Heat transfer device

• US 4,021,816 A
• Filed: 08/08/1975
• Issued: 05/03/1977
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: E-Systems LLC
• Original Assignee: E-Systems LLC
• Inventors: Peck, Wayne P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Davis, Jr., Albert W.
• Application Number:
  US05/603,198
• Time in Patent Office: 634 Days
• Field of Search: 165/105, 165/DIG. 3, 165/78, 29/157.3 R, 343/840, 343/912
• US Class Current: 343/840
• CPC Class Codes: B21D 53/02 heat exchangers or parts thereof, e.g. radiators, condensers fins, headersmaking finned or ribbed tubes by fixing strip material or the like to tubes B21C37/22
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 15/046 characterised by the material or the construction of the capillary structure
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/02 Arrangements for de-icing; Arrangements for drying-out ; Arrangements for cooling; Arrangements for preventing corrosion
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 15/16 curved in two dimensions, e.g. paraboloidal
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49353 Heat pipe device making

Abstract

The invention contemplates a heat-transfer device or heat pipe characterized by integral screen-wick structure providing relatively great contact area between the internal working fluid or condensable medium and the heat input.

Claims

1. An isothermal device comprising a sealed elongate container of substantially constant section and defining an enclosed space between end regions, the length between end regions being sufficient (a) to provide evaporation service for a localized heat source that is local to a portion only of said length and wherever located along said length and (b) to provide condensate service at at least one locale longitudinally offset from such localized heat source, an internal surface of said container having a plurality of spaced elongate grooves therein and extending continuously and without obstruction through and between said regions, said grooves being of such restricted sectional dimension as to assure capillary liquid flow therethrough for a given condensable fluid selected for use therewith, and a smooth metal plate covering and continuously and integrally united to and in heat-transfer contact with said surface on both sides of and extending over each of said grooves, said plate having a plurality of openings registering with each of said grooves for communication between said grooves and the interior of said container, said openings for each groove being of lesser sectional dimension than the plate-spanned width of the groove, and being distributed along the length of the groove, and said container including a condensable fluid medium in an amount sufficient to enter said groove when condensed to a liquid and to be transported by capillary action in said grooves from a condensing region to an evaporation region of said container, wherever the evaporation region may be instantaneously located.

2. An isothermal device comprising an elongate container of substantially constant section including a generally rectangular base, side walls, end walls and a covering wall opposed to and spaced from said base and enclosing an elongate interior space between end regions, the length between end regions being sufficient (a) to provide evaporation service for a localized heat source that is local to a portion only of said length and wherever located along said length and (b) to provide condensate service at at least one locale longitudinally offset from such localized heat source, the internal surface of said base containing a plurality of spaced longitudinal grooves therein and having an integral metallic plating smoothly covering and electrolytically continuously bonded to said surface and extending over said grooves, said grooves being of such restricted sectional dimension as to assure capillary liquid flow therethrough for a given condensable fluid selected for use therewith, said plating containing a plurality of openings for communication between each of said grooves and the interior space, said openings for each groove being of lesser sectional dimension than the plate-spanned width of the groove and being distributed along the length of the groove, and said interior space containing a condensable fluid medium in an amount sufficient to enter said grooves when condensed to a liquid and to be transported by capillary action in said grooves from a condensing region to an evaporation region of said container.

3. An isothermal device according to claim 2, wherein said container is one of a plurality of like containers, said containers being in longitudinally lapped adjacency with a flat surface of one container longitudinally overlapping substantially equal parts of corresponding surfaces of two further containers. foraminated

4. An isothermal device according to claim 3, in which said further containers are in end-to-end adjacency.

5. An isothermal device, comprising an elongate metal body of substantially constant section and having opposed sides, said body having an elongate groove of substantially constant section open to one of said sides, and a separate elongate metal closure panel having sealed engagement to the opposed walls of the groove, the inner surface of said panel facing and being spaced from the groove bottom, and the longitudinal ends of said engaged panel and body being sealed to close the longitudinal ends of the groove, the inner surface of said panel having longitudinal screen-wick formations, and said body having a closable port for admission of condensable liquid;

said panel being of substantially constant section and having a body with plural elongate capillary grooves in the inner surface thereof, and said screen-wick formations comprising a single thin foraminated plate integrally united to the grooved inner surface and smoothly and uniformly bridging the grooves.

6. The device of claim 5, in which the elongation of said body is curved along a generally arcuate course, said opposed sides being radially spaced.

7. The device of claim 5, in which the elongation of said body is curved along a generally arcuate course, said opposed sides being axially spaced.

8. The device of claim 5, in which the elongation of said body extends circumferentially about a central axis, said opposed sides being radially spaced.

9. The device of claim 5, in which the elongation of said body extends circumferentially about a central axis, said opposed sides being axially spaced.

10. An antenna-element reflector construction, comprising a metal plate of desired radiation-reflecting contour on a front surface thereof, and an isothermal device according to claim 5, wherein the metal body of the isothermal device is secured to and extends on a course along a back-surface region of said plate, with the course of the body groove locally conformed to the secure course of said device to said plate.

11. An antenna-element construction according to claim 10, in which the reflecting contour is parabolic, and in which said secured course is generally along the arc of a circle in said contour and about the axis of the parabolic contour.

12. An antenna-element construction according to claim 10, in which the reflecting contour is parabolic, and in which said secured course is generally radial in said contour and with respect to the axis of the parabolic contour.

13. An antenna-element construction according to claim 10, in which said isothermal device is one of a plurality on different secured courses along said contour.

14. An antenna-element construction according to claim 13, in which the secured courses of different isothermal devices intersect, for effective two-dimensional isothermal treatment of said surface.