Heat pipe and electronic equipment

Abstract

The utility model relates to a heat pipe and electronic equipment. The heat pipe comprises a pipe body provided with a containing cavity, the pipe body comprises an evaporation section, a heat insulation section and a condensation section which are sequentially arranged in the extending direction of the pipe body, and the containing cavity is used for containing a heat conduction working medium; the capillary structure is arranged in the containing cavity and connected with the pipe body, and the capillary structure comprises a first sub-capillary structure arranged on the evaporation section; the second sub capillary structure is arranged on the heat insulation section; the third sub capillary structure is arranged on the condensation section; wherein the pore radius of at least one of the first sub-capillary structure and the third sub-capillary structure is smaller than the pore radius of the second sub-capillary structure. Therefore, according to the heat pipe and the electronic equipment, the heat conduction performance of the heat pipe can be improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of heat dissipation technology, and in particular to heat pipes and electronic devices. Background Technology

[0002] Network equipment may include switching chips and optical modules. The switching chip is the core component of the network equipment, responsible for data switching and transmission, and performs operations such as data reception, storage, analysis, and forwarding. The main function of the optical module is to perform photoelectric conversion. Because the switching chip and optical module have different temperature tolerances, they cannot share a heat sink. In an air-cooled architecture, space constraints necessitate the use of heat pipes to transfer heat from the space-constrained area of ​​the optical module to a more spacious area, preventing localized overheating.

[0003] In related technologies, heat pipes include an evaporation section and a condensation section. The heat pipe contains a working fluid and a capillary structure. The working fluid is the medium for heat transfer. The working fluid absorbs heat and evaporates in the evaporation section. After flowing to the condensation section, it condenses and releases heat. The efficient transfer of heat is achieved through the phase change cycle of the working fluid.

[0004] However, the thermal conductivity of the aforementioned heat pipes needs improvement. Utility Model Content

[0005] Therefore, it is necessary to provide a heat pipe and electronic device that can improve the thermal conductivity of the heat pipe.

[0006] In a first aspect, embodiments of this application provide a heat pipe, comprising:

[0007] The tube body is provided with a accommodating cavity. The tube body includes an evaporation section, an insulation section and a condensation section arranged sequentially along the extension direction of the tube body. The accommodating cavity is used to house the heat-conducting working fluid.

[0008] Capillary structure, located within the accommodating cavity and connected to the tube body, includes:

[0009] The first sub-capillary structure is located in the evaporation section;

[0010] The second subcapillary structure is located in the insulating section; and

[0011] The third subcapillary structure is located in the condensation section;

[0012] Among them, the pore radius of at least one of the first subcapillary structure and the third subcapillary structure is smaller than the pore radius of the second subcapillary structure.

[0013] The heat pipe provided in this application embodiment has a pore radius smaller than that of at least one of the first and third sub-capillary structures than that of the second sub-capillary structure. The smaller pore radius of the capillary structure in the evaporation section enhances capillary force and reduces evaporation thermal resistance; the smaller pore radius of the capillary structure in the condensation section reduces condensation thermal resistance; and the larger pore radius of the capillary structure in the adiabatic section widens the flow channels of the heat-conducting medium, thereby reducing the flow resistance of the heat-conducting medium in the capillary structure. Therefore, the heat pipe can have a larger heat transfer limit and lower thermal resistance, which is beneficial for improving the heat pipe's thermal conductivity.

[0014] In one embodiment, the pore radius of at least one of the first sub-capillary structure and the third sub-capillary structure is less than or equal to a first threshold, the first threshold being in the range of 30 μm-36 μm; and / or,

[0015] The pore radius of the second subcapillary structure is greater than the first threshold, which is in the range of 30μm-36μm.

[0016] In one embodiment, the capillary structure includes sintered powder; the mesh size of at least one of the sintered powder in the evaporation section and the sintered powder in the condensation section is greater than the mesh size of the sintered powder in the adiabatic section.

