US 2007/0163754 A1 · Thermosiphon having improved efficiency

Abstract

The invention relates to an improved thermosiphon and to a method for transferring heat. The thermosiphon has a higher efficiency than existing thermosiphons because it does not rely on a pool-boiling evaporator but rather uses a forced-convection boiling evaporator. The inlet of the evaporator is located in its upper portion and is in fluid communication with a condenser. The fluid in its liquid phase enters the evaporator from its inlet in its upper portion and, by gravity, flows down the piping network of the evaporator, clinging on the inner surface of the tubes of the piping network. As the liquid flows down, it evaporates such that the fluid at the bottom of the evaporator is predominantly in a gaseous phase. The fluid in gaseous phase is then returned to the condenser.

Claims27

Dependent claims

A method for transferring heat comprising the steps of:

providing a condenser having a condenser lower portion;
providing an evaporator having a downwardly extending piping network, said piping network having an upper end and a lower end;
providing a fluid in said evaporator;
providing a temperature difference between said condenser and said evaporator;
circulating said fluid in gaseous phase from said evaporator to said condenser;
circulating said fluid in liquid phase from said condenser lower portion to said evaporator upper end;
allowing said fluid in liquid phase to flow by gravity inside said piping network from said upper end of said piping network towards said lower end of said piping network, while causing said fluid in a liquid phase to cling to at least a portion of an inside surface along said piping network, said fluid co-existing in both liquid phase and gaseous phase at a cross-section of said piping network;
along said evaporator piping network, transferring heat from an outside of said evaporator piping network to said inside surface to evaporate said fluid clinging to said inside surface;
and
condensing said fluid in gaseous phase in said condenser.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Thermosiphon having improved efficiency

Life of this patent

Thermosiphon having improved efficiency

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims27