Network-type heat pipe device

• US 6,269,865 B1
• Filed: 08/20/1998
• Issued: 08/07/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Huang, Bin-Juine
• Original Assignee: Huang, Bin-Juine
• Inventors: Huang, Bin-Juine
• Primary Examiner(s): Lateef, Marvin M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MCKINNON, TERRELL L
• Application Number:
  US09/137,080
• Publication Number:
  US 20010023757A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,083 Days
• Field of Search: 165/104.21, 165/104.33, 165/104.26, 165/80.4, 165/185, 361/689, 361/699, 361/698, 361/700, 174/15.1, 174/15.2, 257/714, 257/715, 257/716
• US Class Current: 165/104.26
• 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 15/043 forming loops, e.g. capillary pumped loops
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 2210/02 with particular branching, e.g. fractal conduit arrangements

Abstract

A network-type heat pipe device is disclosed, wherein the network-type heat pipe device comprises a heat dissipating unit with a network shape, a heat absorbing unit of any desired shape, and two single flexible capillary pipes connecting the heat absorbing unit with the heat dissipating unit. The working fluid filled in the heat pipe is of a predetermined quantity smaller than the internal volume of the heat pipe. The inside diameters of the capillary pipes of the network-shaped heat dissipating unit and the connecting capillary pipes are small enough such that the vapor and liquid segments of the working fluid may distribute therein by capillary effect. As the heat absorbing unit is heated, the mutual actions of the pushing or compression force generated due to the vaporization at the heat absorbing unit, the resisting force generated due to the vapor condensation at the heat dissipating unit, and the gravitational force generated due to the liquid segments in the vertical part of the capillary pipes in the heat dissipating unit and the connecting pipes cause a circulating flow for the working fluid to carry heat from the heat absorbing unit to the heat dissipating unit. The heat absorbing unit can be placed under the heat dissipating unit so as to enhance the gravitational force for circulating the working fluid in the single direction in the flow passage and to increase the heat transport from the heat absorbing unit to the heat dissipating unit.

Claims

1. A heat pipe device used in heat transport, comprising:

(a) a heat absorbing unit inside of which is a space of any shape for storing working fluid;

the heat absorbing unit being used to absorb heat from a heat source, said heat absorbing unit having an inlet and an outlet;

(b) a heat dissipating unit formed by network-shape capillary pipes comprising a geometric shape defined by a capillary inlet header pipe having an inlet, a capillary outlet header pipe having an outlet, and a plurality of capillary cross-pipes connecting said inlet and outlet header pipes together to form a plurality of cells, each cell being circumferentially bounded on all sides by a capillary pipe, for releasing the heat transported from the heat absorbing unit to a heat sink;

(c) a first connecting capillary pipe connected between the outlet of the heat absorbing unit and the inlet of the inlet header pipe of the heat dissipating unit, and a second connecting capillary pipe connected between the outlet of the outlet header pipe of the heat dissipating unit and the inlet of the heat absorbing unit so as to form a closed loop, said first and second connecting capillary pipes each being made from an extensible metal or nonmetal material;

(d) a condensable working fluid filled in the heat absorbing unit, the heat dissipating unit, and the first and second connecting capillary pipes, wherein a quantity of the filled liquid is smaller than a total volume of inner spaces of the heat absorbing unit, the heat dissipating unit and the first and second connecting capillary pipes; and

wherein

(e) said heat absorbing unit and said heat dissipating unit are disposed other than adjacent to each other.

2. The heat pipe device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the inner spaces of the heat absorbing unit, the heat dissipating unit and the connecting capillary pipe are linked so that the condensable working fluid is sealed within and may flow within.

3. The heat pipe device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the inside diameters of the capillary pipes of the network-shape heat dissipating unit and the connecting capillary pipes are small enough such that the vapor and liquid segments of the working fluid may distribute therein by capillary effect, wherein as the heat absorbing unit is heated, the mutual actions of the pushing or compression force generated due to the vaporization at the heat absorbing unit, the resisting force generated due to the vapor condensation at the heat dissipating unit, and the gravitational force generated due to the liquid segments in the vertical part of the capillary pipes in the heat dissipating unit and the connecting pipes cause a circulating flow for the working fluid to carry heat from the heat absorbing unit to the heat dissipating unit.

4. The heat pipe device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the heat absorbing unit is installed under the heat dissipating unit so as to enhance the gravitational force for circulating the working fluid in a single direction in the flow passage and to increase the heat transport from the heat absorbing unit to the heat dissipating unit.

5. The heat pipe device as claimed in claims 3 or 4, wherein the heat dissipating unit is made of network-shape capillary pipes having at least two parallel rows of capillary pipes the inner part of which are connected with each other.

6. The heat pipe device as claimed in claim 3 or 4, wherein the network-shape capillary pipes in the heat dissipating unit is adhered on a plate for enhancing the heat transfer the heat sink.

