Abstract: A fluid heat exchanger unit cools an electronic device with a cooling fluid supplied to an upper portion of a cooling housing. A refrigerant is disposed in a lower portion of the cooling housing for liquid-to-vapor transformation. A partition divides the upper portion of the cooling housing from the lower portion. A heat rejecter is disposed on and above the upper wall of the cooling housing with a first header extending from and in fluid communication with the liquid coolant outlet. A second header extends upwardly from a rejecter outlet. A plurality of first tubes extend between and in fluid communication with the first header and the second header with a plurality of first air fins disposed between the upper wall and the first tubes. A single unit defines both the cooling housing and the air cooled heat rejecter to thereby allow the manufacture of the unit in a single process with the attendant reduction in shipping, handling and installation.

Abstract: The invention provides a heat exchanger having a plurality of plates stacked in alternating mirrored relation with one another. Each of the plurality of plates has a plate length extending along a plate longitudinal axis between first and second ends. Each of the plurality of plates also has a plate width extending transverse to the plate longitudinal axis. The plurality of plates cooperate to define a fluid receiving cavity extending along a receiving axis substantially perpendicular to the plate longitudinal axis. The plurality of plates also cooperate to define a fluid exiting cavity extending along an exiting axis substantially perpendicular to the plate longitudinal axis and spaced from the receiving axis. A plurality of plate cavities are defined between alternating pairs of adjacent plates and extend along the plate length. The plurality of plate cavities fluidly communicate with both of the receiving and exiting cavities.

Abstract: The invention provides a vending machine for cooling food products. The vending machine includes a housing defining an interior. The vending machine also includes a plurality of holding members substantially thermally isolated from one another and disposed in the interior. Each of the plurality of holding members includes inner and outer hollow members telescopically engaged with one another to define an inner cavity with an opening operable to communicate an individual food product and an outer cavity with an inlet and an outlet spaced from the inlet. The vending machine also includes a refrigeration system disposed outside of the interior and fluidly communicating individually with each of the outer cavities to cool each of the inner cavities.

Abstract: The subject invention provides a cooling assembly for removing heat from an electronic device. The cooling assembly includes a heat sink having a base plate and a plurality of fins extending upwardly from the base plate to a top extremity. A nozzle directs a flow of cooling fluid onto the fins and is disposed above the base plate and below the top extremity of the fins. The flow of cooling fluid is discharged from the nozzle adjacent the base plate and then flows upwardly through the fins to remove the heat from the base plate before removing any heat from the fins.

Abstract: A fluid heat exchanger assembly cools an electronic device with a cooling fluid supplied from a heat extractor to an upper portion of a housing. A refrigerant is disposed in a lower portion of the housing for liquid-to-vapor transformation. A partition divides the upper portion of the housing from the lower portion and is flexible to vary the volume of the upper portion for modulating the flow of coolant fluid through the upper portion in response to heat transferred by an electronic device to the lower portion of the housing.

Abstract: A fluid heat exchanger assembly cools an electronic device with a cooling fluid supplied from a heat extractor (R, F) to an upper portion of a housing. A refrigerant is disposed in a lower portion of the housing for liquid-to-vapor transformation. A partition divides the upper portion of the housing from the lower portion and flow interrupters are disposed in the upper portion for interrupting thermal boundary layer to enhance thermal heat transfer to the flow of liquid coolant through the coolant passage of the upper portion in response to heat transferred by an electronic device to the lower portion of the housing.

Abstract: A thermoelectric heat transfer system is provided. The thermoelectric heat transfer system comprises a coolant circuit with a pump circulating coolant through the circuit. A first heat exchanger is in fluid communication with the coolant circuit to remove heat from the coolant. At the same time, a second heat exchanger is in fluid communication with the coolant circuit. Thermoelectric modules (TEMs) are integrated into the second heat exchanger to create a temperature differential between fins and conduits of the second heat exchanger. The coolant flows through the conduits to draw heat from the TEMs, while a fan assembly conveys air through the fins into a climate-controlled area to cool the climate-controlled area to a desired temperature. In other embodiments, a sleeve acts as the second heat exchanger. The sleeve is adapted to receive and cool beverage containers and like items.

Abstract: A fluid heat exchanger assembly cools an electronic device with a cooling fluid supplied from a heat extractor (R, F) to a plurality of tubes extending between header tanks in an upper portion of a housing. A refrigerant is disposed in the lower portion of the housing for liquid-to-vapor transformation. The tubes are radially flexible to vary the volume of the tubes for modulating the flow of coolant liquid through the tubes in response to heat transferred by an electronic device to the lower portion of the housing.

Abstract: The invention provides a heat sink device for receiving heat generated by an electrical chip. The heat sink device includes a cold plate having a bottom surface for receiving heat from the electrical chip and a top surface opposite of the bottom surface. The heat sink device also includes a finger member having a rounded tip centered on the top surface. The heat sink device also includes a force generating device having an anvil spaced from the finger member and a compressible member compressed between the anvil and the finger member. The compressible member generates a pressing force urging the finger member and the top surface together. The heat sink device also includes a moving device operable to move one of the anvil and the finger member relative to the other to change the pressing force generated by the compressible member.

