Materials, components, and methods consistent with the present invention are directed to the fabrication and use of micro-scale channels with a fluid, where the temperature and flow of the fluid is controlled through the geometry of the micro-scale channel and the configuration of at least a portion of the wall of the micro-scale channel and the constituent particles that make up the fluid. Moreover, the wall of the micro-scale channel and the constituent particles are configured such that collisions between the constituent particles and the wall are substantially specular.

Techniques are disclosed for systems and methods using microelectromechanical systems MEMS techniques to provide cryogenic and/or general cooling of a device or sensor system. In one embodiment, a system includes a compressor assembly and MEMS expander assembly in fluid communication with the compressor assembly via a gas transfer line configured to physically separate and thermally decouple the MEMS expander assembly from the compressor assembly. The MEMS expander assembly includes a plurality of expander cells each including a MEMS displacer, a cell regenerator, and an expansion volume disposed between the MEMS displacer and the cell regenerator, and the plurality of cell regenerators are configured to combine to form a contiguous shared regenerator for the MEMS expander assembly.

Materials, components, and methods consistent with the present invention are directed to the fabrication and use of micro-scale channels with a fluid, where the temperature and flow of the fluid is controlled through the geometry of the micro-scale channel and the configuration of at least a portion of the wall of the micro-scale channel and the constituent particles that make up the fluid. Moreover, the wall of the micro-scale channel and the constituent particles are configured such that collisions between the constituent particles and the wall are substantially specular.

Materials, components, and methods consistent with the present invention are directed to the fabrication and use of micro-scale channels with a fluid, where the temperature and flow of the fluid is controlled through the geometry of the micro-scale channel and the configuration of at least a portion of the wall of the micro-scale channel and the constituent particles that make up the fluid. Moreover, the wall of the micro-scale channel and the constituent particles are configured such that collisions between the constituent particles and the wall are substantially specular.

A refrigeration system includes a compressor, a condenser fluidly connected to the compressor, an evaporator fluidly connected to the condenser and the compressor, such that fluid may flow from the compressor through the condenser, through the evaporator, and again through the compressor. An expansion device is fluidly connected between the condenser and the evaporator, and a micro-expansion valve is also connected between the condenser and the evaporator.

A heat transferring method and system utilizing a parasitic phase-change pump is disclosed. The parasitic phase-change pump is utilized to circulate a working fluid. The method may include: facilitating heat transfer from at least one evaporator to a condenser via the working fluid; receiving and containing the working fluid from the condenser utilizing an expandable MEMS device; controlling and regulating the flow of the working fluid from the expandable MEMS device towards the at least one evaporator utilizing at least one MEMS based directional device, wherein the working fluid flowing from the expandable MEMS device towards at least one evaporator is in liquid phase; and utilizing the working fluid flowing from the expandable MEMS device towards at least one evaporator to facilitate heat transfer for at least one target device located between at least one evaporator and the condenser or between the expandable MEMS device and the evaporator.

A refrigerating appliance (100) is provided, which comprises: at least one storage compartment (110) for storing goods to be refrigerated; a refrigeration circuit comprising at least one evaporator (170) associated with said at least one storage compartment (110); a control unit (172) configured to control operation of the refrigerating appliance (100); at least one fan (171), configured to promote heat exchange between said at least one evaporator (170) and the at least one storage compartment (110), said at least one fan (171) being further configured to be switched between a first operative condition in which said at least one fan (171) is commanded to rotate, and a second operative condition in which said at least one fan (171) is commanded to not rotate; a MEMS pressure sensor (180) configured to measure the pressure inside said at least one storage compartment (110) and in signal communication with the control unit (172) for providing a pressure signal proportional to the measure of the pressure inside said at least one storage compartment (110), wherein the control unit (172) is configured to control the operation of the refrigerating appliance (100) in function of said pressure signal received when said at least one fan (171) is in the first operative condition.

A refrigerating appliance (100) is provided. The refrigerating appliance (100) comprises: at least one storage compartment (110) for storing goods to be refrigerated; a pressure sensor (180), a control unit (172) configured to control operation of the refrigerating appliance (100), the control unit (172) being in signal communication with said pressure sensor (180); wherein: said pressure sensor (180) is a MEMS pressure sensor configured to measure the pressure inside said at least one storage compartment (110) and to transmit to the control unit (172) a corresponding pressure signal proportional to said measured pressure, the control unit (172) being configured to control the operation of the refrigerating apparatus (100) based on the pressure signal received from the pressure sensor (180).