Embodiments herein relate to systems, apparatuses, processing, and techniques related to patterning one or more sides of a thin film capacitor (TFC) sheet, where the TFC sheet has a first side and a second side opposite the first side. The first side and the second side of the TFC sheet are metal and are separated by a dielectric layer, and the patterned TFC sheet is to provide at least one of a capacitor or a routing feature on a first side of a substrate that has the first side and a second side opposite the first side.

The heat sink with condensing fins and phase change material is formed from a thermally conductive housing, an internal chamber, and a body of liquid phase change material. The thermally conductive housing has a first wall and an opposed second wall and forms an internal chamber. The first wall of the thermally conductive housing is adapted to be in direct contact with one or more heat sources. The body of liquid phase change material is disposed within the internal chamber. The second wall of the thermally conductive housing is adapted to form a plurality of condensing fins. The plurality of condensing fins may contain at least one high thermal conductivity rod. In some embodiments, a high thermal conductivity medium, such as gallium, is disposed within the internal chamber in direct contact with the first wall of the thermally conductive housing.

Method and system for maintaining temperature-sensitive materials within a target temperature range for an extended time. In one embodiment, the system keeps materials within a temperature range of +2° C. to +8° C. and includes an insulated container, a product box, ice packs, and organic phase-change material (PCM) packs. The ice packs are preconditioned to a very low temperature, such as −20° C. The organic PCM packs do not require preconditioning and may be kept at room temperature. In use, the frozen ice packs and the warm organic PCM packs may be loaded into the insulated container, together with a payload in the product box. Preferably, the frozen ice packs are sandwiched between a pair of organic PCM packs on each face of the product box. The masses of ice and organic PCM are selected so that, upon thermal equilibration, the ice and organic PCM are within the target temperature range.

An assembly for storing thermal energy comprising a phase change material, PCM, storage vessel and at least one heat transfer fluid, HTF, receptacle, the PCM storage vessel being defined by a thermally conductive wall 108, the PCM storage vessel 100 comprising an inverted tapered portion, the inverted tapered portion having a tip portion and a base portion, the tip portion having a diameter less than the diameter of the base portion, the tip portion being arranged relatively beneath the base portion, the at least one HTF receptacle being provided adjacent to and in thermal communication with at least a portion of the PCM storage vessel, thermal communication between the PCM storage vessel and the at least one HTF receptacle occurring via the thermally conductive wall, and wherein the HTF receptacle comprises a portion for receiving thermal energy from an external thermal energy source, the said the portion being adjacent the tip portion of the inverted tapered portion.

An energy storage and retrieval system is disclosed. The system includes a heat generating layer for generating thermal energy based on input electrical energy, a thermal energy storage layer located to receive thermal energy from the heat generating layer, the thermal energy storage section layer including a thermal energy storage material to store thermal energy. The system also includes a thermal energy retrieval layer thermally connectable to the thermal energy storage material and configurable to retrieve thermal energy from the thermal energy storage layer where the heat generating layer and the thermal energy retrieval layer are separated by the thermal energy storage layer.

The present application pertains to novel methods to generate power. In a representative embodiment, power is generated by warming a body of air having a temperature lower than the freezing point of liquid water by contacting the body of air with liquid water. The liquid water has a temperature greater than the freezing point of liquid water. Liquid water freezes thereby generating latent heat from freezing and thereby warming the body of air. The warmed body of air may be passed through an air turbine to generate power. Other methods and systems are described that use similar principles.

A thermal management system for a directed energy weapon includes a heat exchanger thermally coupled to the directed energy weapon. The heat exchanger has a heat exchanger inlet and a heat exchanger outlet. A storage reservoir contains a thermal material. An outlet of the storage reservoir is arranged in fluid communication with the heat exchanger to form a closed loop having a thermal management fluid circulating therethrough. The storage reservoir is thermally coupled to a secondary system. A control valve is positioned downstream from the outlet of the storage reservoir. The control valve is adjustable to control a temperature of the thermal management fluid provided to the heat exchanger.

The present application pertains to novel methods to generate power. In a representative embodiment, power is generated by warming a body of air having a temperature lower than the freezing point of liquid water by contacting the body of air with liquid water. The liquid water has a temperature greater than the freezing point of liquid water. Liquid water freezes thereby generating latent heat from freezing and thereby warming the body of air. The warmed body of air may be passed through an air turbine to generate power. Other methods and systems are described that use similar principles.

The invention proposes a method and a device (10) for thermal-electrochemical energy storage and energy provision. The device (110) comprises: at least one thermal energy store (118), wherein the thermal energy store (118) comprises at least one heat transport medium (121) and at least one storage medium (119) selected from the group consisting of an electromagnetic storage medium, a thermal storage medium; at least one heating device (134), wherein the heating device (134) is designed to receive the heat transport medium (121) from the thermal energy store (118), to heat this medium and return it to the thermal energy store (118); at least one electrochemical cell (146), wherein the electrochemical cell (146) comprises at least one gas chamber (148), wherein the electrochemical cell (146) further comprises at least one first electrode (150) and at least one second electrode (152): wherein the second electrode (152) is designed as a 3-phase electrode (154), wherein the 3-phase electrode (154) has at least one first phase boundary (156) to the gas chamber (148) and at least one second phase boundary (158) to the electrochemical storage medium (119); wherein the electrochemical cell (146) is designed to electrochemically react the electrochemical storage medium (119); and at east one container (160), wherein the container (160) is designed to receive a supply on the heat transport medium (119), wherein the container (160) is further designed to receive the thermal storage medium (119) from the thermal energy store (118).

Methods and system for operating a thermal storage device of a vehicle system are provided. In one example, a method comprises determining a state of charge of the thermal battery based on an accurate estimation of a melting temperature of one or more phase change materials (PCMs) at a specific aggregate pressure inside the thermal storage device. Variation in melting temperature of the PCM may be minimized by reducing pressure variation inside the thermal storage device by regulating a position of one or more pressure relief valves of the thermal storage device.