Pump-assisted heat pipe

A closed-loop heat transfer system through which a fluid can be circulated substantially independently of gravity and substantially independently of pressure outside said system to transfer heat from a heat source to a heat sink, said system comprising:

• (a) a heat absorption component including:
• (i) a first hollow structure having an exterior surface and an interior surface, a major portion of said exterior surface of said first hollow structure being configured for exposure to said heat source, a major portion of said interior surface of said first hollow structure defining an evaporation region;
• (ii) inlet means for admitting said fluid into said first hollow structure in liquid phase;
• (iii) capillary means positioned within said first hollow structure for maintaining a supply of said fluid in liquid phase adjacent said major portion of said interior surface of said first hollow structure so that at least a portion of said fluid is evaporated from liquid phase to vapor phase adjacent said interior surface of said first hollow structure by absorbing heat entering said first hollow structure from said heat source;
• and
• (iv) outlet means for exit of said fluid from said first hollow structure;
• (b) a heat rejection component including:
• (i) a second hollow structure having an exterior surface and an interior surface, a major portion of said exterior surface of said second hollow structure being configured for exposure to said heat sink, a major portion of said interior surface of said second hollow structure defining a condensation region;
• (ii) inlet means for admitting said fluid exiting in vapor phase from said first hollow structure into said second hollow structure, said fluid being condensed from vapor phase to liquid phase in said condensation region of said second hollow structure rejecting heat to said heat sink;
• and
• (iii) outlet means for exit of said fluid in liquid phase from said second hollow structure;
• (c) a closed conduit coupling the outlet means of said heat absorption component to the inlet means of said heat rejection component so that fluid exiting from said first hollow structure of said heat absorption component in vapor phase is driven thermodynamically from said heat absorption component to said heat rejection component via said conduit when said heat source is at a higher temperature than said heat sink;
• and
• (d) a pump having an inlet and an outlet, said pump inlet being coupled to the outlet means of said heat absorption component to receive fluid exiting from said first hollow structure of said heat absorption component in liquid phase, said pump inlet also being coupled to the outlet means of said heat rejection component to receive said fluid exiting from said second hollow structure of said heat rejection component in liquid phase, said pump outlet being coupled to the inlet means of said heat absorption component, said fluid exiting from said heat absorption component and from said heat rejection component in liquid phase being returned by said pump to said inlet means of said heat absorption component.