[0017] Alternatively, the capillary structure includes a metal mesh; the mesh count of at least one of the metal mesh in the evaporation section and the metal mesh in the condensation section is greater than the mesh count of the metal mesh in the adiabatic section.

[0018] In one embodiment, the thickness of at least one of the first subcapillary structure and the third subcapillary structure is less than the thickness of the second subcapillary structure.

[0019] In one embodiment, the tube body includes a transition section, at least one of the evaporation section and the insulation section and the condensation section and the insulation section is provided with a transition section, and a capillary structure is provided in the accommodating cavity of the transition section.

[0020] The pore radius of the capillary structure in the transition section gradually decreases along the direction from the adiabatic section to the transition section; and / or,

[0021] The thickness of the capillary structure in the transition section gradually decreases along the direction from the adiabatic section to the transition section.

[0022] In one embodiment, at least one of the first subcapillary structure and the third subcapillary structure has a groove on the side opposite to the tube body.

[0023] In one embodiment, there are multiple grooves; the multiple grooves extend along the extension direction of the tube body and are spaced apart circumferentially along the tube body; or, the multiple grooves extend along the circumferential direction of the tube body and are spaced apart circumferentially along the extension direction of the tube body; and / or,

[0024] The depth of the groove gradually increases from the center to the edge in the direction of the tube's extension; and / or,

[0025] The opening size of the groove gradually increases from the bottom wall of the groove to the opening; and / or,

[0026] The tube body has a first fitting part on the side facing the capillary structure, and the capillary structure has a second fitting part on the side facing the tube body. One of the first fitting part and the second fitting part is a fitting groove, and the other is a fitting protrusion. The fitting protrusion is located in the fitting groove, and the opening size of the fitting groove gradually decreases along the direction from the bottom wall of the fitting groove to the opening of the groove.

[0027] In one embodiment, the tube body includes a first tube wall and a second tube wall that are disposed opposite to and spaced apart along a first direction, the first tube wall being close to the heating element and thermally connected to the heating element;

[0028] The thickness of the capillary structure on the first tube wall is less than the thickness of the capillary structure on the second tube wall of the evaporation section and the insulation section, and the first direction intersects with the extension direction of the tube body.

[0029] In one embodiment, the thickness of the capillary structure on the first tube wall is less than the thickness of the capillary structure on the second tube wall of the condensation section; or...

[0030] The tube body includes a third tube wall and a fourth tube wall that are opposite to and spaced apart along the second direction. Both the third tube wall and the fourth tube wall are connected to the first tube wall and the second tube wall. The thickness of the capillary structure on the second tube wall, the third tube wall and the fourth tube wall of the condensation section is less than the thickness of the capillary structure on the second tube wall of the evaporation section and the adiabatic section. Any two of the first direction, the second direction and the extension direction of the tube body intersect.

[0031] Secondly, embodiments of this application provide an electronic device, including a heating element and a heat pipe as described in the first aspect, wherein the heating element and the evaporation section of the heat pipe are thermally connected. Attached Figure Description

[0032] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments or exemplary embodiments of this application, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or exemplary embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0033] Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of a heat pipe provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0034] Figure 2 Another cross-sectional view of the heat pipe provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0035] Figure 3 for Figure 2 A sectional view along the AA direction.

[0036] Figure 4 Another cross-sectional view of the heat pipe provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0037] Figure 5 Another cross-sectional view of the heat pipe provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0038] Figure 6 for Figure 5 BB-direction sectional view.

[0039] Figure 7 Another cross-sectional view of the heat pipe provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0040] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0041] 100. Heat pipe; 110. Pipe body; 110a. Evaporation section; 110b. Insulation section; 110c. Condensation section; 111. First pipe wall; 112. Second pipe wall; 113. Third pipe wall; 114. Fourth pipe wall; 115. Receptacle; 120. Capillary structure; 121. Groove; 1221. First sub-capillary structure; 1222. Second sub-capillary structure; 1223. Third sub-capillary structure; 200. Heating element. Detailed Implementation

[0042] To make the above-mentioned objectives, features, and advantages of this application more apparent and understandable, the specific embodiments of this application are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Many specific details are set forth in the following description to provide a thorough understanding of this application. However, this application can be implemented in many other ways different from those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar modifications without departing from the spirit of this application. Therefore, this application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0043] In the description of this application, it should be understood that if terms such as "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential" appear, these terms indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this application.

