 . The system as set forth in  claim 1  for powering a cooling system for the electronic system.  
   
   
       7 . The system as set forth in  claim 1  for powering one or more air flow devices for the electronic system.  
   
   
       8 . A portable electronic system having one or more power systems as set forth in  claim 1 .  
   
   
       9 . A data processing system having one or more power systems as set forth in  claim 1 .  
   
   
       10 . A telecommunications system having one or more power systems as set forth in  claim 1 .  
   
   
       11 . A method of providing power within an electronic system having a heat differential power system comprising the steps of; 
 thermally coupling a hot region of the electronic system to the heat differential power system; and    thermally coupling a cold region of the electronic system to the heat differential power system; and    wherein the temperature differential applied to the heat differential power system by thermally coupling it to the hot and cold regions enables the heat differential power system to operate and generate power.    
   
   
       12 . The method as set forth in  claim 11  wherein the heat differential power system includes a housing containing a gas and having a surface thermally coupled to the hot region and having another surface thermally coupled to the cold region, the method further comprising the steps of; 
 alternately moving the gas toward the surfaces by means of a first piston causing the gas to expand as it nears the surface thermally coupled to the hot region and to contract as it nears the surface thermally coupled to the cold region;    responding to the alternate expansion and contraction of the gas by means of a second piston disposed within or adjacent to the housing for powering the first piston; and    coupling the first and second pistons such that the mechanical motion of the second piston provides the first piston with mechanical motion.    
   
   
       13 . The method as set forth in  claim 11  for powering a cooling system.  
   
   
       14 . The method as set forth in  claim 11  for powering an air flow device.  
   
   
       15 . The system as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the system is disposed within the casing of the electronic system.  
   
   
       16 . A heat differential power system for an electronic system having a heat collector thermally coupled to one or more heat-generating devices in the electronic system, a housing containing a gas and having a surface thermally coupled to a point or area in the electronic system cooler than the one or more heat generating devices and having another surface thermally coupled to the heat collector, a first piston disposed within the housing for alternately moving the gas toward the surfaces causing the gas to expand as it nears the surface thermally coupled to the heat collector and to contract as it nears the surface thermally coupled to the cooler point or area, a second piston disposed within or adjacent to the housing which responds to the alternate expansion and contraction of the gas for powering the first piston, and means coupled to the pistons for receiving the mechanical motion of the second piston and providing the first piston with mechanical motion, said means connected to the pistons comprising 
 a shaft capable of rotating;    one or more flywheels coupled to the shaft;    an arm coupled to a flywheel and the second piston for receiving the motion of the second piston and rotating the shaft; and    a second arm coupled to a flywheel and the first piston for providing motion to the first piston.    
   
   
       17 . The heat differential power system of  claim 16  in which a flywheel coupled to the shaft is disposed within a pump as an impeller for powering the circulation of coolant.  
   
   
       18 . The heat differential power system of  claim 16  having one or more rotating flywheels connected to the shaft, each flywheel having one or more electromagnets and one or more induction coils disposed in close proximity thereon and thereabout for producing electrical power for use by the electronic system.  
   
   
       19 . A portable electronic system having one or more heat differential power systems as claimed in  claim 16 .  
   
   
       20 . A data processing system having one or more heat differential power systems as claimed in  claim 16 .  
   
   
       21 . A telecommunications system having one or more heat differential power systems as claimed in  claim 16 .  
   
   
       22 . A cooling system having one or more heat transfer systems receiving cooled coolant and expelling heated coolant produced by acquiring heat from one or more heat generating components, a heat exchange system in coolant communication with the heat transfer systems, the heat exchange system receiving the heated liquid and producing the cooled liquid, and a heat differential power system for powering the circulation of coolant between the heat transfer systems and the heat exchange system, said heat differential power system comprising: 
 a housing containing a gas and having a first surface thermally coupled to one or more heat-generating components and a second surface thermally coupled to a point or area in the electronic system cooler than the one or more heat-generating components;    a first piston disposed within the housing for alternately moving the gas toward the surfaces causing the gas to expand as it nears the surface thermally coupled to the heat-generating components and to contract as it nears the surface thermally coupled to the cooler point or area,    a second piston disposed within or adjacent to the housing which responds to the alternate expansion and contraction of the gas for powering the first piston;    a shaft capable of rotating;    one or more flywheels coupled to the shaft;    an arm coupled to a flywheel and the second piston for receiving the motion of the second piston and rotating the shaft; and    a second arm coupled to a flywheel and the first piston for providing motion to the first piston.    
   
   
       23 . The cooling system of  claim 22  in which a flywheel coupled to the shaft is disposed within a pump as an impeller for circulating liquid within the cooling system.  
   
   
       24 . The cooling system of  claim 22  having one or more rotating flywheels coupled to the shaft, each flywheel having one or more electromagnets and one or more induction coils disposed in close proximity thereon and thereabout for producing electrical power.  
   
   
       25 . The cooling system of  claim 24  wherein the heat differential power system powers a one or more air flow devices.  
   
   
       26 . The cooling system of  claim 24  wherein the heat differential power system provides electrical power to a system utilizing the cooling system.  
   
   
       27 . A portable electronic system having one or more of the cooling systems as claimed in  claim 24  for providing power to extend the battery life of such portable electronic system.