GEOMETRICALLY REORIENTED LOW-PROFILE PHASE PLANE HEAT PIPES

• US 20090277613A9
• Filed: 11/26/2004
• Published: 11/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Thermotek Incorporated
• Original Assignee: The Thermotek Incorporated
• Inventors: Havis, Clark, Parish, Overton, Quisenberry, Tony
• Granted Patent: US 7,857,037 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 165/104.260
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2001/003 with means for cooling the electrical propulsion units
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 15/0233 the conduits having a particular shape, e.g. non-circular cross-section, annular F28D15/0241, F28D15/0266 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 15/0266 with separate evaporating and condensing chambers connected by at least one conduit; Loop-type heat pipes; with multiple or common evaporating or condensing chambers F28D15/043 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 15/0275 Arrangements for coupling heat-pipes together or with other structures, e.g. with base blocks; Heat pipe cores
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 2015/0225 Microheat pipes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/203 for portable computers, e.g. for laptops
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/427 Cooling by change of state, e.g. use of heat pipes by liquefied gas H01L23/445
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/467 by flowing gases, e.g. air H01L23/473 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20336 Heat pipes, e.g. wicks or capillary pumps
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49353 Heat pipe device making

Abstract

A cooling system for removing heat from at least one heat generating component with a first low-profile phase plane heat pipe having a geometrically reoriented surface adapted for receiving heat from the at least one heat generating component along a first section of the geometrically reoriented surface, and having a plurality of micro-tubes disposed therein. A heat transfer fluid is contained with the plurality of micro-tubes and a second section of the geometrically reoriented heat pipe surface is disposed in a position geometrically offset from the first section.

Claims

1. A method of removing heat from at least one heat generating component, the method comprising the steps of:

forming a geometrically reoriented heat pipe having an evaporator section, and a condenser section;

positioning the evaporator section adjacent the at least one heat generating component;

transferring heat from the at least one heat generated component to a heat transfer fluid contained within the evaporator section of the heat pipe;

migrating the heated fluid to the condenser region of the heat pipe, which condenser region is geometrically reoriented relative to the evaporator region;

cooling the fluid within the condenser region; and

returning the fluid to the evaporator region.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the heat pipe comprises a low-profile member having at least one micro-tube located therein and the step of migration of the heated fluid to the condenser region is due to wicking of the heat transfer fluid therein.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein:

the step of transferring heat to a heat transfer fluid includes the step of changing the phase of the heat transfer fluid from a liquid to a gas; and

the step of cooling the fluid within the condenser region includes the step of changing the phase of the heat transfer fluid from a gas to a liquid.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of cooling the fluid includes the step of providing at least one capillary groove on an interior surface of each of the plurality of micro-tubes.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of crimping first and second ends of the low-profile member to seal an interior space of the low-profile member.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising the step of welding the first and second ends of the low-profile member after crimping the ends.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of providing a geometrically reoriented heat pipe includes the step of providing a heat pipe in a generally L-shaped configuration.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of providing the heat pipe includes shaping the heat pipe into a generally U-shaped configuration.

9. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of providing the heat pipe includes shaping the heat pipe into a generally axially aligned twisted configuration.

10. A cooling system for removing heat from at least one heat generating component, the cooling system comprising:

a first low-profile phase plane heat pipe having a geometrically reoriented surface adapted for receiving heat from the at least one heat generating component along a first section of the geometrically reoriented surface, and having a plurality of micro-tubes disposed therein;

a heat transfer fluid contained within the plurality of micro-tubes; and

a second section of the geometrically reoriented heat pipe surface being disposed in a position geometrically offset from the first section and having a plurality of micro-tubes disposed therein in flow communication with the micro-tubes of the first section.

11. The cooling system of claim 10, wherein the second section of the geometrically reoriented heat pipe surface extends substantially at a right angle thereto.

12. The cooling system of claim 10, wherein the second section of the geometrically reoriented heat pipe surface extends from the first surface in a generally U-shaped configuration.

13. The cooling system of claim 10, wherein the second section of the geometrically reoriented heat pipe surface extends from the first section in a generally axially aligned, twisted relationship relative thereto.

14. The cooling system of claim 10, wherein the second section of the geometrically reoriented heat pipe surface extends from the first section in a generally parallel, axially offset position relative thereto.

15. The cooling system of claim 10, wherein the first section of the geometrically reoriented heat pipe surface is connected to the second section through a curved region therebetween.

16. The cooling system of claim 20, wherein the heat transfer fluid removes heat from the at least one heat generating component via an adiabatic process, wherein the heat transfer fluid is evaporated in the first section and condensed in the second section of the geometrically reoriented heat pipe surface to facilitate the removal of heat from the at least one heat generating component.

17. The cooling system of claim 10, wherein the plurality of micro-tubes further comprise an internal wick structure to facilitate heat removal via capillary action.

18. The cooling system of claim 17, wherein the wick structure is selected from the group consisting of internal fins, grooved inner sidewalls, and metal screens.

19. The cooling system of claim 10, wherein the heat transfer fluid is selected from the group consisting of water, glycol, and alcohol.

20. The cooling system of claim 10, wherein the cooling system is affixed to a printed circuit board for cooling the at least one heat generating component, and the printed circuit board is affixed in a notebook computer, wherein the cooling system is configured to conform to the shape and size of the notebook computer.

21. A cooling system for removing heat from at least one heat generating component, the cooling system comprising:

a phase plane heat pipe having a first portion in thermal contact with the at least one heat generating component, the heat pipe having a second geometrically reoriented portion extending therefrom, and having a plurality of micro-tubes; and

a heat transfer fluid contained within the plurality of micro-tubes, wherein the heat transfer fluid is evaporated in the first portion and condensed in the second portion to facilitate the removal of heat.

22. The cooling system of claim 21, wherein the second portion of the heat pipe extends from the first portion in a generally U-shaped configuration.

23. The cooling system of claim 21, wherein the second portion of the heat pipe extends from the first portion in a generally axially aligned twisted configuration.

24. The cooling system of claim 21, wherein the second portion of the heat pipe extends from the first portion in a generally parallel, axially disposed position.

25. The cooling system of claim 21, wherein the second portion of the heat pipe extends from the first portion along an axis generally orthogonal thereto, wherein the heat pipe forms a generally L-shaped configuration.

26. The cooling system of claim 21, wherein the heat pipe further includes an array of cooling fins in thermal contact with at least one surface thereof and a thermally conductive spacer block is disposed between the heat pipe and the at least one heat generating component.

27. The cooling system of claim 21, wherein the torroidal micro-tubes comprise an internal work structure to facilitate heat removal from the at least one heat generated component via capillary action.

28. The cooling system of claim 27, wherein the internal wick structure is selected from the group consisting of internal fins, grooved inner sidewalls, and metal screens.

29. The cooling system of claim 21, wherein the heat transfer fluid is selected from the groove consisting of air, water, glycol, and alcohol.

30. The cooling system of claim 21, wherein the cooling system is affixed to a printed circuit board for cooling the at least one heat generating component, and the printed circuit board is affixed to a notebook computer, wherein the cooling system is configured to conform to the shape and size of the notebook computer and the first and second portions of the heat pipe are geometrically reoriented one to the other to provide a thermal transfer therein to effect the cooling of the at least one heat generating component.