[0044] Furthermore, where the terms "first" and "second" appear, these terms are for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined with "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. In the description of this application, where the term "multiple" appears, "multiple" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0045] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "joining," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components, unless otherwise expressly limited. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0046] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the use of descriptions such as "above" or "below" the second feature indicates that the first and second features are in direct contact or indirect contact via an intermediate medium. Furthermore, "above," "on top of," and "over" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. Similarly, "below," "below," and "under" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0047] It should be noted that if an element is referred to as being "fixed to" or "set on" another element, it can be directly on the other element or there may be an intervening element. If an element is considered to be "connected to" another element, it can be directly connected to the other element or there may be an intervening element. If so, the terms "vertical," "horizontal," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," and similar expressions used in this application are for illustrative purposes only and do not represent the only possible implementation.

[0048] A heat pipe consists of an evaporation section, an adiabatic section, and a condensation section connected in sequence. The heat pipe contains a working fluid and a capillary structure. The working fluid is the medium for heat transfer. The working fluid absorbs heat and evaporates in the evaporation section. After flowing to the condensation section, it condenses and releases heat. Under the capillary force of the capillary structure, it flows back. Through the phase change cycle of the working fluid, efficient heat transfer is achieved.

[0049] In conventional designs, the evaporation section, adiabatic section, and condensation section employ a uniform capillary structure with similar pore radii.

[0050] In some designs, capillary structures with larger pore radii are used to reduce the flow resistance of the working fluid in the capillary structure of the adiabatic section. However, when the pore radius of the capillary structure is large, it leads to a decrease in the capillary force of the capillary structure in the evaporation section, which is not conducive to the reflux of the working fluid. At the same time, the increased evaporation thermal resistance in the evaporation section and the condensation thermal resistance in the condensation section affect the thermal conductivity of the heat pipe.

[0051] In some designs, capillary structures with smaller pore radii are used to enhance the capillary force of the evaporation section and reduce the evaporation thermal resistance. However, this can lead to an increase in the flow resistance of the working fluid in the capillary structure of the adiabatic section.

[0052] Therefore, the uniform capillary structure presents a contradiction between capillary force and flow resistance, which causes the ultimate heat dissipation capacity and thermal resistance of the heat pipe to be mutually constrained, thus affecting the further improvement of heat pipe performance.

[0053] To address the aforementioned issues, embodiments of this application provide a heat pipe and an electronic device that can improve the heat conduction performance of the heat pipe.

[0054] The heat pipes provided in the exemplary embodiments of this application can be applied to network devices. These devices may include switching chips and optical modules. The switching chip is the core component in the network device that enables data exchange and transmission, performing operations such as data reception, storage, analysis, and forwarding. The main function of the optical module is to achieve photoelectric conversion. The switching chip and optical module can employ near-packaged optics (NPO) technology, co-packaged optics (CPO) technology, etc. CPO integrates the switching chip and optical module within the same package, shortening the electrical signal transmission distance, optimizing the system architecture, and significantly reducing power consumption, but its heat is more concentrated.

[0055] Because the switching chip and the optical module have different temperature tolerance specifications, they cannot share a heat sink. In an air-cooled architecture, due to space constraints in network equipment, heat pipes are needed to transfer the heat from the space-constrained area of ​​the optical module to a more spacious area to prevent localized overheating.

[0056] The following will combine Figures 1-7 The heat pipe 100 and electronic devices provided in the embodiments of this application will be described.

