Passive ice freezing-releasing heat pipe
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
InventorsAnthony J. Gorski, William W. Schertz
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Abstract
A heat pipe device has been developed which permits completely passive ice formation and periodic release of ice without requiring the ambient temperature to rise above the melting point of water. This passive design enables the maximum amount of cooling capacity to be stored in the tank.
Claims15
A passive ice freezing-release heat pipe assembly comprising a diode heat pipe, a fluid disposed within said heat pipe, heat exchange means coupled to said heat pipe and capable of dissipating heat to the ambient during the freezing cycle of said heat pipe, a fluid proportioner means disposed within said heat pipe for collecting said fluid condensed from the vapor phase formed by said fluid absorbing heat and thereby boiling away during the freezing cycle, a passive on timer means disposed within said heat pipe and for accumulating fluid collected by said fluid proportioner means, a passive off-timer means disposed within said heat pipe and for collecting fluid condensed from the vapor phase and for holding the fluid until the end of the defrost part of the freezing cycle, and a means disposed within said heat pipe and capable of effectuating fluid transfer from said off-timer means to said on-timer means precedent to the defrost part of the freezing cycle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.