HEAT EXCHANGERS AND RELATED METHODS

• US 20100170660A1
• Filed: 12/01/2009
• Published: 07/08/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Original Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Inventors: McCarthy, Matthew, Wang, Evelyn N., Jacobson, Stuart A., Lang, Jeffrey H., Brisson, John G.
• Granted Patent: US 8,678,075 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 165/104.260
• 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 15/046 characterised by the material or the construction of the capillary structure
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 2250/08 Fluid driving means, e.g. pumps, fans
• 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

Abstract

Heat exchangers and related methods, e.g., methods of reducing heat from a load, are disclosed. In some embodiments, a device includes a stationary element defining a cavity, a movable element, and a first heat pipe in fluid communication with the cavity defined by the stationary element.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a thermal contact plate defining a cavity in fluid communication with a first heat pipe;

a plurality of stationary elements each defining a cavity, wherein each cavity is in fluid communication with the first heat pipe and at least one cavity comprises a wick;

a plurality of movable elements, wherein the movable element and the stationary element are substantially parallel, alternatingly arranged, and a portion of the movable elements overlaps a portion of the stationary elements; and

a working fluid in the heat pipe and cavities or the stationary elements and thermal contact plate.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the wick comprises sintered particles.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the wick comprises a series of pillars with a height in the range of approximately 10 μ

m to approximately 100 μ

m, a width in the range of approximately 500 nm to approximately 50 μ

m and a length in the range of approximately 500 nm to approximately 50 μ

m and a pitch in the range of approximately 500 nm to approximately 50 μ

m.

4. The device of claim 1, having a total volume of not more than about 64 cubic inches.

5. The device of claim 1, having overall dimensions in the range of about 5 cm to about 10 cm, by about 5 cm to about 10 cm, by about 5 cm to about 10 cm.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the stationary element, movable element, thermal contact plate, or heat pipe comprises a material selected from the group consisting of copper, aluminum, silicon, graphite, steel, stainless steel, titanium, diamond, silver, graphene, alloys thereof and combinations thereof.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the working fluid is selected from the group consisting of water, ammonia, methanol, ethanol, and combinations thereof.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the working fluid has a vaporization temperature in the range of from approximately 40°

C. to approximately 150°

C.

9. The device of claim 1 wherein the stationary element and associated heat pipe sections are constructed from a monoblock.

10. The device of claim 1, further comprising a first heat pipe section extending a distance above a top surface of the stationary element, a second heat pipe section extending a distance below a bottom surface of the stationary element, and a plurality of stationary elements stacked equidistant from each other.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the heat pipe has a diameter of less than about 1 mm.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein the heat pipe has a diameter of less than about 5 mm.

13. The device of claim 1, having an overall thermal resistivity less than about 0.5 K/W.

14. The device of claim 1, wherein the device can dissipate between about 0.25 kW to about 1 kW of heat.

15. A method of reducing heat from a load, comprising:

transferring heat from the load to a thermal contact plate defining a cavity;

flowing a working fluid, by wicking, from the cavity defined by the thermal contact plate through a first heat pipe distinct from the thermal contact plate, through cavities defined by stationary elements; and

rotating movable elements relative to stationary elements.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein at least a portion of the movable elements overlaps with a portion of the stationary elements.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the stationary elements are alternatingly arranged with the movable elements.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the movable elements are rotated with a motor.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein wicking the working fluid with sintered particles.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising wicking the working fluid with a series of pillars with a height in the range of approximately 10 μ

m to approximately 100 μ

m, a width in the range of approximately 500 nm to approximately 50 μ

m and a length in the range of approximately 500 nm to approximately 50 μ

m and a pitch in the range of approximately 500 nm to approximately 50 μ

m.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein the heat is reduced using a device having a total volume of not more than about 64 cubic inches.

22. The method of claim 15, wherein the heat is reduced using a device having overall dimensions in the range of about 5 cm to about 10 cm, by about 5 cm to about 10 cm, by about 5 cm to about 10 cm.

23. The method of claim 15, wherein the working fluid is selected from the group consisting of water, ammonia, methanol, ethanol, and combinations thereof.

24. The method of claim 15, wherein the working fluid has a vaporization temperature in the range of from approximately 40°

C. to approximately 150°

C.

25. The method of claim 15, wherein the heat is reduced using a device having an overall thermal resistivity less than about 0.5 K/W.

26. The method of claim 15, wherein between about 0.25 kW and about 1 kW of heat is dissipated from the load.

27. A method of reducing heat from a load, comprising:

moving movable elements relative to stationary elements to flow air between the stationary elements, wherein the movable elements and the stationary elements are alternatingly arranged, and at least a portion of the movable elements overlaps with a portion of the stationary elements.