Tower heat sink with sintered grooved wick

• US 6,938,680 B2
• Filed: 07/14/2003
• Issued: 09/06/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Thermal Corporation (Roper Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Thermal Corporation (Roper Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rosenfeld, John H., Minnerly, Kenneth G., Garner, Scott D., Toth, Jerome E., Lindemuth, James E.
• Primary Examiner(s): MCKINNON, TERRELL L
• Application Number:
  US10/618,965
• Publication Number:
  US 20050011633A1
• Time in Patent Office: 785 Days
• Field of Search: 165/104.26, 165/104.21, 165/104.33, 165/80.4, 165/185, 361/699, 361/700, 257714-716, 174/15.2
• US Class Current: 165/104.26
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 15/04 with tubes having a capillary structure
• 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 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

A heat pipe is provided having a tubular enclosure with an internal surface, a working fluid disposed within the enclosure, and at least one fin projecting radially outwardly from an outer surface of the tubular enclosure. The tubular enclosure is sealed at one end by a base having a grooved sintered wick disposed on at least a portion of its internally facing surface. The grooved, sintered wick comprises a plurality of individual particles having an average diameter. The grooved wick includes at least two adjacent lands that are in fluid communication with one another through a particle layer disposed between said at least two adjacent lands that comprises less than about six average particle diameters.

Claims

1. A tower heat pipe comprising:

a tube having an internal surface at least partially covered with a wick, a working fluid disposed within said tube, a sealed first end, and at least one fin projecting radially outwardly from an outer surface of said tube;

a base sealingly fixed to a second end of said tube, and having a grooved sintered wick disposed on at least a portion of an internal surface;

said grooved sintered wick comprising a plurality of individual particles which together yield an average particle diameter, and including at least two lands that are in fluid communication with one another through a particle layer disposed between said at least two lands wherein said particle layer comprises at least one dimension that is no more than about six average particle diameters.

2. A tower heat pipe according to claim 1 wherein said particle layer comprises a thickness that is about three average particle diameters.

3. A tower heat pipe according to claim 1 wherein said particles are formed substantially of copper.

4. A tower heat pipe according to claim 1 wherein said six average particle diameters is within a range from about 0.05 millimeters to about 0.25 millimeters.

5. A heat pipe comprising:

a tubular enclosure having an internal surface covered by a wick and sealed at a first end;

a base sealing fixed to a second end of said enclosure so as to form an internal surface within said enclosure;

a working fluid disposed within said enclosure;

at least one fin projecting radially outwardly from an outer surface of said tubular enclosure; and

a grooved sintered wick disposed upon said internal surface formed by said base, said grooved sintered wick comprising a plurality of individual particles which together yield an average particle diameter, and including at least two lands that are in fluid communication with one another through a particle layer disposed between said at least two lands wherein said particle layer comprises at least one dimension that is no more than about six average particle diameters.

6. A heat pipe according to claim 5 wherein said particle layer comprises a thickness that is less than about three average particle diameters.

7. A heat pipe according to claim 5 wherein said particles are formed substantially of copper.

8. A heat pipe according to claim 5 wherein six average particle diameters is within a range from about 0.005 millimeters to about 0.5 millimeters.

9. A heat pipe according to claim 5 wherein said particle layer extends between a terminal portion of said lands and adjacent portions of said enclosure on said internal surface.

10. A heat pipe according to claim 5 wherein said particle layer is formed from a material selected from the group consisting of carbon, tungsten, copper, aluminum, magnesium, nickel, gold, silver, aluminum oxide, and beryllium oxide.

11. A tower heat pipe comprising:

a tube having an internal surface, a working fluid disposed within said tube, a sealed first end, and at least one fin projecting radially outwardly from an outer surface of said tube;

a base sealingly fixed to a second end of said tube, and having a grooved sintered wick disposed on at least a portion of an internal surface;

said grooved sintered wick comprising a plurality of individual particles which together yield an average particle diameter, and including at least two lands that are in fluid communication with one another through a particle layer disposed between said at least two lands wherein said particle layer comprises at least one dimension that is no more than about six average particle diameters.