[0057] See Figure 1This application provides a heat pipe 100, which includes a pipe body 110 and a capillary structure 120. The pipe body 110 has a accommodating cavity 115. The pipe body 110 includes an evaporation section 110a, an insulation section 110b, and a condensation section 110c arranged sequentially along the extension direction of the pipe body 110. The accommodating cavity 115 is used to dispose of a heat-conducting working fluid. The capillary structure 120 is disposed in the accommodating cavity 115 of the evaporation section 110a, the insulation section 110b, and the condensation section 110c, and is connected to the pipe body 110.

[0058] For example, the evaporation section 110a is used to absorb heat from the heating element 200 (such as...). Figure 5 The heat pipe 100 is located below the evaporation section 110a. When heat is transferred from the heating element 200 to the evaporation section 110a, the liquid heat-conducting medium in the capillary structure 120 absorbs the heat and evaporates into a gaseous heat-conducting medium. The gaseous heat-conducting medium flows rapidly to the condensation section 110c in the low-pressure space inside the heat pipe 100. In the condensation section 110c, the gaseous heat-conducting medium releases heat and condenses into a liquid heat-conducting medium. Then, under the capillary force of the capillary structure 120, the liquid heat-conducting medium flows back to the evaporation section 110a. This cycle repeats continuously, achieving continuous heat transfer.

[0059] The pore radius of at least one of the capillary structures 120 of the evaporation section 110a and the condensation section 110c is smaller than that of the capillary structure 120 of the adiabatic section 110b. This allows for a smaller pore radius in at least one of the capillary structures 120 of the evaporation section 110a and the condensation section 110c, thereby increasing the capillary force of the capillary structures 120 of the evaporation section 110a and the condensation section 110c. In addition, it allows for a larger pore radius in the capillary structure 120 of the adiabatic section 110b, thus widening the flow channels of the heat transfer medium in the adiabatic section 110b. This helps to reduce the flow resistance of the heat transfer medium in the capillary structure 120 of the adiabatic section 110b. Therefore, the heat pipe 100 can have a larger heat transfer limit and a lower thermal resistance, which is beneficial to improving the thermal conductivity of the heat pipe 100. The capillary structure 120 includes a first sub-capillary structure 1221, a second sub-capillary structure 1222, and a third sub-capillary structure 1223. The first sub-capillary structure 1221 is located in the evaporation section 110a, the second sub-capillary structure 1222 is located in the adiabatic section 110b, and the third sub-capillary structure 1223 is located in the condensation section 110c. The pore radius of at least one of the first sub-capillary structure 1221 and the third sub-capillary structure 1223 is smaller than the pore radius of the second sub-capillary structure 1222.

[0060] Among them, the pore radius can be the equivalent pore radius, which can refer to the effective radius of the pores inside the porous material.

[0061] For example, the selection of the heat transfer medium can be determined by considering both the operating temperature of the heat pipe 100 and the material of the pipe body 110 of the heat pipe 100. For example, the heat transfer medium may include deionized water, ammonia, refrigerant, etc.

[0062] For example, the pore radius of at least one of the capillary structure 120 of the evaporation section 110a and the capillary structure 120 of the condensation section 110c is less than or equal to a first threshold, which can be in the range of 30μm-36μm. This makes the pore radius of at least one of the capillary structure 120 of the evaporation section 110a and the capillary structure 120 of the condensation section 110c smaller, which can improve the capillary force of the capillary structure 120 of the evaporation section 110a and the condensation section 110c.

[0063] For example, the pore radius of at least one of the capillary structure 120 of the evaporation section 110a and the capillary structure 120 of the condensation section 110c can be any value of 10 μm, 20 μm, 30 μm, 36 μm or less than 36 μm.

[0064] For example, the pore radius of the capillary structure 120 of the insulation section 110b is greater than a first threshold, which is in the range of 30μm-36μm. This results in a larger pore radius of the capillary structure 120 of the insulation section 110b, which is beneficial to reducing the flow resistance of the heat-conducting working fluid in the capillary structure 120 of the insulation section 110b.

[0065] For example, the first threshold can be 30μm, 32μm, 34μm, 36μm, or any value between 30μm and 36μm.

[0066] For example, the pore radius of the capillary structure 120 of the insulating section 110b can be any value of 37 μm, 40 μm, 50 μm, 60 μm or greater than 36 μm.

