A heat exchanger including a sealed housing and a body positioned inside the housing, the body including a stack of least one first assembly of first and second plates pressed against each other, between which flows a first fluid, and at least one second assembly of third and fourth plates pressed against each other, between which flows a second fluid, the first and second assemblies being arranged so that they transfer heat between the first and second fluids. This configuration limits the risk of leaks and mixing of the two fluids.

Devices and methods are provided herein useful to thermal management. In some embodiments, a thermal management device includes a housing with a fixed amount of working fluid disposed therein. The substrate is in thermal communication with the thermal management device such that evaporation of the working fluid controls the temperature of the substrate. Evaporated working fluid exits the housing through one or more vents. The housing further includes a plurality of supports that increase the surface area to volume ratio of the housing. The high surface area to volume ratio of the housing increases the rate of heat transfer and also minimizes or otherwise reduces the size and weight of the thermal management device. The supports may further serve to mechanically support the substrate, enabling the housing to act as a combined thermal and mechanical device.

A heat and mass transfer system configured to be a passive system using gravitational force to form a thin liquid film flow on an outer surface of a flow distribution head and downstream conduit member to subject the thin liquid film to heat transfer mediums. The at least partially spherical flow distribution head creates a uniform thin flow of liquid on the outer surface increasing the efficiency of the heat and mass transfer system. The heat and mass transfer system may include a heat transfer medium supply system in fluid communication with internal aspects of the downstream conduit such that a heat transfer medium flows within the downstream conduit while the liquid film flows on the outer surface of the downstream conduit. Rather than conventional sheet flow on inner surfaces of a conduit, the flow distribution head enables sheet flow to be formed on an outside surface of a component.

An evaporator element is provided and includes a body defining channels, each of which includes grooves respectively delimited by first and second interior facing sidewalls of the body which form a base and an apex with an apex angle opposite the base and defined such that, for a fluid flow moving through one of the channels in a microgravity environment a portion of the fluid flow in a liquid phase within a groove of the channel will move in the groove from the base to the apex and a portion of the fluid flow in a vapor phase within a groove of the channel will move in the groove from the apex to the base.

A heating, ventilation, and/or air conditioning (HVAC) system, includes a housing configured to direct an air flow through an air flow path of the housing and an evaporator configured to translate between a first position and a second position, such that the evaporator is disposed within the air flow path in the first position and the evaporator is disposed external to the air flow path in the second position.

A retention member for use in a refrigerator that includes an evaporator fin, a number of evaporator coils, a heater, and a bracket. The bracket includes a first portion extending in a first direction and defines a first aperture configured to receive a portion of a first evaporator coil of the number of evaporator coils. The bracket includes a second portion extending from the first portion to a first end in a second direction substantially transverse to the first direction. A tab extends from the second portion in the first direction. The tab is spaced apart from the first portion by a first distance to prevent or mitigate movement of the second evaporator coil of the number of evaporator coils.

A heat exchanger plate for use in a plate package for a heat exchanger device is disclosed. The plate has a geometrical main extension plane (q) and a circumferential edge portion, the circumferential edge portion having a curved upper portion, a substantially straight lower portion and two opposing side portions interconnecting the upper and the lower portions. An upper porthole is arranged in an upper section of the heat exchanger plate and located at a distance from the upper portion of the circumferential edge portion thereby defining an upper intermediate portion. The upper intermediate portion includes the shortest distance (d2) between a centre of the upper porthole and the upper portion of the circumferential edge portion. The heat exchanger plate further comprises an upper flange having an extension along the upper portion of the circumferential edge portion. The upper flange has a length (L2) as seen in a direction transverse the shortest distance (d2), being 200-80% of the diameter (D2) of the upper porthole and more preferred 180-120% of the diameter (D2) of the upper porthole. Further, a plate package is disclosed and also a heat exchanger device using such heat exchanger plate/plate package.

A reversible refrigeration system including a compressor arranged to compress gaseous refrigerant, a four-way valve switchable between a heating position in which a payload is heated and a cooling position in which the payload is cooled. A payload heat exchanger is connected to the payload requiring heating or cooling, and a dump heat exchanger, two one-way valves, and two controllable expansion valves as well, wherein the one-way valves each are connected parallel to a corresponding expansion valve, wherein switching of the four-way valve between the heating position and the cooling position controls a flow of pressurized refrigerant to either of the payload heat exchanger or the dump heat exchanger and wherein the heat exchanger which receives the flow of pressurized refrigerant functions as a condenser and the other heat exchanger functions as an evaporator.

An enhanced boiling apparatus includes a substrate having at least one heated region, at least one outer surface, and one or more asymmetric shaped cavities extending into the substrate along the at least one outer surface. Each of the one or more asymmetric shaped cavities has a sidewall which intersects at a corner with a bubble pathway surface with a different slope from the sidewall. Each of the asymmetric shaped cavities is configured to non-gravitationally direct fluid that is moving along the sidewall out along the bubble pathway surface.

A retention member for use in a refrigerator that includes an evaporator fin, a number of evaporator coils, a heater, and a bracket. The bracket includes a first portion extending in a first direction and defines a first aperture configured to receive a portion of a first evaporator coil of the number of evaporator coils. The bracket includes a second portion extending from the first portion to a first end in a second direction substantially transverse to the first direction. A tab extends from the second portion in the first direction. The tab is spaced apart from the first portion by a first distance to prevent or mitigate movement of the second evaporator coil of the number of evaporator coils.