Heat pipe with multiple stages of cooling

An electronics cooling system comprising:

• an electronic component generating heat;
• a heat pipe for cooling the electronic component, the heat pipe comprising:
• a tube having an inner diameter surface defining a bore, with the tube having first and second ends along the bore;
• a sorbent material coated onto the inner diameter surface of the tube proximal to the first end;
• a first liquid contained within the bore of the tube and having a first boiling temperature;
• and
• a second liquid adsorbed by the sorbent material and having a second boiling temperature that is higher than the first boiling temperature of the first liquid;
• wherein the first liquid vaporizes into a first vapor in response to the tube receiving heat from the electronic component and the first liquid reaching the first boiling temperature, and the first vapor moves toward the second end where the first vapor dissipates heat through the tube and condenses into the first liquid;
• and
• wherein the second liquid is desorbed from the sorbent material in response to the second liquid and the sorbent material reaching a predetermined desorption temperature that is less than the second boiling temperature, and the second liquid vaporizes into a second vapor in response to the second liquid reaching the second boiling temperature;
• at least one thermocouple attached to at least one of the electronic component and the heat pipe, with the at least one thermocouple generating a first temperature signal associated with a temperature of the first liquid and the at least one thermocouple generating a second temperature signal associated with the temperature of the second liquid;
• a controller electrically connected to the at least one thermocouple, with the controller comparing the temperature of the first liquid to a first temperature threshold in response to the controller receiving the first temperature signal from the at least one thermocouple, and the controller generating a first warning notification signal in response to the controller determining that the temperature of the first liquid is above the first temperature threshold;
• wherein the controller compares the temperature of the second liquid to a second temperature threshold in response to the controller receiving the second temperature signal from the at least one thermocouple;
• wherein the controller is electrically coupled to a display device for displaying a first warning indicative of the first liquid approaching the first temperature threshold in response to the display device receiving the first warning notification signal from the controller;
• and
• the display device displays a second warning indicative of the temperature of the second liquid approaching the second temperature threshold in response to the display device receiving the second warning notification signal from the controller.

A method of operating an electronics cooling system having an electronic component and a heat pipe attached to the electronic component, with the heat pipe including a tube having first and second ends and having an inner diameter surface defining a bore, a sorbent material coated onto the inner diameter surface, a first liquid having a first boiling temperature and contained within the bore, a second liquid having a second boiling temperature and adsorbed into the sorbent material, at least one thermocouple attached to at least one of the electronic component and the heat pipe, and a controller, the method comprising:

• transferring heat from the electronic component to the first liquid;
• vaporizing the first liquid into a first vapor in response to the first liquid receiving heat from the electronic component and the first liquid reaching the first boiling temperature;
• flowing the first vapor toward the second end where the first vapor dissipates heat through the tube;
• condensing the first vapor into the first liquid, in response to the first vapor dissipating heat through the tube;
• desorbing the second liquid from the sorbent material in response to the second liquid and the sorbent material reaching a predetermined desorption temperature that is less than the second boiling temperature;
• and
• vaporizing the second liquid into a second vapor in response to the second liquid reaching the second boiling temperature.