The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 24, 1991
Filed:
Jun. 08, 1990
Craig S Messmer, St. Louis, MO (US);
Glenn A Anderson, St. Charles, MO (US);
McDonnell Douglas Corporation, St. Louis, MO (US);
Abstract
There is provided by this invention a method and an apparatus for cooling a heat load that is operable in zero gravity conditions and while in any orientation due to the design of the apparatus. The apparatus' components are also selected so as to comprise a lightweight refrigeration system. The apparatus utilizes direct contact between two fluids, a liquid coolant and a refrigerant, with widely different vapor pressures so that one fluid, the coolant, always remains a liquid in the system. The two fluids may be totally or partially soluble in one another or they may be totally insoluble in one another with the degree of solubility affecting the system's efficiency, but not its reliable operation. The refrigerant, which boils and condenses during the refrigeration cycle, is mixed with the coolant and condensed prior to the portion of the system's cycle in which the heat is rejected to a heat sink and is subsequently separated from the coolant. Furthermore, the coolant in the system, which absorbs heat from the load and subsequently mixes with the refrigerant, remains a liquid throughout the system's cycle so as to provide lubrication for the system's components without the use of an additional refrigerant oil.