Abstract: The invention provides a heat exchanger operable, for example, with Stirling cooling system. The heat exchanger includes a first member having an inner surface defining a flow path for a working fluid. The first member also includes an outer surface spaced from the inner surface. The heat exchanger also includes a second member cooperating with the first member to define a first substantially enclosed heat exchanging chamber having a height and extending along at least a portion of the outer surface. The heat exchanger also includes at least one first blind conduit including an opening communicating with the first substantially enclosed heat exchanging chamber and a distal end spaced from the opening. The second member and the at least one first blind conduit cooperate with one another to define an enclosed path for a two-phase fluid to move along back and forth between the outer surface and the distal end.

Abstract: The invention provides an apparatus for moving thermal energy with respect to at least one of a beverage and a food product positioned in a vehicle or a stationary beverage machine. The apparatus includes a vortex tube positionable in a vehicle or a stationary beverage machine. The vortex tube includes an inlet and a cold outlet and a hot outlet. The vortex tube divides a primary air stream received in the inlet into a cold air sub-stream exiting the cold outlet and an a hot air sub-stream exiting the hot outlet. The apparatus also includes a containing member having a first wall with an inner surface for receiving a product. The containing member also includes a second wall surrounding the first wall to define a first cavity. The apparatus also includes a first fluid line extending between the first cavity and one of the cold and hot outlets for communicating one of the cold and hot air sub-streams to the first cavity.

Abstract: A fluid heat exchanger assembly having an upper wall and a lower wall extending between the inlet and the outlet for establishing a direction of flow to cool an electronic device. A plurality of projections extend linearly transversely across the direction of flow to define rows of projections with linear cavities between adjacent projections so that fluid flows into and out of the cavities as the fluid flows across the rows of projections for contraction and expansion of the coolant flow to maximize heat transfer. The projections may be rectangular, triangular or convex, as viewed in cross section.

Abstract: A heat exchanger for a heating, ventilating and air conditioning system comprises a plurality of heat exchange tubes extending between a pair of spaced header tanks and arranged in groups of tubes with varying number of tubes in each group to cause a refrigerant to flow in multiple passes in the interior of the tubes across another fluid flowing on the exterior of the tubes. The heat exchange tubes comprise a plurality of flow passages having at least one corner formed by a pair of straight or arcuate sides with an included angle of less than or equal to ninety degrees, more preferably less than or equal to thirty degrees, to promote intense pool boiling within the flow passages. In addition to at least one corner region, the flow passage has a passage-specific optimal hydraulic diameter determined by the relationship between the optimal hydraulic diameter of the passage and the optimal hydraulic diameter of a baseline circular passage.

Abstract: A heat dissipation element for cooling an electronic device is disclosed. The heat dissipation element has a top surface and a bottom surface for mounting the electronic device to be cooled thereto. The top surface defines a heat dissipation area for dissipating heat from the electronic device and a plurality of heat transfer fins project upwardly from the top surface and are coextensive with the heat dissipation area. Each of the heat transfer fins defines a plurality of steps having a rise and a run and each of the steps extend across the heat dissipation area for maximizing an amount of heat dissipated from the electronic device. The heat dissipation element is particularly useful in either one of a cold plate assembly used with a liquid cooled unit (LCU) or a boiler plate assembly used with a thermosiphon cooling unit (TCU).

Abstract: A method of heat sink manufacture in which the crests of a conductive fin are nested down into close fitting grooves in a flat, conductive base plate, with small interface gaps G. A compressive material is set inside the fin crests and the grooves, viscous enough to not intrude into the gaps G, to a level sufficient to substantially fill the grooves. The work piece thus created is subjected to a cold hydrostatic oil bath, crushing the outer surfaces of the fin crests into the internal surfaces of the grooves where the compressed seal covers, while the rest of the fin is supported against net deformation by the surrounding oil.

Abstract: A leak detection apparatus includes one or more detection devices that envelope the various pipe joints of a liquid circulation cooling system. In one approach, the detection devices include a pair of conductors separated by a wicking material impregnated with a crystalline salt that provides a low resistance electrical path between the conductors in the presence of a leak. In another approach, the detection devices include a pair of dissimilar metal mesh electrodes separated by an electrolyte-impregnated wicking material to form a water-activated battery that energizes an alarm in the presence of a leak. In either case, the electrodes and wicking material may be encased with a water-activated sealing material that hardens in the presence of a leak to contain the leakage.

Abstract: A cooling assembly having a base plate and a condenser plate. An outer wall interconnects the base plate to the condenser plate to define a sealed chamber with a working fluid being disposed within the sealed chamber. Intersecting partition walls are mounted to the condenser plate and are angled downwardly toward the base plate for directing working fluid on the condenser plate down a corner of the walls toward a portion of the base plate. Preferably, the base plate defines a first circumference and the condenser plate defines a second circumference larger than the first circumference such that the outer wall has an angled configuration extending between the base plate and the condenser plate to provide a larger area within the sealed chamber for a vapor phase of the working fluid than a liquid phase of the working fluid.