Sintered grooved wick with particle web

• US 6,945,317 B2
• Filed: 04/24/2003
• Issued: 09/20/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Thermal Corporation (Roper Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Thermal Corporation (Roper Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Lindemuth, James E., Rosenfeld, John H., Minnerly, Kenneth G., Garner, Scott D., Toth, Jerome E.
• Primary Examiner(s): MCKINNON, TERRELL L
• Application Number:
  US10/422,878
• Publication Number:
  US 20040211549A1
• Time in Patent Office: 880 Days
• Field of Search: 165/104.26, 165/104.21, 165/104.33, 165/185, 165/80.3, 361/699, 361/700, 174/15.2, 257714-176
• US Class Current: 165/104.26
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 15/0233 the conduits having a particular shape, e.g. non-circular cross-section, annular F28D15/0241, F28D15/0266 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 15/046 characterised by the material or the construction of the capillary structure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49353 Heat pipe device making

Abstract

A grooved sintered wick for a heat pipe is provided having a plurality of individual particles which together yield an average particle diameter. The grooved sintered wick further includes at least two adjacent lands that are in fluid communication with one another through a particle layer disposed between the lands where the particle layer comprises at least one dimension that is no more than about six average particle diameters. A heat pipe is also provided comprising a grooved wick that includes 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 the lands that comprises less than about six average particle diameters. A method for making a heat pipe wick in accordance with the foregoing structures is also provided.

Claims

1. A method for making a heat pipe wick on an inside surface of a heat pipe container, comprising the steps of:

(a) positioning a mandrel having a grooved contour within a portion of said container;

(b) providing a slurry of metal particles having an average particle diameter and that are suspended in a viscous binder;

(c) coating at least part of the inside surface of said container with said slurry so that said slurry conforms to said grooved contour of said mandrel and forms a layer of slurry between adjacent grooves that comprises no more than about six average particle diameters;

wherein six of said average particle diameters is within a range from about 0.05 millimeters to about 0.25 millimeters;

(d) drying said slurry to form a green wick; and

,

(e) heat treating said green wick to yield a final composition of the heat pipe wick.

2. A heat pipe wick formed according to the method of claim 1.

3. A heat pipe wick formed according to the method of claim 1 wherein said layer of slurry comprises a thickness that is less than about three average particle diameters.

4. A heat pipe wick formed according to the method of claim 1 wherein said layer of slurry comprises particles that at are formed substantially of copper.

5. A heat pipe wick formed according to the method of claim 1 formed with in a container having a working fluid a as to form a heat pipe.