A heat-activated pump regulates the temperature of a battery or motor. For a battery, an evaporator has fluid passageways arranged in a serpentine path or multiple parallel paths, in direct contact with battery cells. For a motor, the passageways wrap around its casing or within. Working fluid in the passageways is converted to vapor. Whenever a target pressure is exceeded, a pressure-control valve allows vaporized working fluid to escape into a liquid-piston chamber, where it expands adiabatically and displaces pumped liquid, expelling it in a pumping stage from the liquid-piston chamber through a check valve into a condenser. Another check valve allows the pumped liquid to return in a suction stage to the chamber. An injector valve between the liquid-piston chamber and the evaporator returns jets of condensed working fluid to the evaporator in successive brief spurts responsive to periodic pressure pulses in the liquid-piston chamber.

A heat-activated pump removes waste heat from an electronic chip. An evaporator integrated into the chip packaging receives heat from the chip, converting a working fluid into vapor. Piping from the evaporator to a heat exchanger and back form a fluid circulation system. A pressure-control valve set for a specified electronic operating temperature allows vaporized working fluid to vent into a liquid-piston chamber, where it expands adiabatically, displacing pumped liquid in a pumping stage and expelling it from the chamber through a unidirectional valve to the shared heat exchanger(s). The heat exchanger(s) has a heatsink transferring heat away to a flow of cooler fluid. The pumped liquid returns in a suction cycle to the chamber through another unidirectional valve. An injector valve returns jets of condensed working fluid to the evaporator in successive brief spurts responsive to periodic pressure pulses in the chamber.

A heat-activated pump removes waste heat from an electronic chip. An evaporator integrated into the chip packaging receives heat from the chip, converting a working fluid into vapor. Piping from the evaporator to a heat exchanger and back form a fluid circulation system. A pressure-control valve set for a specified electronic operating temperature allows vaporized working fluid to vent into a liquid-piston chamber, where it expands adiabatically, displacing pumped liquid in a pumping stage and expelling it from the chamber through a unidirectional valve to the shared heat exchanger(s). The heat exchanger(s) has a heatsink transferring heat away to a flow of cooler fluid. The pumped liquid returns in a suction cycle to the chamber through another unidirectional valve. An injector valve returns jets of condensed working fluid to the evaporator in successive brief spurts responsive to periodic pressure pulses in the chamber.

A heat-activated pump regulates the temperature of a battery or motor. For a battery, an evaporator has fluid passageways arranged in a serpentine path or multiple parallel paths, in direct contact with battery cells. For a motor, the passageways wrap around its casing or within. Working fluid in the passageways is converted to vapor. Whenever a target pressure is exceeded, a pressure-control valve allows vaporized working fluid to escape into a liquid-piston chamber, where it expands adiabatically and displaces pumped liquid, expelling it in a pumping stage from the liquid-piston chamber through a check valve into a condenser. Another check valve allows the pumped liquid to return in a suction stage to the chamber. An injector valve between the liquid-piston chamber and the evaporator returns jets of condensed working fluid to the evaporator in successive brief spurts responsive to periodic pressure pulses in the liquid-piston chamber.

A system and method for generating electric power using a generator coupled to a turboexpander is disclosed. The system includes one or more thermal pumps configured for heating a fluid to generate a pressurized gas. A portion of the pressurized gas is discharged to a buffer chamber for further utilization in a Rankine system. A further portion of the pressurized gas is expanded in a turboexpander for driving a generator for generating electric power. Optionally, the system includes a pump to pressurize a portion of the fluid depending on the systems operating condition. The system further includes one or more sensors for sensing temperature and pressure and outputs one or more signals representative of the sensed state. The system includes a control unit for receiving the signals and outputs one or more control signals for controlling the flow of gases and liquid in the valves and the check valve.

A system and method for generating electric power using a generator coupled to a turboexpander is disclosed. The system includes one or more thermal pumps configured for heating a fluid to generate a pressurized gas. A portion of the pressurized gas is discharged to a buffer chamber for further utilization in a Rankine system. A further portion of the pressurized gas is expanded in a turboexpander for driving a generator for generating electric power. Optionally, the system includes a pump to pressurize a portion of the fluid depending on the systems operating condition. The system further includes one or more sensors for sensing temperature and pressure and outputs one or more signals representative of the sensed state. The system includes a control unit for receiving the signals and outputs one or more control signals for controlling the flow of gases and liquid in the valves and the check valve.