7. The heat pipe device as claimed in claims 3 or 4, wherein the heat dissipating unit is made of network-shape capillary pipes having at least two parallel rows of capillary pipe, the inner part of which are connected with each other, and the network-shape capillary pipes are adhered on a plate for enhancing the heat transfer to the heat sink.

8. The heat pipe device as claimed in claims 3 or 4, wherein the heat absorbing unit may be made as a flat-box shape and includes an inlet port, an outlet port, an evaporating chamber, characterized in that:

the heat absorbing unit may be designed with upper and a lower halves, that are then joined together as a whole body;

the inlet port for the working fluid is installed on the lower half for receiving the liquid working fluid flowing into the evaporating chamber;

the outlet port is installed on the upper half for guiding the vapor to flow out of the evaporating chamber.

9. The heat pipe device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said cells defined by said network-shape capillary pipes are arranged in a plurality of rows and columns.

10. The heat pipe device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said network-shape capillary pipes comprise:

an upper cross-header pipe and a lower cross-header pipe, each of which is connected between said outlet and inlet header pipes; and

a plurality of interconnect pipes which interconnect said upper and lower cross-header pipes;

thereby forming said cells.

11. The heat pipe device as claimed in claim 10 and further comprising a further plurality of interconnect pipes which interconnect said first mentioned interconnect pipes;

thereby forming a plurality of rows and columns of said cells.

12. The heat pipe device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said network-shape capillary pipes of said heat dissipating unit provide a plurality of network-type flow passages made from capillary pipes.

13. A heat pipe device used in heat transport, comprising:

(a) a heat absorbing unit made of network-shape capillary pipes comprising a first geometric shape defined by a first capillary inlet header pipe having an inlet, a first capillary outlet header pipe having an outlet, and a plurality of first capillary cross-pipes connecting said first inlet and first outlet header pipes together to form a first plurality of cells, each cell being circumferentially bounded on all sides by a first capillary pipe, the heat absorbing unit being used to absorb heat from a heat source;

(b) a heat dissipating unit made of network-shape capillary pipes comprising a second geometric shape defined by a second capillary inlet header pipe having an inlet, a second capillary outlet header pipe having an outlet, and a second plurality of capillary cross-pipes connecting said second inlet and outlet header pipes together to form a second plurality of cells, each cell being circumferentially bounded on all sides by a second capillary pipe, for releasing heat to a heat sink;

(c) a first connecting capillary pipes connected between the outlet of the outlet header pipe of the heat absorbing unit and the inlet of the inlet header pipe of the heat dissipating unit, and a second connecting capillary pipe connected between the outlet of the outlet header pipe of the heat dissipating unit and the inlet of the inlet header pipe of the heat absorbing unit so as to form a closed loop, said first and second connecting capillary pipes each being made from an extensible metal or nonmetal material;

(d) a condensable working fluid filled within the heat absorbing unit, the heat dissipating unit, and the inner space of the first and second connecting capillary pipes, wherein a quantity of filled liquid is smaller than a total volume of inner spaces of the heat absorbing unit, the heat dissipating unit and the first and second connecting capillary pipes; and

wherein

(e) said heat absorbing unit and said heat dissipating unit are disposed other than adjacent to each other.

14. The heat pipe device as claimed in claim 13, wherein the inner spaces of the heat absorbing unit, the heat dissipating unit, and the connecting capillary pipe are linked so that the condensable working fluid is sealed within and may flow within.

15. The heat pipe device as claimed in claim 14, wherein the inside diameters of the network-shape capillary pipes in the heat dissipating unit and the heat absorbing unit and the connecting capillary pipes are small enough such that the vapor and liquid segments of the working fluid may distribute therein by capillary effect, so that as the heat absorbing unit is heated, the mutual actions of the pushing or compression force generated due to the vaporization at the heat absorbing unit, the resisting force generated due to the vapor condensation at the heat dissipating unit, and the gravitational force generated due to the liquid segments in the vertical part of the capillary pipes in the heat dissipating unit and the connecting pipes cause a circulating flow for the working fluid to carry heat from the heat absorbing unit to the heat dissipating unit.

16. The heat pipe device as claimed in claim 15, wherein the heat absorbing unit is installed under the heat dissipating unit so as to enhance the gravitational force for circulating the working fluid in the single direction in the flow passage and to increase the heat transport from the heat absorbing unit to the heat dissipating unit.

17. The heat pipe device as claimed in claim 15, wherein the heat dissipating unit and the heat absorbing unit are made of at least two parallel rows of capillary pipes corresponding inner parts of which are connected with each other.

18. The heat pipe device as claimed in claim 15, wherein the network-shape capillary pipes in the heat dissipating unit and the heat absorbing unit are adhered on a plate for enhancing the heat dissipation of the heat sink.

19. The heat pipe device as claimed in claim 15, wherein the heat dissipating unit and the heat absorbing unit are made of at least two parallel rows of capillary pipes corresponding inner parts of which are connected with each other, and the network-shape capillary pipes are adhered on a plate for enhancing the heat dissipation of the heat sink.