Heat pipes utilizing load bearing wicks

Abstract

This invention enables mechanical design of flexible and elastic heat pipes. It provides structural solution that reduces weight / performance ratio for traditional heat pipes and prevents freeze damages.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001] This invention relates to a field of structural design of heat pipes. It provides functional solution that reduces weight / performance ratio for traditional heat pipes and improves performance of flexible heat pipe designs. PRIOR ART [0002] Applications of heat pipes often become impractical due to complexity associated with fitting these components into tightly packed spaces or because of mobility restrictions they could cause. Another implication is that systems can be utilized at temperatures below freezing point of selected liquid. Liquid crystallization might severely damage the shell of a heat pipe. It also disables pipe functions until the liquid melts. Prior art (U.S. Pat. No. 4,194,559) exploit compromise solutions that prevent freeze damage of the pipe in expense of added free volume that increases total volume and weight of a solution. [0003] Prior art (U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,279,294, 5,647,429, and 6,595,270) include attempts to utilize polymer mat...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

Applications of heat pipes often become impractical due to complexity associated with fitting these components into tightly packed spaces or because of mobility restrictions they could cause.

Liquid crystallization might severely damage the shell of a heat pipe.

Devices of the other two inventions fail to account for high air permeability of polymers that explains impractically short service life of the inventions.

Nevertheless design is subject to freeze damage and its specific heat transfer performance is reduced by presence of one or two layers of vapor transmitting spacer material.

This design fails when the pipe must operate at positive internal pressure.

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