Abstract: A process for condensing vapor or mist material onto a thin first liquid film surface, which liquid film is generated and supported on the outer surface of a porous structure. A moving condensable vapor contacts the thin liquid film and is condensed onto the liquid surface. The condensed vapor drains by gravity action into a collection zone, together with a portion of the liquid film material being entrained therein. The vapor or mist material can be either substantially immiscible or miscible in the liquid film. The first liquid is preferably provided in a closed system and is recycled at near ambient temperature and at pressure conditions sufficient to produce the thin liquid film external to the porous structure, which has a porosity of 20-80%. An apparatus including the porous structure and liquid handling system for condensing an upflowing condensable vapor is disclosed.

Abstract: A plurality of inlet and outlet channels for receiving and exhausting respectively the flow of a heat exchange medium directed to the inlet channels are located adjacent a plate provided with generally parallel, elongated orifices extending in the direction of and in registration with the inlet and outlet channels. A heat exchange panel is disposed adjacent the plate on the side thereof opposite that of the channels such that the medium entering the input channels travels through the orifices of the plate to the heat exchange panel and then from the panel to and through the outlet channels.

Abstract: A plenum in combination with a heat exchange panel and a panel structure having a large number of closely spaced orifices of equal size. The plenum area relative to that of the orifice area is such that a pressure head in the plenum is maintained to provide a constant flow of heat exchange medium from the plenum through the orifices to the heat exchange panel.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the simultaneous exchange of heat and matter through a porous wall. A relatively hot gaseous mixture of two constituents passes through an exchange compartment by flowing along the first surface of a porous wall and is progressively cooled, which causes the condensation of a fraction of said mixture. This fraction is vaporized on the second surface of the wall in contact with a relatively cold gas. This process is useful for the fractionation of a mixture of two constituents of a gas, for example, of a mixture of pentane and heptane.

Abstract: High power dissipating micro electronic circuit chips are cooled in a high ensity package by mounting individual chips on sintered stainless steel pads and surrounding the micro chips with a liquid fluoro-chemical to achieve cooling. The chips are directly bonded to the sintered stainless steel pads and are not packaged in chip carriers. The stainless steel pads provide a solid mounting for the chips to allow for wire bonding of the chips directly to the printed circuit board and electrical interconnections accommodate the differential coefficient of expansion between the chips and the housing. The stainless steel pads acts as wicks drawing the coolant fluid to the bottom side of the chips while the top side of the chips, also in direct contact with the coolant, enable the fluid to boil and remove heat during liquid to vapor transformation, thereby limiting the surface temperature of the chips to the boiling point of the coolant.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a thermal conduction device well suited to cool electronic components such as semiconductor devices, in which a porous layer is provided at the surface part of the contact interface of a heat generating element or a heat sink element, and a liquid such as oil is contained in cavities formed in the porous layer, the heat generating element and the heat sink element being held in close contact by the surface tension of the liquid, whereby heat generated by the heat generating element is transferred to the heat sink element.

Abstract: A ceramic heat exchanger element comprises a ceramic honeycomb body, fluid passages formed in the ceramic honeycomb body and ceramic tubes extending through and fixed to the ceramic honeycomb body so as to intersect the fluid passages. The ceramic of the honeycomb body, the fluid passages therein, and the tubes extending through and fixed thereto preferably have a thermal conductivity of 15 Kcal/m/hr/.degree.C. or higher.

Abstract: A porous coated enhanced evaporator tube and a method for producing the tube. The porous coating of the tube is applied by arc spraying two dissimilar metals on a tube and then etching the tube so that only one of the metals is etched out, and a porous surface, having voids where the etched out metal is developed. The voids form subsurface channels which provide nucleate boiling sites.

Abstract: A heat exchanger unit comprising a particulate heat exchanging mass or pack consisting of relatively small, mechanically immobilized particles having a thermal diffusivity constant of at least 0.5 cm.sup.2 /sec at 20.degree. C., and compressively retained in an enclosure in heat transfer relationship to each other and to a fluid directed therethrough. Preferred materials for the particles are crystalline carbon, copper and aluminum. The pack may be in cylindrical form or planar form and may be contained within metal conduits or, for solar radiation, within a transparent or translucent enclosure. Interconnected units may be disposed in an array or bank to provide the desired quantitive degree of thermal transfer.

