Evaporators for heat transfer systems

• US 9,273,887 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2012
• Issued: 03/01/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Orbital ATK Inc. (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Inventors: Kroliczek, Edward J., Nikitkin, Michael, Wolf, David A. Sr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cigna, Jacob
• Application Number:
  US13/421,524
• Publication Number:
  US 20120175087A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,447 Days
• Field of Search: 298/900.3
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 23/006 boiling cooling systems
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 15/043 forming loops, e.g. capillary pumped loops
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4935 Heat exchanger or boiler making

Abstract

A heat transfer system includes an evaporator having a heated wall, a liquid barrier wall containing working fluid, a primary wick positioned between the heated wall and an inner side of the liquid barrier wall, a vapor removal channel located at an interface between the primary wick and the heated wall, and a liquid flow channel located between the liquid barrier wall and the primary wick. Methods of transferring heat include applying heat energy to a vapor barrier wall, flowing liquid through a liquid flow channel, pumping the liquid from the liquid flow channel through a primary wick, and evaporating at least some of the liquid at a vapor removal channel.

Claims

1. A method of making an evaporator, the method comprising:

orienting a heated wall having a planar shape to define at least a portion of an exterior surface of the evaporator with a heat-absorbing surface of the heated wall configured to receive heat;

orienting a liquid barrier wall having a planar shape configured to confine liquid adjacent the heated wall;

positioning a wick between the heated wall and the liquid barrier wall;

defining at least one vapor removal channel at an interface between the wick and the heated wall;

defining at least one liquid flow channel between the liquid barrier wall and the wick; and

defining a vapor vent channel substantially between the wick and the liquid barrier wall proximate the at least one liquid flow channel, the vapor vent channel sized and configured to remove vapor bubbles from the wick.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein defining at least one liquid flow channel between the liquid barrier wall and the wick comprises forming the at least one liquid flow channel in at least one of an inner surface of the liquid barrier wall and an outer surface of the wick.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising orienting a subcooler adjacent the liquid barrier wall.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein defining at least one vapor removal channel at an interface between the wick and the heated wall comprises forming the at least one vapor removal channel in at least one of an inner surface of the heated wall and an outer surface of the wick and wherein defining at least one liquid flow channel between the liquid barrier wall and the wick comprises forming the at least one liquid flow channel in at least one of an inner surface of the liquid barrier wall and the outer surface of the wick.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein:

defining at least one liquid flow channel between the liquid barrier wall and the wick comprises forming the at least one liquid flow channel in one of an inner surface of the liquid barrier wall and the outer surface of the wick; and

defining a vapor vent channel substantially between the wick and the liquid barrier wall proximate the at least one liquid flow channel comprises forming the vapor vent channel in the other one of the inner surface of the liquid barrier wall and the outer surface of the wick.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein defining at least one vapor removal channel at an interface between the wick and the heated wall comprises forming the at least one vapor removal channel in at least one of an inner surface of the heated wall and an outer surface of the wick.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising electroetching the at least one vapor removal channel into the heated wall.

8. The method of claim 6, machining the at least one vapor removal channel into the heated wall.

9. A method of making an evaporator, the method comprising:

orienting a heated wall such that a heat-absorbing surface of the heated wall defines at least a portion of an exterior surface of the evaporator configured to receive heat;

orienting a liquid barrier wall configured to confine liquid adjacent the heated wall;

positioning a primary wick between the heated wall and the liquid barrier wall;

defining at least one vapor removal channel at an interface between the primary wick and the heated wall;

defining at least one liquid flow channel between the liquid barrier wall and the primary wick; and

positioning a secondary wick between the at least one liquid flow channel and the primary wick.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising defining a vapor vent channel at an interface between the secondary wick and the primary wick.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising forming the heated wall and the liquid barrier wall into a planar shape.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising forming the heated wall and the liquid barrier wall into an annular shape.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising positioning the heated wall inside of and coaxial with the liquid barrier wall.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising forming a plurality of fins on an outer surface of the liquid barrier wall.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising positioning the primary wick to be coaxial within the liquid barrier wall and the heated wall.

16. A method of making an evaporator, the method comprising:

defining at least a portion of an exterior surface of the evaporator with a heat-absorbing surface of a heated wall configured to receive heat;

positioning a wick to extend between the heated wall and a liquid barrier wall positioned proximate the heated wall and configured to confine liquid;

forming at least one liquid flow channel in at least one of an inner surface of the liquid barrier wall and a surface of the wick;

forming at least one vapor removal channel in at least one of an inner surface of the heated wall and another surface of the wick;

positioning a secondary wick between the wick and the at least one liquid flow channel; and

forming a vapor vent channel at an interface between the secondary wick and the wick configured to remove vapor bubbles from the wick.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising forming fins on an outer surface of the liquid barrier wall.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising selecting the wick to exhibit a planar shape.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising selecting the heated wall and the liquid barrier wall to both exhibit a planar shape.