Patent attributes
Thermal management systems are described. These systems include a refrigerant receiver configured to store a refrigerant fluid, an evaporator, a closed-circuit refrigeration system having a closed fluid circuit path, with the refrigerant receiver and evaporator disposed in the closed fluid circuit path, and the closed fluid circuit path including a condenser and compressor. These systems also include a modulation capacity control circuit configured to selectively divert refrigerant vapor flow to the condenser from the compressor by diverting a portion of refrigerant vapor flow (diverted flow) from the compressor to the refrigerant receiver in accordance with cooling capacity demand. These systems also include an open-circuit refrigeration system having an open fluid circuit path with the refrigerant receiver and the evaporator, and an exhaust line that discharges the refrigerant fluid from the exhaust line so that the discharged refrigerant fluid is not returned to the open-circuit and the closed-circuit refrigerant fluid flow paths.
