A through-hole capillary wick loop heat pipe evaporator easy to mass-produce

Abstract

This invention relates to a mass-producible through-hole capillary wick loop heat pipe evaporator in the field of radiator technology. The evaporator includes a capillary wick, a shell, a vapor end cap, and a liquid end cap. The outer surface of the capillary wick has steam channels. The capillary wick has a through-hole extending from front to back. The vapor end cap includes a steam pipe connector, a steam passage, an end sealing surface, and a first limiting groove in the shell. The liquid end cap includes a second limiting groove in the shell, a liquid reservoir interface, and a liquid inlet. This invention designs the capillary wick as a through-hole structure, sealing it as a blind hole through the end sealing surface of the vapor end connector. The evaporator can be designed in a standardized manner with mass production of spare parts. Technical solutions adapted to specific application scenarios only require selection of evaporator specifications and limited development of other structures. Modular assembly, system filling, and performance testing can then be performed according to actual needs, enabling mass production of loop heat pipes and significantly reducing manufacturing costs.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of radiator technology, and in particular to a through-hole capillary loop heat pipe evaporator that is easy to mass-produce. Background Technology

[0002] Loop heat pipes consist of an evaporator, a condenser, and vapor and liquid piping. They offer advantages such as high heat transfer capacity, long heat transfer distance, unidirectional heat transfer, flexible layout, high reliability, long service life, and excellent anti-gravity capability. They are an ideal solution for spacecraft thermal control applications, including large heat dissipation, thermal control of high heat flux density devices, precision temperature control, cryogenic and deep cryogenic cold energy transfer, and long-distance and flexible heat transfer.

[0003] At the design level, loop heat pipes, as crucial aerospace thermal control products, typically employ a mission-oriented design paradigm consistent with spacecraft thermal control systems. This means that each loop heat pipe is custom-designed within the constraints of relevant standards, specifications, and regulations, aiming for high performance and long lifespan. This approach results in long design, assembly, and testing cycles, high development costs, and difficulty in meeting the rapid development and low-cost requirements of commercial aerospace. At the manufacturing level, the capillary wick of a loop heat pipe has a blind-hole structure, making its forming and processing difficult and hindering mass production to reduce costs. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To address the problems of high R&D and design costs, difficult processing, and limited mass production of loop heat pipes in existing technologies, this invention discloses a through-hole capillary wick loop heat pipe evaporator that is easy to mass-produce. The technical solution of this invention is implemented as follows:

[0005] An easily mass-producible through-hole capillary wick loop heat pipe evaporator includes a capillary wick, a tube shell, a vapor end cap, and a liquid end cap;

[0006] The capillary core is interference-fitted into the tube shell;

[0007] The outer surface of the capillary core is provided with steam channels;

[0008] The capillary core is provided with a through hole running from front to back;

[0009] The steam end cap includes a steam pipeline connector, a steam passage, an end sealing surface, and a first limiting groove in the pipe shell;

[0010] The steam pipeline connector is located at the center of the steam end cap, the steam channel is located on the side of the steam end cap and connects the steam pipeline connector and the steam channel, and the end sealing surface is in contact with one end of the capillary core.

[0011] The liquid end cap includes a second limiting groove for the casing, a liquid reservoir interface, and a liquid inlet.

[0012] The inlet is connected to the capillary core, and the reservoir interface is connected to the inlet.

[0013] The two ends of the tube shell are respectively installed in the first limiting groove and the second limiting groove of the tube shell.

[0014] Preferably, the angle between the steam passage and the steam pipeline connection is 60-120°.

[0015] Preferably, the housing is made of stainless steel.

[0016] Preferably, the housing is welded to the steam end cap and the liquid end cap.

[0017] Preferably, the capillary core has a cylindrical structure.

[0018] Preferably, the outer diameters of the steam end cap, the liquid end cap, and the shell are the same.

[0019] This invention designs the capillary wick as a through-hole structure and seals it into a blind hole through the end sealing surface of the steam terminal connector. It also allows for the standardized design and batch production of evaporators. The technical solutions adapted to specific application scenarios only require the selection of evaporator specifications and limited development of other structures. Then, modular assembly, system filling, and performance testing are carried out according to actual needs. This enables the mass production of loop heat pipes and significantly reduces manufacturing costs. Attached Figure Description

[0020] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only one embodiment of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0021] Figure 1 A front sectional view of an embodiment of a through-hole capillary loop heat pipe evaporator that is easy to mass-produce;

[0022] Figure 2 A front sectional view of an embodiment of a capillary wick;

[0023] Figure 3 This is a front sectional view of an embodiment of a steam end cap;

[0024] Figure 4 This is a front sectional view of an embodiment of a liquid end cap.

