Method of manufacturing heat pipe wicks
US4885129A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 24, 1988 |
| Grant date | Dec 5, 1989 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 24, 2008 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10T29/49353
- WIPO fieldMaterials, metallurgy
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
A new method for making a sintered metal heat pipe wick is practiced by mixing nickel powder into a slurry with a viscous binder comprising water. Polyox and Methocel. The mixture is then injected inside a rotating stainless steel cylindrical heat pipe container, or pipe, to completely coat the inside surface of the pipe. The rotational rate of the pipe is then increased to force the slurry to level out to a uniform depth set by the thickness of sleeves attached at each end of the pipe. Forced air is then blown through the inside of the rotating pipe to dry the slurry and form a green wick. After stopping rotation of the pipe, it is then heated inside a sintering oven in a reducing atmosphere to disintegrate the binder and leave a sintered metal final composition of the wick. Thus produced wicks prevent "hot spots" because they have a more uniform thickness and are attached more evenly and securely than prior art heat pipe wicks to the inside walls of the heat pipe container.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.