Two-phase heat transfer system and evaporators and condensers for use in heat transfer systems

• US 8,047,268 B1
• Filed: 05/17/2006
• Issued: 11/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Alliant Techsystems Incorporated (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Inventors: Kroliczek, Edward J., Khrustalev, Dmitry, Morgan, Michael J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ciric; Ljiljana
• Application Number:
  US11/383,953
• Time in Patent Office: 1,994 Days
• Field of Search: 165/104.21, 165/104.26, 165/274
• 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 15/04 with tubes having a capillary structure
• 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

Abstract

A heat transfer system includes a first loop and a second loop. The first loop includes a condenser having a vapor inlet and a liquid outlet, a vapor line in fluid communication with the vapor inlet of the condenser, a liquid line in fluid communication with the liquid outlet of the condenser, and primary evaporators fluidly coupled in series with the liquid line and in parallel with the vapor line. The second loop includes a reservoir, a secondary evaporator having a vapor outlet coupled to the vapor line and a fluid inlet coupled to the reservoir, and a sweepage line in fluid communication with the reservoir and the primary evaporators.

Claims

1. A heat transfer system comprising:

a first loop comprising;

a condenser including a vapor inlet and a liquid outlet;

a vapor line in fluid communication with the vapor inlet of the condenser;

a liquid line in fluid communication with the liquid outlet of the condenser; and

primary evaporators fluidly coupled in series with the liquid line and in parallel with the vapor line; and

a second loop comprising;

a reservoir;

a secondary evaporator having a vapor outlet fluidly coupled to the vapor line and a fluid inlet directly coupled to the reservoir; and

a sweepage line directly coupled to the reservoir and at least one primary evaporator of the primary evaporators.

2. The heat transfer system of claim 1, wherein each of the primary evaporators includes a vapor outlet, a fluid inlet, and a fluid outlet.

3. The heat transfer system of claim 2, wherein the vapor line fluidly couples the vapor inlet of the condenser with the vapor outlet of each of the primary evaporators.

4. The heat transfer system of claim 2, wherein the liquid line fluidly couples the liquid outlet of the condenser with the fluid inlet of one of the primary evaporators.

5. The heat transfer system of claim 2, wherein the first loop and the second loop include a coupling line that fluidly couples a fluid outlet of one of the primary evaporators to a fluid inlet of another of the primary evaporators.

6. The heat transfer system of claim 1, wherein the first loop and the second loop include a coupling line that fluidly couples at least two of the primary evaporators.

7. The heat transfer system of claim 6, wherein the coupling line and the liquid line are thermally linked.

8. The heat transfer system of claim 1, wherein the condenser comprises:

a housing defining a plurality of channels extending along an axial direction;

wherein the vapor inlet is fluidly coupled to each of the plurality of channels;

wherein the liquid outlet is fluidly coupled to each of the plurality of channels; and

a porous structure positioned between at least two channels of the plurality of channels and the liquid outlet and fluidly coupled to the at least two channels of the plurality of channels to the liquid outlet, the porous structure having a pore size large enough to permit liquid to flow from the at least two channels of the plurality of channels through the porous structure to the liquid outlet.

9. The heat transfer system of claim 8, wherein the porous structure of the condenser extends in a direction that is perpendicular to the axial direction.

10. The heat transfer system of claim 8, wherein the porous structure of the condenser extends across all channels of the housing such that the porous structure fluidly couples to all channels.

11. The heat transfer system of claim 8, wherein the porous structure of the condenser is inside the housing.

12. The heat transfer system of claim 8, wherein the porous structure of the condenser has a pore size that is small enough to generate a capillary pressure of a same order of magnitude as a pressure drop across the at least two channels of the plurality of channels defined within the housing.

13. The heat transfer system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the secondary evaporator and the primary evaporators comprises:

an outer enclosure;

a liquid inlet fluidly coupled through the outer enclosure;

a vapor outlet fluidly coupled through the outer enclosure; and

a wick within the outer enclosure, fluidly coupled to the liquid inlet, extending along an axial direction, the wick having an outer surface positioned adjacent to the outer enclosure, and comprising;

a plurality of circumferential grooves formed in the outer surface of the wick, the plurality of circumferential grooves extending in a direction that is non-parallel to the axial direction; and

a plurality of channels formed in the wick, each channel of the plurality of channels being fluidly connected to the plurality of circumferential grooves, extending along the axial direction of the wick, and being fluidly coupled to the vapor outlet.