[0025] In the above figures, the figure numbers indicate the following:

[0026] 1. Capillary wick;

[0027] 1-1. Steam channel;

[0028] 1-2. Liquid main channel;

[0029] 2. Tube shell;

[0030] 3. Steam end cap;

[0031] 3-1. Gas pipeline connection;

[0032] 3-2. Steam passage;

[0033] 3-3. End sealing surface;

[0034] 3-4. First limiting groove of the tube shell;

[0035] 4. Liquid end cap;

[0036] 4-1. Second limiting groove of the tube shell;

[0037] 4-2. Liquid reservoir interface;

[0038] 4-3. Liquid inlet. Detailed Implementation

[0039] The technical solutions of the present invention will now be clearly and completely described with reference to the embodiments and accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, and not all of them. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0040] Example

[0041] In one specific embodiment, such as Figure 1 As shown, an easily mass-producible through-hole capillary loop heat pipe evaporator includes a capillary 1, a tube shell 2, a vapor end cap 3, and a liquid end cap 4.

[0042] like Figure 2 As shown, capillary wick 1 is a porous medium material with characteristics of small pore size, high porosity, high permeability, and low equivalent thermal conductivity. Capillary wick 1 is cylindrical with an outer diameter of 14 mm and a length of 150 mm. A steam channel 1-1 is machined on the outer surface of capillary wick 1. The steam channel 1-1 has a width of 2.5 mm, a height of 1.7 mm, and a length of 145 mm. In this embodiment, a through-hole with a diameter of 6 mm is used as a liquid main channel 1-2 through the capillary wick 1. The machining difficulty of this embodiment is far less than that of machining blind holes in traditional technologies, resulting in high machining efficiency.

[0043] The shell 2 is made of stainless steel. The shell 2 and the capillary core 1 are press-fitted together. The outer diameter of the shell 2 is 15.4 mm and the length is 158.5 mm. One end of the shell 2 is connected to the steam end cap 3.

[0044] like Figure 3 As shown, the steam end cap 3 includes a steam pipe connector 3-1, a steam passage 3-2, an end sealing surface 3-3, and a first limiting groove 3-4 in the tube shell. The outer diameter of the steam end cap 3 is the same as the outer diameter of the tube shell 2. A steam pipe connector 3-1 with an inner diameter of 4 mm is provided at the center. A steam passage 3-2 with an inner diameter of 3 mm is provided at a 90° angle to the steam pipe connector 3-1. The steam passage 3-2 is connected to the steam pipe connector 3-1. The diameter of the end sealing surface 3-3 is 10 mm. The end sealing surface 3-3 is in close contact with the surface of the capillary core 1. The steam channel 1-1 of the capillary core 1 and the steam passage 3-2 are in the same direction and are connected.

[0045] like Figure 4 As shown, the liquid end cap 4 includes a second limiting groove 4-1 in the tube shell, a liquid reservoir interface 4-2 and a liquid inlet 4-3. The liquid inlet 4-3 is connected to the liquid main channel 1-2 of the capillary core 1, and the liquid reservoir interface 4-2 is connected to the liquid inlet 4-3.

[0046] One side of the housing 2 is connected to the first limiting groove 3-4 of the steam end head 3 by laser welding, and the other side of the housing 2 is connected to the second limiting groove 4-1 of the liquid end head 4 by laser welding.

[0047] The liquid end cap 4 is connected to the liquid reservoir via the liquid reservoir interface 4-2. The liquid working medium transported by the liquid reservoir enters the liquid main channel 1-2 of the capillary core 1 through the liquid inlet 4-3.

[0048] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows:

[0049] 1. Through-hole capillary evaporators are easy to mass-produce, which can reduce the R&D cycle and manufacturing cost of loop heat pipes;

[0050] 2. Standardize the design of evaporators and prepare spare parts in batches. When applying them, modularly assemble them according to actual needs to form evaporators with different envelope dimensions, installation interfaces, heat transfer interfaces and heat transfer characteristics, thereby reducing development difficulty and shortening product delivery time.

Claims

1. A readily mass-producible through-hole capillary wick loop heat pipe evaporator, comprising a capillary wick, a tube shell, a vapor end cap, and a liquid end cap; the capillary wick is installed inside the tube shell; vapor channels are formed on the outer surface of the capillary wick; characterized in that, The capillary core is provided with a through hole running from front to back; The steam end cap includes a steam pipeline connector, a steam passage, an end sealing surface, and a first limiting groove in the pipe shell; The steam pipeline connector is located at the center of the steam end cap, the steam channel is located on the side of the steam end cap and connects the steam pipeline connector and the steam channel, and the end sealing surface is in contact with one end of the capillary core. The liquid end cap includes a second limiting groove for the casing, a liquid reservoir interface, and a liquid inlet. The inlet is connected to the capillary core, and the reservoir interface is connected to the inlet. The two ends of the tube shell are respectively installed in the first limiting groove and the second limiting groove of the tube shell.

2. The easily mass-producible through-hole capillary wick loop heat pipe evaporator according to claim 1, characterized in that, The angle between the steam passage and the steam pipeline connection is 60-120°.

3. The easily mass-producible through-hole capillary wick loop heat pipe evaporator according to claim 2, characterized in that, The capillary core has a cylindrical structure.

4. The easily mass-producible through-hole capillary wick loop heat pipe evaporator according to claim 3, characterized in that, The outer diameters of the steam end cap, the liquid end cap, and the shell are the same.

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