A cooling system for a photovoltaic panel including micro flat heat pipes (HP) integrated with thermoelectric generators (TEG) and a cooled water reservoir for cooling the working fluid in heat pipes. The cooled water in the reservoir is pumped from the condensate pan of an air conditioner. Experimental results show that cooling system reduced the average temperature of the panel by as much as 19? C. or 25%. Further, the output power of the photovoltaic panel increased by 44% when the photovoltaic panel was used in a very hot climate (30-40? C.). An additional two watts of power was generated by the TEGs.

A system comprising a first plurality of microchannels, a second plurality of microchannels in thermal communication with the first plurality of microchannels such that the first plurality of microchannels and second plurality of microchannels form a heat exchanger, and a phase change composite in thermal communication with the heat exchanger and methods of operating are disclosed herein.

A polymer-based heat transfer device comprising a polymer-based housing having housing walls defining a working fluid chamber, a porous structure extending in the working fluid chamber from at least one of the two opposed ones of the housing walls, and a plurality of housing wall spacers, such as support posts, extending between the two housing walls to maintain the two housing walls in a spaced-apart configuration with the working fluid chamber extending in between is provided. Also described is a polymer-based heat transfer device comprising a polymer-based housing having housing walls defining a working fluid chamber and a porous structure extending in the working fluid chamber from at least one of the two opposed ones of the housing walls, and heat-conductive metal or ceramic-based foam contacting at least one of the housing walls. A process for manufacturing the polymer-based heat transfer device is provided.

A cooling system for a photovoltaic panel including micro flat heat pipes (HP) integrated with thermoelectric generators (TEG) and a cooled water reservoir for cooling the working fluid in heat pipes. The cooled water in the reservoir is pumped from the condensate pan of an air conditioner. Experimental results show that cooling system reduced the average temperature of the panel by as much as 19? C. or 25%. Further, the output power of the photovoltaic panel increased by 44% when the photovoltaic panel was used in a very hot climate (30-40? C.). An additional two watts of power was generated by the TEGs.

A pin fin heat exchanger including a pin fin heat pipe. A main tube of the heat pipe may divide at the evaporator end into a number of pin fin evaporators, each having fluid entrances and exits to the main tube; and at the condenser end into a number of pin fin condensers, each having fluid entrances and exits to the main tube.

A heat conducting plate and a method for producing a plate body thereof. The heat conducting plate comprises an integrally formed plate body. The plate body comprises a front surface, and several capillary tube cavities formed in the plate body and allowing flow of a heat exchange medium. Each capillary tube cavity extends along a first direction parallel to the front surface, and a micro-tooth structure is provided on the inner wall of each capillary tube cavity. The heat exchange medium may flow in the capillary tube cavities along the first direction. By means of the plate body and the capillary tube cavities, the temperature homogenizing effect and heat exchange efficiency of the heat conducting plate are significantly improved; by providing the micro-tooth structure, the heat exchange medium may form a capillary phenomenon, thereby improving the heat exchange efficiency.

A thermal ground plane with hybrid structures that include nanowires is disclosed. The thermal ground plane includes a first casing having an exterior surface and an interior surface, the interior surface includes plurality of microstructures with a plurality of nanowires; a second casing, wherein the first casing and the second casing are sealed to an interior space that includes a working fluid; and a wicking layer disposed within the interior space.

A method of manufacturing a heat pipe, including the steps of: forming in a substrate a cylindrical opening provided with a plurality of ring-shaped recessed radially extending around a central axis of the opening; arranging in the recesses separate ring-shaped strips made of a material catalyzing the growth of carbon nanotubes; and growing carbon nanotubes in the opening from said ring-shaped strips.

A cooling system for a photovoltaic panel including micro flat heat pipes (HP) integrated with thermoelectric generators (TEG) and a cooled water reservoir for cooling the working fluid in heat pipes. The cooled water in the reservoir is pumped from the condensate pan of an air conditioner. Experimental results show that cooling system reduced the average temperature of the panel by as much as 19 C. or 25%. Further, the output power of the photovoltaic panel increased by 44% when the photovoltaic panel was used in a very hot climate (30-40 C.). An additional two watts of power was generated by the TEGs.

In one general aspect, a microelectronics cooling device can include a microchannel heat exchanger within an enclosure that houses the device at a heat absorbing end and another heat exchanger which is optionally also a microchannel heat exchanger at a heat sink end outside the enclosure. One or more pipes flowably connect the two ends for transporting liquid working fluid to the heat absorber and vaporized working fluid to the heat sink. The heat pipes may also be used to transfer heat outside a room that contains the electronic devices.