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US 10,480,866 B2Granted
Heat pipe with non-uniform cross-section
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsBruce Lee Drolen, Douglas H. Van Affelen, Arun Muley, Michael F. Stoia
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A heat pipe comprises a tube and protrusions. The tube has an internal surface, an external surface, and a length running from a first end to a second end. The protrusions are on the internal surface. A first cross-section of the protrusions at a first location of the length of the tube is different from a second cross-section of the protrusions at a second location of the length of the tube. The tube and the protrusions are monolithic.
Claims17
A heat pipe comprising:
- a tube having an internal surface, an external surface, and a length running from a first end to a second end;
- a first planar flange located proximal to the first end relative to the second end, wherein a central axis for the tube is positioned between a plane of a first surface of the first planar flange and a plane of a second surface of the first planar flange, wherein the first surface and the second surface of the first planar flange extend from the external surface;
- a second planar flange located proximal to the second end relative to the first end, wherein the central axis is positioned between a plane of a third surface of the second planar flange and a plane of a fourth surface of the second planar flange, wherein the third surface and the fourth surface of the second planar flange extend from the external surface, and wherein the second planar flange is out of plane with the first planar flange;
- and
- protrusions continuously extending along the internal surface in a direction of the length of the tube, wherein at least one of a spacing, a size, or a shape of the protrusions changes continuously along the length between the first end of the tube and the second end of the tube, wherein the tube and the protrusions are monolithic.
2 more elements
A heat pipe comprising:
- a tube having an internal surface, an external surface, and a length running from a first end to a second end;
- a first planar flange located proximal to the first end relative to the second end, wherein a central axis for the tube is positioned between a plane of a first surface of the first planar flange and a plane of a second surface of the first planar flange, wherein the first surface and the second surface of the first planar flange extend from the external surface;
- a second planar flange located proximal to the second end relative to the first end, wherein the central axis is positioned between a plane of a third surface of the second planar flange and a plane of a fourth surface of the second planar flange, wherein the third surface and the fourth surface of the second planar flange extend from the external surface, and wherein the second planar flange is out of plane with the first planar flange;
- and
- continuously variable protrusions on the internal surface, wherein the tube has a non-uniform cross-section such that a first cross-section of the protrusions at a first location of the length of the tube is different from a second cross-section of the protrusions at a second location of the length of the tube, and wherein the tube and the protrusions are monolithic.
2 more elements
A method comprising:
- laying down material using additive manufacturing to form a heat pipe comprising a tube and protrusions, wherein the tube has an internal surface, an external surface, a length running from a first end to a second end, a first planar flange located proximal to the first end relative to the second end, a second planar flange located proximal to the second end relative to the first end, wherein the protrusions are continuously formed on the internal surface and form a plurality of continuously variable grooves, and wherein a first cross-section of the protrusions at a first location of the length of the tube is different from a second cross-section of the protrusions at a second location of the length of the tube;
- hot isotropic pressing the heat pipe to reduce porosity;
- and
- heat treating the heat pipe to increase strength.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.