SEPARABLE HEAT PIPE ASSEMBLY

• US 3,823,769 A
• Filed: 11/02/1972
• Issued: 07/16/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Elmer D. Waters, John H. Anderson
• Original Assignee: Elmer D. Waters, John H. Anderson
• Inventors: Anderson, John H., Waters, Elmer D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Davis, Jr., Albert W.
• Application Number:
  US05/303,221
• Time in Patent Office: 621 Days
• Field of Search: 165/45,105,76,104,185,164
• US Class Current: 165/76
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 15/04 with tubes having a capillary structure

Abstract

A separable heat pipe assembly for stabilizing the generally frozen soil adjacent and supporting a structural member or foundation in permafrost or similar regions, including a cooperative combination of a sheath installed in the frozen soil and a closely mating heat pipe element normally inserted into the sheath with a substance of good thermal conductivity filling the small void remaining therebetween. The underground sheath preferably has a plurality of heat gathering fins and the mated heat pipe element preferably has an integral radiator section protruding aboveground. The thermal substance is preferably a liquid mixture of water and ethylene glycol, for example, mixed in a selected ratio.

Claims

1. A separable heat pipe assembly for installation in a permafrost environment comprising:

a sheath including a tubular body, said sheath being at least partially exposed to a heat input environment, and said tubular body being closed at one end and open at the other end;

a heat pipe element including a tubular container having a charge of working fluid therein, said tubular container comprising a first portion including a predetermined part which can be accommodated in said tubular body and mating therewith, and a second portion including a predetermined part adapted to be coupled to a heat exchanger at least partially exposed to a heat output environment, said predetermined part of said container first portion having an exterior shape complementary to the interior shape of said tubular body, and the mating portions of said tubular body and tubular container being closely spaced from each other; and

a first substance having a thermal conductivity greater than air generally filling the space between the mating portions of said tubular body and tubular container, said first thermal substance including a fluid which is unsolidified at ordinary temperatures, whereby heat picked up by said sheath from said heat input environment is conducted by said first thermal substance to the mating portion of said heat pipe element and transported by said working fluid in vaporized form to said predetermined part of said container second portion coupled to said heat exchanger for transfer to said heat output environment accompanied with condensation of said vaporized working fluid for return to the mating portion of said tubular container.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein the mating portions of said tubular body and tubular container are generally spaced in the order of about 0.015 inch from each other.

3. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said fluid includes a liquid mixture of water and ethylene glycol.

4. The invention as defined in claim 1 further comprising a heat exchanger including a radiator having a coupling surface positioned in proximity to said predetermined part of said container second portion, and a second substance of proper thermal conductivity generally filling the space between said coupling surface and said predetermined part of said container second portion.

5. A separable heat pipe assembly for installation in a permafrost environment comprising:

a sheath including a tubular body, said sheath being at least partially exposed to a heat input environment;

a heat pipe element including a tubular container having a charge of working fluid therein, said tubular container comprising a first portion including a predetermined part which can be accommodated in said tubular body and mating therewith, and a second portion including a predetermined part adapted to be coupled to a heat exchanger at least partially exposed to a heat output environment;

a first unsolidified at ordinary temperatures substance having a thermal conductivity greater than air generally filling the space between the mating portions of said tubular body and tubular container; and

flow means for generally directing and spreading condensate flow back to said mating portion of said tubular container, said flow means including a convolute structure provided directly on a predetermined length of the interior longitudinal wall of said tubular container to spread and maintain the condensate flow thereover, whereby heat picked up by said sheath from said heat input environment is conducted by said first thermal substance to the mating portion of said heat pipe element and transported by said working fluid in vaporized form to said predetermined part of said container second portion coupled to said heat exchanger for transfer to said heat output environment accompanied with condensation of said vaporized working fluid for return to the mating portion of said tubular container.

6. The invention as defiNed in claim 5 wherein said flow means includes a convolute structure comprising a helical wire element fabricated of relatively small diametrical size wire.

7. The invention as defined in claim 5 wherein said first thermal substance includes a fluid which is unsolidified at ordinary temperatures, and further comprising a heat exchanger including a radiator having heat transferring fins affixed to a predetermined part thereof and a tubular coupling surface generally positioned concentrically in proximity to said predetermined part of said container second portion, and a second substance of proper thermal conductivity generally filling the space between said tubular coupling surface and said predetermined part of said container second portion, and wherein said tubular body has heat gathering fins affixed to a predetermined part thereof, and said heat input environment includes a generally solid medium and said heat output environment includes a generally fluid medium.

8. A separable heat pipe assembly comprising:

a sheath including a tubular body, said sheath being part of a support structure, and at least partially exposed to a heat input environment which includes a generally permafrost medium;

a heat pipe element including a tubular container having a charge of working fluid therein, said heat pipe element being adapted to be installed in said sheath, and said tubular container comprising a first portion including a predetermined part which can be accommodated in said tubular body and mating therewith, and a second portion including a predetermined part adapted to be coupled to a heat exchanger at least partially exposed to a heat output environment which includes a generally atmospheric air medium; and

a first substance having a thermal conductivity greater than air generally filling the space between the mating portions of said tubular body and tubular container, said first thermal substance including a fluid which is unsolidified at ordinary temperatures, whereby heat picked up by said sheath from said heat input environment is conducted by said first thermal substance to the mating portion of said heat pipe element and transported by said working fluid in vaporized form to said predetermined part of said container second portion coupled to said heat exchanger for transfer to said heat output environment accompanied with condensation of said vaporized working fluid for return to the mating portion of said tubular container.

9. The invention as defined in claim 8 further comprising flow means for generally directing and spreading condensate flow back to said mating portion of said tubular container, said flow means including a convolute structure provided directly on a predetermined length of the interior longitudinal wall of said tubular container to spread and maintain the condensate flow thereover.

10. The invention as defined in claim 8 further comprising a heat exchanger including a radiator having heat transferring fins affixed to a predetermined part thereof and a tubular coupling surface generally positioned concentrically in proximity to said predetermined part of said container second portion, and a second substance of proper thermal conductivity generally filling the space between said tubular coupling surface and said predetermined part of said container second portion.