US Patent 11459127 Integrated thermal energy transport and storage structures

An apparatus includes a structure configured to receive and transport thermal energy. The structure includes one or more materials configured to undergo a solid-solid phase transformation at a specified temperature or in a specified temperature range. The one or more materials form a heat input region configured to receive the thermal energy and a cold sink interface region configured to reject the thermal energy. The structure also includes one or more thermal energy transfer devices embedded in at least part of the one or more materials. The one or more thermal energy transfer devices are configured to transfer the thermal energy throughout the one or more materials and at least partially between the heat input region and the cold sink interface region. The one or more materials are also configured to absorb and store excess thermal energy in response to a temperature excursion associated with a thermal transient event and to release the stored thermal energy after the thermal transient event.