Abstract: Shell-and-tube transfer line heat exchangers having heat exchange tubes contained within an outer shell and a primary tubesheet, to minimize inlet end fouling, are disclosed. The exchanger includes: a secondary porous tubesheet, through which a reactive gas, e.g., an oxidizing gas such as air, oxygen, steam or mixtures thereof or a reducing gas such as hydrogen, carbon monoxide or mixtures thereof, can diffuse in amounts sufficient to react with coke deposits on the porous tubesheets process gas inlet side; the porous tubesheet is positioned preferably, but not necessarily, substantially parallel to the heat exchanger's process gas inlet end primary tubesheet nearer the inlet ends of the heat exchange tubes than the primary tubesheet and is, like the primary tubesheet, perforated by the heat exchange tubes, thus creating, with the heat exchanger's outer shell and the primary tubesheet, an enclosed space, and at least one gas inlet communicating with the enclosed space through which the reactive gas is fed.

Abstract: A structural component which is coolable for use under high thermal load conditions, such as a turbine blade, has a metallic support core with cooling ducts separated by lands in its surface. The core and its cooling ducts and lands are enclosed by an inner layer of metal felt and an outer layer of heat insulating ceramic material which partially penetrates into the metal felt to form a bonding zone between the felt and the ceramic material. Thus, any heat passing through the ceramic layer is introduced into the large surface area of the metal felt enabling the latter to efficiently introduce the heat into a cooling medium flowing in the ducts, thereby preventing thermal loads from adversely affecting the metal core to any appreciable extent.

Abstract: A compact heat exchanger and method for making the same using the interior of randomly arranged interconnecting hollow spheres as a conduit for a first fluid and the exterior of same as a conduit for a second fluid of different temperature. The apparatus is constructed by fusing the points of contact between the objects of a packed cluster of objects, forming an impermeable layer on the fused objects and removing the fused objects to leave hollow shells interconnected at their points of contact. The interconnecting interiors of the hollow shells form an inner space to which fluid entry and exit ports may be provided to entry and exit manifolds. An outer interstitial space is realized by channeling the second fluid through the porosity in the cluster of shells comprised of the spaces outside the interconnected hollow shells.

Abstract: Shell and tube heat transfer apparatus and a corresponding process of heat transfer employ a fluid flow consisting of non-turbulent boundary-layers adjacent the inner and outer heat exchanger surfaces of the tubes and a non-turbulent core-layer between the boundary-layers and interfacing therewith. Interrupter-structures disposed within the tube and shell flow passes and interrupt the full development of the boundary-layers at a multitude of spaced spots, leaving the heat transfer surfaces unaltered, unmodified and uninterrupted, so that the boundary-layers cannot increase in thickness but will partially separate from the surfaces and mix non-turbulently with the core-layer to effect the required heat transfer between the surfaces and the fluid. The interrupter-structure preferably consists of a plurality of rows of spheres, with which the space remote from the heat exchange surface is filled with a space-filling material to prevent the useless flow of fluid in a space not effective for heat transfer.

Abstract: A liquid film evaporation type heat exchanger including a plurality of heat transfer units, with each unit including a plurality of flat heat transfer ducts of square cross section formed with a plurality of warm water passageways extending perpendicular to the direction of flow of a liquid medium, and a plurality of liquid distributing beams formed with a pluraity of cutouts. The heat transfer ducts and the liquid distributing beams being alternately arranged in the respective units, with the heat transfer units being arranged at locations spaced apart from each other in the direction of flow of the liquid medium. Vapor releasing ports are formed in positions between the adjacent heat transfer units. Each heat transfer duct has on either side surface thereof a porous material layer providing a heat exchange surface on which a film of the liquid medium is formed for evaporation.

Abstract: A system for transferring heat from a first (inner) surface through a second (outer) surface. The system includes at least two adjacent porous and thermally conductive layers between the first surface and the second surface. The innermost layer is characterized by a relatively high porosity and the outermost layer is characterized by a relatively low porosity. The innermost layer houses a fluid coolant. The pores of the innermost and outermost layers are coupled, permitting coolant flow therebetween. A vapor chamber is positioned between the outer surface and an outer member. A controller is adapted to control the vapor pressure in the vapor chamber whereby the coolant has a liquid vapor phase transition in the outermost layer.

Abstract: Evaporative cooling particularly useful for semiconductor integrated circuits is more efficient when a liquid is completely evaporated at the heat radiating surface. The liquid is converted to droplets and mixed with the gas at the heat radiating surface.

Abstract: Condensable fractions of a saturated gaseous stream condense onto the outer surfaces of horizontally-declined tubes of a heat exchanger. The upper wick portion of one or more elongate absorbent wicks are longitudinally disposed adjacent the lower outer surface of each horizontally-declined tube, while the lower wick appendage of each wick extends to a lower point away from the tubular heating surface. Condensate runs down the outer surfaces of the horizontally-declined tubes into interstitial passages of the absorbent wicks, and flows to their lower discharge ends. Absorbed condensate is confined to the wick drainage conduits by capillary action. Condensate flow through each wick drainage conduit is substantially accelerated by hydrostatic pressure over the average wicking distance.