Abstract: In one embodiment, a system of bonded substrates may include a first substrate, a second substrate, and a composite bonding layer positioned between the first substrate and the second substrate. The composite boding layer may include an interior bond region, an exterior bond region, and a metal matrix. The material of the interior bond region may have a greater elastic modulus than the material of the exterior bond region. A portion of the metal matrix may be in the interior bond region and a portion of the metal matrix may be in the exterior bond region. The composite bonding layer may also include a plurality of soft material members positioned in the portion of the metal matrix in the exterior bond region, or a plurality of hard material members positioned in the portion of the metal matrix in the interior bond region, or both.

Abstract: An electric drive system includes a smoothing capacitor including at least one terminal, a bus bar electrically coupled to the at least one terminal, a thermoelectric device including a first side and a second side positioned opposite the first side, where the first side is thermally coupled to at least one of the at least one terminal and the bus bar, and a cooling element thermally coupled to the second side of the thermoelectric device, where the cooling element dissipates heat from the thermoelectric device.

Abstract: An electric drive system includes a smoothing capacitor including at least one terminal, a bus bar electrically coupled to the at least one terminal, a thermoelectric device including a first side and a second side positioned opposite the first side, where the first side is thermally coupled to at least one of the at least one terminal and the bus bar, and a cooling element thermally coupled to the second side of the thermoelectric device, where the cooling element dissipates heat from the thermoelectric device.

Abstract: A modular jet impingement assembly includes an inlet tube fluidly coupled to a fluid inlet, an outlet tube fluidly coupled to a fluid outlet, and a modular manifold having a first distribution recess extending into a first side of the modular manifold, a second distribution recess extending into a second side of the modular manifold, a plurality of inlet connection tubes positioned at an inlet end of the modular manifold, and a plurality of outlet connection tubes positioned at an outlet end of the modular manifold. A first manifold insert is removably positioned within the first distribution recess, a second manifold insert is removably positioned within the second distribution recess, and a first and second heat transfer plate each removably coupled to the modular manifold. The first and second heat transfer plates each comprise an impingement surface.

Abstract: Constraint-based methods for determining orientations of material physical properties using an isoparametric shape function are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of defining an orientation of an material physical property includes defining nonlinear and/or discontinuous design constraints of design values in a geometric domain associated with one or more physical attributes of the material physical property, and translating the nonlinear and/or discontinuous design constraints into continuous, first order design constraints of the design values by applying an isoparametric shape function. The method further includes performing a topology optimization using the continuous, first order design constraints of the design values, and reverse-translating results of the topology optimization back into the geometric domain using the isoparametric shape function. The results of the topology optimization in the geometric domain are indicative of the orientation of the material physical property.

Abstract: Electronic assemblies for thermoelectric generation are disclosed. In one embodiment, an electronic assembly includes a substrate having a first surface and a second surface, and a conductive plane and a plurality of thermal guide traces position on the first surface of the substrate. The conductive plane includes a plurality of arms radially extending from a central region. The plurality of thermal guide traces surrounds the conductive plane, and is shaped and positioned to guide heat flux present on or within the substrate toward the central region of the conductive plane. The electronic assembly may also include a thermoelectric generator device thermally coupled to the central region of the conductive plane, and a plurality of heat generating devices coupled to the second surface of the substrate.

Abstract: Anisotropic thermal energy guiding shells and methods for fabricating thermal energy guiding shells are provided. An anisotropic thermal energy guiding shell includes an interior volume defined within the anisotropic thermal energy guiding shell, a plurality of thermally conductive fibers, and at least one component attachment region. The plurality of thermally conductive fibers are arranged to guide thermal energy received by the anisotropic thermal energy guiding shell non-uniformly relative to the at least one component attachment region according to a thermal energy management objective. A method for fabricating a thermal energy guiding shell includes forming a composite fabric of thermally conductive fibers, impregnating the composite fabric of thermally conductive fibers with a resin, curing the impregnated composite fabric of thermally conductive fibers, and forming the impregnated composite fabric of thermally conductive fibers into the thermal energy guiding shell.

Abstract: Cooling loops and vehicles including cooling loops include a power module, a cooling loop including a cooler thermally coupled to the power module, a working fluid housed within the cooler, where the working fluid absorbs thermal energy from the power module, a heat exchanger in fluid communication with the cooler, a pump in fluid communication with the heat exchanger and the cooler, and a vehicle component thermally coupled to the cooling loop, where the working fluid from the cooler is selectively directed to the vehicle component.

Abstract: Cooling loops and vehicles including cooling loops are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a vehicle includes a power module, a cooling loop including a cooler thermally coupled to the power module, a working fluid housed within the cooler, where the working fluid absorbs thermal energy from the power module, a heat exchanger in fluid communication with the cooler, a pump in fluid communication with the heat exchanger and the cooler, and at least one of a battery pack assembly and a heater core thermally coupled to the cooling loop, where the battery pack assembly provides electrical power to the vehicle and the heater core facilitates heating of a cabin of the vehicle.

Abstract: Power electronics devices having thermal stress reduction elements are disclosed. A power electronics device includes a heat source having a heat source perimeter, a first conduction member coupled to the heat source, and a substrate coupled to the first conduction member. The first conduction member includes a support portion that extends to at least the heat source perimeter and a plurality of finger portions extending from the support portion and separated from one another by web regions, where the plurality of finger portions have a finger thickness that is greater than a web thickness of the web regions.

