Solid State Chemistry Cooling Devices

Miniature adsorption refrigeration systems capable of cooling as low as -60 degrees Fahrenheit without fans for heat rejection are being developed. When used with computers and electronics packages, advantages include 40% higher processing speed with key chips operating at low temperature, better reliability with hermitically sealed chassis and no hot spots, and low noise by elimination of fans. Other applications include a microwave-oven-sized consumer quick-freeze appliance, portable freezers, and boat and RV refrigerators. Because solid adsorbents are used, the refrigeration systems require no moving parts except on valve, giving high reliability. Complex compound adsorbents provide high cooling power per unit mass, high efficiency, and low cooling temperatures. They perform where thermoelectrics and vapor compression cannot. Manufacturing cost is estimated at less than $40 for 50W of cooling at -40 degrees Fahrenheit. Sorbers specifically optimized for a miniature electronics cooling device will be developed in Phase I. A complete operating prototype will be built in Phase II.