Heat pipe component deployed from a compact volume

• US 7,080,681 B2
• Filed: 03/03/2004
• Issued: 07/25/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Thermal Corporation (Roper Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Thermal Corporation (Roper Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wert, Kevin L.
• Primary Examiner(s): MCKINNON, TERRELL L
• Application Number:
  US10/792,198
• Publication Number:
  US 20050194122A1
• Time in Patent Office: 874 Days
• Field of Search: 165/41, 165/46, 244/158.R, 244/159, 244/57, 244/171.8
• US Class Current: 165/104.21
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 15/025 having non-capillary condensate return means
• 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: F28F 1/14 and extending longitudinally F28F1/38 takes precedence

Abstract

A component of a heat pipe assembly (100) has hollow fluid transport sections (108) communicating with hollow bendable fluid transport sections (110); the bendable fluid transport sections (110) being bendable to deploy the transport sections (108) from a compact volume.

Claims

1. A component of a heat pipe assembly comprising:

hollow fluid transport sections communicating with hollow bendable fluid transport sections;

the bendable fluid transport sections being bendable to stack the rigid sections in a compact volume;

and further comprising a sub-cooler having an external condensate line section, and an external vapor line section, the external vapor line section communicating with a vapor line in the hollow fluid transport sections and in the bendable fluid transport sections.

2. The component of claim 1, and further comprising:

fins on the hollow fluid transport sections.

3. The component of claim 1, and further comprising:

a further flexible hollow fluid transport section connecting the component in a heat pipe assembly.

4. The component of claim 1, and further comprising:

a liquid line extending through the hollow fluid transport sections and through the bendable fluid transport sections.

5. The component of claim 1, and further comprising:

an exterior side of the hollow and bendable fluid transport sections dissipating latent heat of vapor phase fluid being transported.

6. The component of claim 1, and further comprising:

an evaporator of a heat pipe assembly, the hollow fluid transport sections having a shape conforming to the exterior of the evaporator.

7. The component of claim 1, and further comprising:

an evaporator of a heat pipe assembly; and

a fin on each of the hollow fluid transport sections having a shape conforming to the shape of the exterior of the evaporator.

8. The component of claim 1, and further comprising:

the component being a condenser of a heat pipe assembly.

9. A heat pipe assembly comprising:

a hollow envelope having an evaporator and a condenser containing a quantity of working fluid;

the condenser having hollow fluid transport sections communicating with hollow bendable fluid transport sections;

the bendable fluid transport sections being bendable to stack the rigid sections in a compact volume;

and further comprising a sub-cooler having an external condensate line section, and an external vapor line section, the external vapor line section communicating with a vapor line in the hollow fluid transport sections and in the bendable fluid transport sections.

10. The heat pipe assembly of claim 9, and further comprising:

fins on the hollow fluid transport sections.

11. The heat pipe assembly of claim 9, and further comprising:

a liquid line extending through the hollow fluid transport sections and through the bendable fluid transport sections.

12. The heat pipe assembly of claim 9, and further comprising:

an exterior side of each of the hollow and bendable fluid transport sections dissipating latent heat of vapor phase fluid.

13. The heat pipe assembly of claim 9, and further comprising:

the hollow fluid transport sections having a shape conforming to the exterior of the evaporator.

14. A component of a heat pipe assembly comprising:

hollow fluid transport sections communicating with hollow bendable fluid transport sections;

the bendable fluid transport sections being bendable to stack the rigid sections in a compact volume;

and further comprising one of the hollow fluid transport sections having an external fin and providing a sub-cooler for condensate, and an external vapor line connected to a vapor collection manifold of a heat pipe assembly;

the vapor line by-passing the sub-cooler and being connected to a bendable hollow fluid transport section that is, in turn, connected between the sub-cooler and an adjacent hollow fluid transport section.

15. A component of a heat pipe assembly comprising:

hollow fluid transport sections communicating with hollow bendable fluid transport sections;

the bendable fluid transport sections being bendable to stack the rigid sections in a compact volume;

and further comprising a coupling tee having a liquid line section between the fluid transport sections and a reservoir of a heat pipe assembly, and the coupling tee having a vapor line section between the fluid transport sections and an evaporator of a heat pipe assembly.