Abstract: An apparatus and method of wirelessly charging a battery are disclosed. The wireless charging system may include a charge receiver, charge transmitter, and an active control sheet. The active control sheet may include a plurality of cells. The plurality of cells may be activated or deactivated according to the location of the charge receiver relative to the charge transmitter. Charging may be initiated, and electrical charge transferred, from the charge transmitter, through the activated cells on the active control sheet, and to the charge receiver.

Abstract: Modular cooling apparatuses are disclosed. In one embodiment, a cooling apparatus includes an inlet manifold, a jet plate manifold, a plurality of jet plates, a vapor manifold, and a target layer. The inlet manifold includes a fluid distribution chamber, and a plurality of fluid distribution channels symmetrically located within the fluid distribution chamber. The jet plate manifold is coupled to the inlet manifold such that the plurality of jet plate openings is vertically aligned with respect to the plurality of fluid distribution channels. The plurality of jet plates is removably disposed in the jet plate manifold. The vapor manifold has a plurality of walls that define a vapor manifold opening and at least one outlet channel through at least one of the walls. The target layer is coupled to the vapor manifold such that the jet orifice surface of each jet plate is positioned above the target layer.

Abstract: An electrical energy production system includes at least a pair of thermally regenerating ammonia batteries. One of the batteries is in a charging mode; the other is in a discharging mode. A controller is operatively connected to the at least a pair of thermally regenerating ammonia batteries. At least one heat source is connected to the at least a pair of thermally regenerating batteries. A control valve is connected to the controller and to the at least a pair of thermally regenerating batteries. The control valve distributes heat from the heat source to a specified one of the at least a pair of thermally regenerating ammonia batteries. An electrical path connects each of the pair of thermally regenerating batteries to the controller and to a power rectification circuit. An external load is connected to the power rectification circuit such that a continuous power source is provided to the external load.

Abstract: Electronic device assemblies employing dual phase change materials and vehicles incorporating the same are disclosed. In one embodiment, an electronic device assembly includes a semiconductor device having a surface, wherein the semiconductor device operates in a transient heat flux state and a normal heat flux state, a coolant fluid thermally coupled to the surface of the semiconductor device, and a phase change material thermally coupled to the surface of the semiconductor device. The phase change material has a phase change temperature at which the phase change material changes from a first phase to a second phase. The phase change material absorbs heat flux at least when the semiconductor device operates in the transient heat flux state.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for generating electric power using low grade thermal energy from a vehicle. The methods may include surrounding at least a portion of a coolant conduit system with a flexible thermo-electrochemical cell including a nanoporous cathode electrode, a nanoporous anode electrode, and an electrolyte. A coolant fluid may be circulated through the coolant conduit system, which is in thermal communication with a power generating unit, such as an internal combustion engine or fuel cell stack. The method includes maintaining a temperature gradient in the electrolyte solution by contacting the anode electrode with the coolant conduit system, and exposing the cathode electrode to a temperature lower than a temperature of the coolant conduit system. Generated electrical charges can be collected for subsequent use.

Abstract: Pool boiling systems, cooling systems configured to cool one or more heat generating portions of a vehicle, and methods of maintaining a functional orientation of a pool boiling unit are disclosed. A pool boiling system may include the pool boiling unit and a stabilizing unit coupled to the pool boiling unit. The stabilizing unit maintains the pool boiling unit in a functional orientation across a plurality of operating orientations of the pool boiling system.

Abstract: Devices configured to direct heat flow are disclosed, as well as methods of forming thereof. A device may include a self-assembling heat flow object. The self-assembling heat flow object may include a material having one or more self-assembling properties that cause the material to react to an environmental stimulus and one or more thermal pathways. An application of the environmental stimulus causes the self-assembling heat flow object to deploy and arrange the one or more thermal pathways for directing thermal energy to one or more locations.

Abstract: Power electronics modules having modular jet impingement assembly utilized to cool heat generating devices are disclosed. The modular jet impingement assemblies include a modular manifold having a distribution recess, one or more angled inlet connection tubes positioned at an inlet end of the modular manifold that fluidly couple the inlet tube to the distribution recess and one or more outlet connection tubes positioned at an outlet end of the modular manifold that fluidly coupling the outlet tube to the distribution recess. The modular jet impingement assemblies include a manifold insert removably positioned within the distribution recess and include one or more inlet branch channels each including an impinging slot and one or more outlet branch channels each including a collecting slot. Further a heat transfer plate coupled to the modular manifold, the heat transfer plate comprising an impingement surface including an array of fins that extend toward the manifold insert.

Abstract: A system for cooling a vehicle compartment using a twin cell thermal battery and waste heat. Cool air from the evaporators of a twin cell thermal battery system is used to chill a compartment, such as an icebox in a trunk or a cabin of a vehicle. The energy needed to create the cooling effect for the cool compartment comes directly from the waste heat of vehicle exhaust gas. The system provides for the air conditioning and charging mode to work simultaneously because of a twin cell battery configuration. A thermoelectric generator (TEG) is also provided in addition to the twin cell battery thereby making the system self-powered. The system uses energy that would otherwise be lost to the environment to provide a cooling source within the vehicle.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for the continuous operation of an air conditioning unit or climate control system in a vehicle. The system may include a power generating unit, such as an engine or a fuel cell stack, and an exhaust loop in fluid communication with the power generating unit. First and second adsorption-based thermal batteries are provided in thermal communication with the exhaust loop. The vehicle may be configured to simultaneously operate in both an air conditioning operational mode powered by the first thermal battery, and a charging operational mode that regenerates the second thermal battery. A thermoelectric generator may also be provided such that the system is entirely self-powered, reducing or eliminating a need for supplemental, i.e. plug-in, charging.