Cooling system

Abstract

A cooling system using a heat differential power system and apparatus for cooling and generating mechanical and/or electrical power in a system are presented. A number of embodiments are presented. In each embodiment a heat differential power system is implemented which dissipates heat created by heat-generating components, such as, but not limited to, microprocessors, within the system and utilizes the heat differential created between the heat generating components and other parts of the system as power to operate the heat differential power system and convert thermal energy into other forms of energy such as, but not limited to, mechanical, and/or electrical energy for powering desired systems such as, but not limited to, fans, or other electrical components, and/or extending the battery life in a portable system.

1 . A cooling system for cooling heat-generating components in a system comprising: 
 a heat differential power system;    a hot contact means thermally coupling one or more heat-generating components to the heat differential power system; and    a cold contact means for thermally coupling a region of the system cooler than the heat-generating components 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 hot contact means and having another surface thermally coupled to the cold 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 hot contact means and to contract as it nears the surface thermally coupled to the cold 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 cooling system of  claim 2  wherein the cooling power of the system is increased or decreased by increasing or decreasing, respectively, the surface areas of the housing coupled to the hot contact means and the cold contact means.  
   
   
       4 . The cooling system of  claim 2  further comprising additional surface area means thermally coupled to the interior surfaces of the housing coupled to the hot contact means and/or coupled to the cold contact means, said additional surface area means providing additional cooling power to the cooling system.  
   
   
       5 . The system as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the cooler region of the system is the casing of the system.  
   
   
       6 . The cooling system as set forth in  claim 1  for powering one or more air flow devices for the system.  
   
   
       7 . The cooling system of  claim 1  further comprising a heat dissipating device coupled to one or more heat-generating components for providing additional cooling of the heat-generating components.  
   
   
       8 . The cooling system of  claim 1  for conserving electrical energy in the system.  
   
   
       9 . The cooling system of  claim 1  for generating electrical energy in the system.  
   
   
       10 . The system as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the system is disposed within the casing of the system.  
   
   
       11 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the first contact means is a thermal spreader for spreading the heat from hot spots of one or more heat-generating components.  
   
   
       12 . A portable system having one or more cooling systems as set forth in  claim 1 .  
   
   
       13 . A data processing system having one or more cooling systems as set forth in  claim 1 .  
   
   
       14 . A telecommunications system having one or more cooling systems as set forth in  claim 1 .  
   
   
       15 . A method of cooling one or more heat-generating components in a system having a heat differential power system comprising the steps of; 
 thermally coupling a heat differential power system to one or more heat-generating components; and    thermally coupling a region of the system cooler than the heat-generating components to the heat differential power system.    
   
   
       16 . The method as set forth in  claim 15  wherein the heat differential power system includes a housing containing a gas and having a surface thermally coupled to the heat-generating components and having another surface thermally coupled to the cooler 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 heat generating-components and to contract as it nears the surface thermally coupled to the cooler 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.    
   
   
       17 . The method as set forth in  claim 16  for providing additional cooling power by increasing the surface areas of or coupled to the surface of the housing coupled to the heat generating-components and/or the surface of the housing coupled to the cooler region.  
   
   
       18 . The method as set forth in  claim 15  for conserving electrical energy in a system  
   
   
       19 . The method as set forth in  claim 15  for powering an air flow device.  
   
   
       20 . The method as set forth in  claim 15  for generating electrical energy in a system.  
   
   
       21 . The cooling system as set forth in  claim 1  which generates mechanical and/or electrical power.  
   
   
       22 . A cooling system for cooling heat-generating components having a heat differential power system which generates air flow.