Supersonic Cooling with a Pulsed Inlet

Abstract

A supersonic cooling system operates by pumping liquid without the need of a condenser. The compression system utilizes a compression wave in the generation of the cooling effect. An inlet of the system may be pulsed to reduce energy required of a pump. The evaporator of compression system operates in the critical flow regime where the pressure one or more evaporator tubes will remain almost constant and then ‘jump’ or ‘shock up’ to the ambient pressure.

1 . A supersonic cooling system, comprising:
 a pump facilitating a flow of a fluid through a fluid flow path, the fluid flow path having a high pressure region and a low pressure region, the pump transporting the fluid at a velocity that is greater than or equal to the speed of sound in the fluid as the fluid travels from the high pressure region to the low pressure region; and   a pulsing valve creating a pulsed inlet to the high pressure region of the fluid flow path, thereby reducing the mass flow rate of the fluid and corresponding energy required for a given cooling capacity.   
     
     
         2 . The supersonic cooling system of  claim 1 , further including a resonance chamber situated downstream of the pulsing valve to assist in the formation of a compression wave. 
     
     
         3 . The supersonic cooling system of  claim 1 , further comprising an evaporator at the low pressure region of the fluid flow path, the evaporator facilitating a phase change of the fluid. 
     
     
         4 . The supersonic cooling system of  claim 3 , wherein the evaporator includes an evaporator tube that maintains a constant pressure of the fluid. 
     
     
         5 . The supersonic cooling system of  claim 3 , wherein fluid flow in the evaporator is in a critical flow regime of the fluid. 
     
     
         6 . The supersonic cooling system of  claim 3 , wherein the evaporator facilitates a fluid shock up to an elevated pressure as the fluid exits the evaporator. 
     
     
         7 . The supersonic cooling system of  claim 6 , wherein the evaporator facilitates the fluid shock up to the elevated pressure at substantially constant enthalpy. 
     
     
         8 . The supersonic cooling system of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid flow path decreases a pressure of the fluid at substantially constant enthalpy. 
     
     
         9 . The supersonic cooling system of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid includes water. 
     
     
         10 . The supersonic cooling system of  claim 1 , further comprising a heat exchanger to transfer heat to the fluid. 
     
     
         11 . A supersonic cooling method, comprising:
 pumping a fluid through a fluid flow path with the aid of a pump, the fluid flow path including a low pressure region wherein the fluid flows at a critical flow rate; and   pulsing a fluid input to the fluid flow path through a pulsing valve situated downstream from the pump and upstream from the low pressure region of the fluid flow path to reduce the mass flow rate of the fluid and corresponding power required for a given cooling capacity.   
     
     
         12 . The supersonic cooling method of  claim 11 , further comprising generating a compression wave, wherein generation of the compression wave includes the use of a resonance chamber situated downstream of the pulsing valve. 
     
     
         13 . The supersonic cooling method of  claim 11 , further comprising generating a phase change in the fluid, wherein generating the phase change includes the use of an evaporator that operates in the low pressure region of the fluid flow path. 
     
     
         14 . The supersonic cooling method of  claim 13 , wherein the phase change occurs at least in part due to fluid flow within the evaporator being in a critical flow regime of the fluid. 
     
     
         15 . The supersonic cooling method of  claim 13 , wherein the fluid shocks up to an elevated pressure as the fluid exits the evaporator. 
     
     
         16 . The supersonic cooling method of  claim 15 , wherein the fluid shocks up to the elevated pressure at substantially constant enthalpy. 
     
     
         17 . The supersonic cooling method of  claim 11 , further comprising transferring heat to the fluid, the transfer of heat accompanying a phase change of the fluid. 
     
     
         18 . The supersonic cooling method of  claim 11 , further comprising transferring heat to the fluid via a heat exchanger. 
     
     
         19 . The supersonic cooling method of  claim 11 , wherein the fluid flows from a high pressure region to the low pressure region of the fluid flow path at substantially constant enthalpy. 
     
     
         20 . The supersonic cooling method of  claim 11 , wherein the fluid flows at a velocity greater than or equal to the speed of sound in at least a portion of the fluid flow path between a high pressure region and the low pressure region.