Loop heat pipe incorporating an evaporator having a wick that is liquid superheat tolerant and is resistant to back-conduction
US6382309B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 16, 2000 |
| Grant date | May 7, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 16, 2020 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10T29/49353
- WIPO fieldThermal processes and apparatus
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A capillary wick for use in capillary evaporators has properties that prevent nucleation inside the body of the wick, resulting in suppression of back-conduction of heat from vapor channels to the liquid reservoir. Use of a central liquid flow channel in the wick is eliminated, and pore size in the wick is chosen to maximize available pressure for fluid pumping, while preventing nucleation in the wick body. The wick is embodied with different geometries, including cylindrical and flat. A flat capillary evaporator has substantially planar heat input surfaces for convenient mating to planar heat sources. The flat capillary evaporator is capable of being used with working fluids having high vapor pressures (i.e., greater that 10 psia). To contain the pressure of the vaporized working fluid, the opposed planar plates of the evaporator are brazed or sintered to opposing sides of a metal wick. Additionally, a terrestrial loop heat pipe and a loop heat pipe having overall flat geometry are disclosed.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.