Method and apparatus for cooling with a phase change material and heat pipes

An apparatus, comprising:

• a housing having a chamber therein, and having thereon an exterior surface through which heat can enter and leave said housing;
• a heat absorbing material disposed within said chamber in said housing;
• a heat pipe disposed completely within the chamber and disposed within the material of said housing and operative to facilitate heat distribution within the material of said housing in a manner which reduces temperature gradients across said surface;
• and
• a plurality of further heat pipes;
• wherein said housing includes a plurality of thermally conductive ribs extending within said chamber and each having therein an opening;
• and wherein each said opening has therein a respective one of said heat pipes, said further heat pipes each facilitating heat distribution within said housing in a manner which reduces temperature gradients across said surface.

An apparatus, comprising:

• a housing having a chamber therein, and having thereon an exterior surface through which heat can enter and leave said housing;
• a heat absorbing material disposed within said chamber in said housing;
• means for distributing heat within the material of said housing in a manner which reduces temperature gradients across said surface, said means including a heat pipe disposed completely within the chamber and disposed within the material of said housing;
• and
• wherein said means includes said housing having a thermally conductive portion with an opening therein, said opening being free of communication with said chamber, and wherein said heat pipe is disposed within said opening in said thermally conductive portion.