14. The heat transfer system of claim 13, wherein the outer surface of the wick contacts the outer enclosure.

15. The heat transfer system of claim 13, wherein the outer surface of the wick has a structure that includes a plurality of protruding portions and a plurality of recessed portions, each circumferential groove of the plurality of circumferential grooves being formed in a space defined between a recessed portion of the plurality of recessed portions, at least two protruding portions of the plurality of protruding portions, and the outer enclosure.

16. The heat transfer system of claim 13, wherein each channel of the plurality of channels extends a length of the wick that is less than a total length of the wick as measured along the axial direction.

17. The heat transfer system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the secondary evaporator and the primary evaporators comprises:

an outer enclosure;

a vapor outlet fluidly coupled through the outer enclosure;

a wick within the outer enclosure, the wick fluidly coupled to the vapor outlet;

an end cap bonded to the outer enclosure, contacting the wick, and having a thermal conductivity that is less than a thermal conductivity of the outer enclosure; and

a liquid inlet fluidly coupled through the end cap to the wick.

18. The heat transfer system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the secondary evaporator and the primary evaporators comprises

an outer shell;

a vapor outlet fluidly coupled through the outer shell;

a liquid inlet fluidly coupled through the outer shell;

a wick within the outer shell, the wick fluidly coupled to the vapor outlet; and

a porous structure positioned between the liquid inlet and the wick, the porous structure thermally isolating the wick from the liquid inlet, having a thermal conductivity that is less than a thermal conductivity of the outer shell, and having pores sized to permit liquid flow, but block vapor flow.

19. The heat transfer system of claim 18, wherein the porous structure includes a liquid distribution groove fluidly coupled to the liquid inlet to receive fluid.

20. A heat transfer system comprising a secondary system comprising:

an evaporator including;

an outer enclosure;

a vapor outlet fluidly coupled through the outer enclosure;

a wick within the outer enclosure and fluidly coupled to the vapor outlet; and

a porous structure contacting a surface of the wick and the outer enclosure; and

a reservoir including a reservoir casing, and a tube within the reservoir casing that defines a channel that is fluidly coupled to the porous structure of the evaporator;

wherein the porous structure is positioned between the tube and the wick and thermally isolates the surface of the wick from the tube.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the porous structure is positioned between the wick and a liquid inlet and thermally isolates the surface of the wick from the liquid inlet.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein the porous structure contacts and is positioned within a transition piece that couples the reservoir casing to the outer enclosure of the evaporator.

23. The system of claim 20, wherein the tube includes an end adjacent the porous structure such that slots are defined between the porous structure and the end of the tube, and the slots permit vapor flow from the surface of the wick to an expansion volume of the reservoir.

24. The system of claim 20, wherein the reservoir includes a porous liner along an inner surface of the reservoir and fluidly contacts the tube and the porous structure.

25. The system of claim 20, wherein the tube fluidly couples to a liquid inlet of the reservoir.

26. The system of claim 20, wherein:

the casing of the reservoir includes a first side, a second side, and a linking wall that extends from the first side to the second side; and

the evaporator is fluidly coupled to the reservoir at an opening of the first side;

wherein a surface area of the first side is smaller than a surface area of the second side.

27. The system of claim 20, wherein the first side and the second side are configured to permit fluid to flow into the evaporator even though the system is tilted relative to a direction in which a gravitational mass exerts a force on the reservoir.

28. The system of claim 20, wherein the first side and the second side are configured to permit fluid to flow into the evaporator even though the system is tilted relative to a vector of gravitational force.

29. The system of claim 20, wherein the first side and the second side have a circular cross-sectional shape such that the reservoir is conical.

30. The system of claim 20, wherein the evaporator includes an outer enclosure that joins with the casing of the reservoir.

31. The system of claim 20, wherein the evaporator includes a fluid inlet and a vapor outlet, and the reservoir fluidly couples to the fluid inlet.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein the porous structure is adjacent to the fluid inlet, and wherein the wick is fluidly linked to the vapor outlet and is positioned between the vapor outlet and the porous structure.