Passive Device with Micro Capillary Pumped Fluid Loop
First Claim
1. A passive thermal regulation device, comprising at least one heat transfer loop with capillary pumping of a heat-carrier fluid, said loop comprising an evaporator including a microporous mass, and a condenser for being in heat exchange relationship with a heat source and a cold source respectively, and tubing connecting said evaporator to said condenser and transporting said heat-carrier fluid essentially in vapour phase from said evaporator to the said condenser and essentially in liquid phase from said condenser to said evaporator, the tubing comprising an outer tube closed on itself and forming a continuous loop, and housing said microporous mass, which has a substantially elongated and cylindrical shape and which ensures a flow of said liquid-phase heat-carrier fluid by capillary pumping, wherein said liquid phase of said fluid originating from said condenser is pumped to a first longitudinal end of said microporous mass of said evaporator, and the said vapour phase of said fluid is discharged by a second longitudinal end of said microporous mass of said evaporator, and said first longitudinal end is separated, by a first longitudinal portion of said microporous mass, from a second longitudinal portion of said microporous mass, in heat exchange relationship with the heat source, said first longitudinal portion extending into a thermally insulating sleeve located in a portion of said outer tube, said sleeve having an outer surface which is in contact with an inner surface of said outer tube, while said second portion of microporous mass is located outside said sleeve and has an outer surface which is in contact without play with said inner surface of said outer tube.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Each loop of the device includes an evaporator and a condenser connected by an outer tube in a portion of which extends a thermally insulating sleeve having one end that can lead into the condenser and another end that surrounds a first portion (8a) of a microporous mass provided in the outer tube and pumping by capillarity a liquid-phase heat-carrier fluid flowing in the insulating sleeve of the condenser towards the evaporator, while the gaseous-phase fluid flows from a vapour-collecting central duct in a second portion of the mass of the evaporator towards the condenser in a duct inside said outer tube. The invention can be used for the thermal energy transfer from an electronic component or circuit defining a heat source in relation with the evaporator to a cold source in relation with the condenser.
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Citations
22 Claims
- 1. A passive thermal regulation device, comprising at least one heat transfer loop with capillary pumping of a heat-carrier fluid, said loop comprising an evaporator including a microporous mass, and a condenser for being in heat exchange relationship with a heat source and a cold source respectively, and tubing connecting said evaporator to said condenser and transporting said heat-carrier fluid essentially in vapour phase from said evaporator to the said condenser and essentially in liquid phase from said condenser to said evaporator, the tubing comprising an outer tube closed on itself and forming a continuous loop, and housing said microporous mass, which has a substantially elongated and cylindrical shape and which ensures a flow of said liquid-phase heat-carrier fluid by capillary pumping, wherein said liquid phase of said fluid originating from said condenser is pumped to a first longitudinal end of said microporous mass of said evaporator, and the said vapour phase of said fluid is discharged by a second longitudinal end of said microporous mass of said evaporator, and said first longitudinal end is separated, by a first longitudinal portion of said microporous mass, from a second longitudinal portion of said microporous mass, in heat exchange relationship with the heat source, said first longitudinal portion extending into a thermally insulating sleeve located in a portion of said outer tube, said sleeve having an outer surface which is in contact with an inner surface of said outer tube, while said second portion of microporous mass is located outside said sleeve and has an outer surface which is in contact without play with said inner surface of said outer tube.
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20. (canceled)
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22. A method for transferring thermal energy from a heat source to a cold source with a passive thermal regulation device with at least one heat transfer loop, including a step of using a heat transfer loop with capillary pumping of a heat-carrier fluid, said loop comprising an evaporator including a microporous mass and a condenser, and coupling said evaporator and said condenser in heat exchange relationship with a heat source and a cold source respectively, and tubing connecting said evaporator to said condenser and transporting said heat-carrier fluid essentially in vapour phase from said evaporator to said condenser and essentially in liquid phase from said condenser to said evaporator, said tubing comprising an outer tube closed on itself and forming a continuous loop, and housing said microporous mass, which has a substantially elongated and cylindrical shape and which ensures a flow of said liquid-phase heat-carrier fluid by capillary pumping, wherein said liquid phase of said fluid originating from said condenser is pumped to a first longitudinal end of said microporous mass of said evaporator, and said vapour phase of said fluid is discharged by a second longitudinal end of said microporous mass of said evaporator, and said first longitudinal end is separated, by a first longitudinal portion of said microporous mass, from a second longitudinal portion of said microporous mass, in heat exchange relationship with the heat source, said first longitudinal portion extending into a thermally insulating sleeve located in a portion of said outer tube, said sleeve having an outer surface which is in contact with an inner surface of said outer tube , while said second portion of microporous mass is located outside said sleeve and has an outer surface which is in contact without play with said inner surface of said outer tube.
Specification