Cooling and Refrigeration Based on Vacuum-Driven Water Evaporation

Abstract

Apparatus for cooling an object, space, or tissues of a patient. A vacuum chamber is designed to be placed in thermal contact with the object or space to be cooled, or against a patient to be treated. A water sprayer is configured to spray water into the vacuum chamber or against a cooling wall of the chamber. A vacuum pump and computer control are designed to maintain vacuum below ambient pressure in the vacuum chamber sufficient to cause accelerated evaporation of the water and cooling to a temperature desired for cooling of the object, space, or patient.

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