CPC H01M 10/6569 (2015.04) [H01M 10/613 (2015.04); H01M 10/625 (2015.04); H01M 10/6557 (2015.04); H02K 9/14 (2013.01); H02K 9/19 (2013.01); H01M 2220/20 (2013.01)] | 7 Claims |
1. A heat-activated pump for temperature regulation of a motor, comprising:
an evaporator having one or more fluid passageways in thermal contact with heat generating elements of the motor, the passageways containing a working fluid and receptive of heat from the motor to convert the working fluid into vapor;
a pressure-control valve coupled to an exit port of the fluid passageways of the evaporator and maintaining the working fluid in the evaporator at a set target pressure and allowing vaporized working fluid to escape through the exit port whenever the target pressure is exceeded;
a liquid-piston chamber coupled to the pressure-control valve to receive vaporized working fluid from the evaporator at the target pressure, the vaporized working fluid expanding adiabatically and displacing liquid within the liquid-piston chamber, expelling it therefrom in a pumping stage of a thermodynamic cycle;
a unidirectional pump-exit check valve coupled to an exit port of the liquid-piston chamber to allow the displaced liquid to exit the liquid-piston chamber;
a unidirectional liquid suction-entry check valve coupled to a return port of the liquid-piston chamber;
a condenser coupled to the pump-exit and suction-entry check valves to receive displaced liquid and allow it to return to the liquid-piston chamber in a suction stage of the thermodynamic cycle; and
a unidirectional vapor-injector return check valve coupled to both an exit port of the liquid-piston chamber and to an input port of the fluid passageways of the evaporator, wherein periodic pressure pulses from the liquid-piston chamber that temporarily exceed the pressure in the evaporator facilitate jets of condensed fluid to return in successive brief spurts.
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