US 6,269,865 B1 · Network-type heat pipe device

Abstract

A network-type heat pipe device is disclosed, wherein the network-type heat pipe device comprises a heat dissipating unit with a network shape, a heat absorbing unit of any desired shape, and two single flexible capillary pipes connecting the heat absorbing unit with the heat dissipating unit. The working fluid filled in the heat pipe is of a predetermined quantity smaller than the internal volume of the heat pipe. The inside diameters of the capillary pipes of the network-shaped heat dissipating unit and the connecting capillary pipes are small enough such that the vapor and liquid segments of the working fluid may distribute therein by capillary effect. As the heat absorbing unit is heated, the mutual actions of the pushing or compression force generated due to the vaporization at the heat absorbing unit, the resisting force generated due to the vapor condensation at the heat dissipating unit, and the gravitational force generated due to the liquid segments in the vertical part of the capillary pipes in the heat dissipating unit and the connecting pipes cause a circulating flow for the working fluid to carry heat from the heat absorbing unit to the heat dissipating unit. The heat absorbing unit can be placed under the heat dissipating unit so as to enhance the gravitational force for circulating the working fluid in the single direction in the flow passage and to increase the heat transport from the heat absorbing unit to the heat dissipating unit.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A heat pipe device used in heat transport, comprising:

(a) a heat absorbing unit inside of which is a space of any shape for storing working fluid;
the heat absorbing unit being used to absorb heat from a heat source, said heat absorbing unit having an inlet and an outlet;
(b) a heat dissipating unit formed by network-shape capillary pipes comprising a geometric shape defined by a capillary inlet header pipe having an inlet, a capillary outlet header pipe having an outlet, and a plurality of capillary cross-pipes connecting said inlet and outlet header pipes together to form a plurality of cells, each cell being circumferentially bounded on all sides by a capillary pipe, for releasing the heat transported from the heat absorbing unit to a heat sink;
(c) a first connecting capillary pipe connected between the outlet of the heat absorbing unit and the inlet of the inlet header pipe of the heat dissipating unit, and a second connecting capillary pipe connected between the outlet of the outlet header pipe of the heat dissipating unit and the inlet of the heat absorbing unit so as to form a closed loop, said first and second connecting capillary pipes each being made from an extensible metal or nonmetal material;
(d) a condensable working fluid filled in the heat absorbing unit, the heat dissipating unit, and the first and second connecting capillary pipes, wherein a quantity of the filled liquid is smaller than a total volume of inner spaces of the heat absorbing unit, the heat dissipating unit and the first and second connecting capillary pipes;
and wherein
(e) said heat absorbing unit and said heat dissipating unit are disposed other than adjacent to each other.

4 more elements

A heat pipe device used in heat transport, comprising:

(a) a heat absorbing unit made of network-shape capillary pipes comprising a first geometric shape defined by a first capillary inlet header pipe having an inlet, a first capillary outlet header pipe having an outlet, and a plurality of first capillary cross-pipes connecting said first inlet and first outlet header pipes together to form a first plurality of cells, each cell being circumferentially bounded on all sides by a first capillary pipe, the heat absorbing unit being used to absorb heat from a heat source;
(b) a heat dissipating unit made of network-shape capillary pipes comprising a second geometric shape defined by a second capillary inlet header pipe having an inlet, a second capillary outlet header pipe having an outlet, and a second plurality of capillary cross-pipes connecting said second inlet and outlet header pipes together to form a second plurality of cells, each cell being circumferentially bounded on all sides by a second capillary pipe, for releasing heat to a heat sink;
(c) a first connecting capillary pipes connected between the outlet of the outlet header pipe of the heat absorbing unit and the inlet of the inlet header pipe of the heat dissipating unit, and a second connecting capillary pipe connected between the outlet of the outlet header pipe of the heat dissipating unit and the inlet of the inlet header pipe of the heat absorbing unit so as to form a closed loop, said first and second connecting capillary pipes each being made from an extensible metal or nonmetal material;
(d) a condensable working fluid filled within the heat absorbing unit, the heat dissipating unit, and the inner space of the first and second connecting capillary pipes, wherein a quantity of filled liquid is smaller than a total volume of inner spaces of the heat absorbing unit, the heat dissipating unit and the first and second connecting capillary pipes;
and wherein
(e) said heat absorbing unit and said heat dissipating unit are disposed other than adjacent to each other.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Network-type heat pipe device

Life of this patent

Network-type heat pipe device

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims19