Loop-type heat exchange device

• US 7,552,759 B2
• Filed: 12/28/2005
• Issued: 06/30/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Foxconn Technology Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Foxconn Technology Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Yang, Chih-Hao, Hou, Chuen-Shu, Tung, Chao-Nien, Liu, Tay-Jian, Lee, Chih-Peng
• Primary Examiner(s): Tyler; Cheryl J
• Assistant Examiner(s): CORRIGAN, JOSEPH JAMES
• Application Number:
  US11/306,421
• Publication Number:
  US 20060283577A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,280 Days
• Field of Search: 621/29, 126/635, 257/715
• 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: F28D 15/046 characterised by the material or the construction of the capillary structure
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 2015/0216 having particular orientation, e.g. slanted, or being orientation-independent
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 2210/02 with particular branching, e.g. fractal conduit arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 3/02 Elements or assemblies thereof with means for increasing heat-transfer area, e.g. with fins, with recesses, with corrugations F28F3/08 takes precedence
• 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 loop-type heat exchange device (10) is disclosed, which includes an evaporator (20), a condenser (40), a vapor conduit (30) and a liquid conduit (50). The evaporator contains therein a working fluid. The working fluid in the evaporator evaporates into vapor after absorbing heat, and the generated vapor flows, via the vapor conduit, to the condenser where the vapor releases its latent heat of evaporation and is condensed into condensate. The condensate then returns back, via the liquid conduit, to the evaporator to thereby form a heat transfer loop. The condenser defines therein a chamber, and a plurality of heat-exchange pins is provided inside the chamber for effectively exchanging heat with the vapor entering into the condenser.

Claims

1. A heat exchange device comprising:

an evaporator containing therein a working fluid, the working fluid being capable of turning into vapor in the evaporator upon receiving heat;

a condenser defining therein a chamber;

a vapor conduit and a liquid conduit each being connected between the evaporator and the condenser, wherein the vapor conduit is separated from the liquid conduit, the evaporator, the condenser, the vapor conduit and the liquid conduit cooperate to form a closed loop, the vapor is capable of being transferred via the vapor conduit to the condenser and turning into condensate in the condenser upon releasing the heat carried by the vapor, and the condensate is capable of being transferred via the liquid conduit to the evaporator;

wherein a plurality of pins extend from an internal surface of the chamber of the condenser and are received in the chamber, a distal end portion of the vapor conduit extends into the chamber of the condenser and is disposed adjacent to the pins, a plurality of opening are defined in the distal end portion of the vapor conduit and face towards the pins; and

wherein the evaporator defines therein a chamber, the chamber of the evaporator includes a liquid micro-channel region and an adjacent evaporating region, and a third wick structure is arranged inside the evaporator, the third wick structure spans across the two regions.

2. The heat exchange device of claim 1, wherein the pins includes a plurality of metal pin-fins.

3. The heat exchange device of claim 1, wherein a plurality of cooling fins extends from an outer surface of the condenser.

4. The heat exchange device of claim 1, wherein a first wick structure is arranged inside the liquid conduit.

5. The heat exchange device of claim 4, wherein a second wick structure is arranged inside the condenser and is connected with first wick structure arranged inside the liquid conduit, the second wick lines a sidewall of the condenser and connects the vapor conduit with the liquid conduit.

6. The heat exchange device of claim 1, wherein the distal end portion of the vapor conduit extends into the chamber of the condenser substantially from a middle of the condenser for being disposed between the pins, and the openings are distributed over a circumferential periphery of said distal end portion.

7. The heat exchange device of claim 1, wherein the distal end portion of the vapor conduit extends into the chamber of the condenser from one side of the condenser, and the openings are distributed over a portion of a circumferential periphery of said distal end portion and facing an opposite side of the condenser.

8. The heat exchange device of claim 1, wherein the condenser and the vapor conduit have and angle formed therebetween.

9. The heat exchange device of claim 1, wherein the micro-channel region of the chamber of the evaporator is fully filled with the third wick structure for receiving the condensate coming from the condenser, and the evaporating region is partially filled with the third wick structure for evaporation of the working fluid inside the evaporator.

10. The heat exchange device of claim 9, wherein the evaporator has a plurality of metal fins extending from an outer surface thereof corresponding to the micro-channel region of the chamber of the evaporator.

11. The heat exchange device of claim 9, wherein the evaporator includes a top cover and a bottom cover combined together to define the chamber of the evaporator, and the bottom cover has a first section and a second section, the second section is thicker than the first section of the bottom cover, the first section corresponds to the micro-channel region of the chamber of the evaporator, said second section corresponds to the evaporating region of the chamber of the evaporator.

12. The heat exchange device of claim 11, wherein a protrusion is formed outwardly from a portion of the second section of the bottom cover for contacting a heat source, and a portion of the third wick structure extends from the micro-channel region into a part of the evaporating region as fittingly locating above the protrusion of the bottom cover, the portion of the third wick has a size substantially equal to that of the protrusion of the bottom cover.

13. The heat exchange device of claim 1, wherein the vapor conduit has a larger diameter than the liquid conduit.

14. The heat exchange device of claim 1, wherein the vapor conduit diverges into multiple branches connecting with the evaporator.

15. A heat exchange device comprising;

an evaporator containing therein a working fluid, the working fluid being capable of turning into vapor in the evaporator upon receiving heat;

a condenser defining therein a chamber and having a plurality of heat-exchange pins extending into the chamber;

a vapor conduit and a liquid conduit each being connected between the evaporator and the condenser; and

first and second wick structures arranged inside the liquid conduit and the condenser, respectively;

wherein

the vapor conduit is separated from the liquid conduit, the evaporator, the condenser, the vapor conduit and the liquid conduit cooperate to form a closed loop, the second wick structure is arranged on a side of the condenser to which the vapor conduit and the liquid conduit are connected, the vapor is capable of being transferred via the vapor conduit to the condenser and turning into condensate in the condenser upon releasing the heat, and the condensate is capable of being transferred via the liquid conduit to the evaporator under capillary forces developed by the first and section wick structures; and

wherein the evaporator defines therein a chamber, the chamber of the evaporator includes a liquid micro-channel region and an adjacent evaporating region, and a third wick structure is arranged inside and spans across the two regions, the micro-channel region of the chamber of the evaporator is fully filled with the third wick structure, and the evaporating region is partially filled with the third wick structure, and wherein a bottom portion of the evaporator has a first section and a second section, the second section is thicker than the first section of the bottom cover, the first section of the bottom portion corresponds to the micro-channel region of the chamber of the evaporator, the second section of the bottom portion corresponds to the evaporating region of the chamber of the evaporator.

16. The heat exchange device of claim 15, wherein said heat-exchange pins are metal fins.

17. The heat exchange device of claim 15, wherein a vapor distributor is formed at an end of the vapor conduit extending in the condenser.

18. The heat exchange device of claim 15, wherein the condenser is located at a position, which is higher than that of the evaporator.

19. The heat exchange device of claim 18, wherein the condenser is oriented inclinedly relative to the liquid conduit.

20. The heat exchange device of claim 18, wherein the condenser is oriented perpendicularly relative to the liquid conduit.

21. The heat exchange device of claim 15, wherein the vapor conduit is a bifurcated pipe with a multiple of ports connecting with the evaporator.

22. The heat exchange device of claim 15, wherein the vapor and liquid conduits are made of flexible material.