[0067] For example, capillary structure 120 may include at least one of sintered powder (e.g., sintered metal powder), metal mesh, and copper foam.

[0068] In embodiments where the capillary structure 120 includes sintered powder, at least one of the sintered powder in the evaporation section 110a and the sintered powder in the condensation section 110c has a larger mesh size than the sintered powder in the adiabatic section 110b. This results in a larger overall evaporation area for at least one of the sintered powders in the evaporation section 110a and the sintered powder in the condensation section 110c, which is beneficial for reducing the evaporation thermal resistance (e.g., the sintered powder in the evaporation section 110a has a larger mesh size than the sintered powder in the adiabatic section 110b). The evaporation thermal resistance of the sintered powder and / or the condensation thermal resistance of the sintered powder in the condensation section 110c also result in a smaller pore radius for at least one of the sintered powders in the evaporation section 110a and the sintered powder in the condensation section 110c, which is beneficial for increasing the capillary force of the sintered powders in the evaporation section 110a and the sintered powder in the condensation section 110c. In addition, the mesh size of the sintered powder in the adiabatic section 110b is smaller, resulting in a larger pore radius of the sintered powder, which is beneficial for reducing the flow resistance of the heat-conducting working fluid in the capillary structure 120 of the adiabatic section 110b.

[0069] It should be noted that the higher the mesh count of the powder, the smaller the particle size of the powder, and the smaller the pore radius of the sintered powder.

[0070] For example, at least one of the sintered powder in the evaporation section 110a and the sintered powder in the condensation section 110c has a mesh size greater than or equal to 80 mesh, thereby making at least one of the sintered powder in the evaporation section 110a and the sintered powder in the condensation section 110c have a larger mesh size, which is beneficial to improving the capillary force of the sintered powder and reducing the thermal resistance. The principle has been explained and will not be repeated here.

[0071] For example, the mesh size of at least one of the sintered powder in the evaporation section 110a and the sintered powder in the condensation section 110c can be 80 mesh, 100 mesh, 120 mesh, 150 mesh, 200 mesh or any value greater than 80 mesh.

[0072] For example, the sintered powder of the insulation section 110b has a mesh size of less than 80 mesh, which makes the sintered powder of the insulation section 110b smaller in mesh size. This is beneficial to reducing the flow resistance of the heat-conducting working fluid in the capillary structure 120 of the insulation section 110b. The principle has been explained and will not be repeated here.

[0073] For example, the mesh size of the sintered powder in the adiabatic section 110b can be any value of 20 mesh, 40 mesh, 60 mesh or less than 80 mesh.

[0074] In the embodiment where the capillary structure 120 includes a metal mesh, at least one of the metal meshes in the evaporation section 110a and the condensation section 110c has a mesh count greater than that in the adiabatic section 110b. This is beneficial for improving the thermal resistance and capillary force of at least one of the metal meshes in the evaporation section 110a and the condensation section 110c. In addition, it is beneficial for reducing the flow resistance of the heat-conducting working fluid in the metal mesh of the adiabatic section 110b. The principle has been explained and will not be repeated here.

[0075] For example, at least one of the metal mesh in the evaporation section 110a and the metal mesh in the condensation section 110c has a mesh count greater than or equal to 100 mesh, thereby making at least one of the metal mesh in the evaporation section 110a and the metal mesh in the condensation section 110c have a larger mesh count, which is beneficial to improving the capillary force of the metal mesh and reducing the thermal resistance. The principle has been explained and will not be repeated here.

[0076] For example, the mesh size of at least one of the metal mesh in the evaporation section 110a and the metal mesh in the condensation section 110c can be 100 mesh, 120 mesh, 150 mesh, 200 mesh or any value greater than 100 mesh.

[0077] For example, the mesh size of the metal mesh in the insulation section 110b is less than 100 mesh, which makes the mesh size of the metal mesh in the insulation section 110b smaller. This is beneficial to reducing the flow resistance of the heat-conducting working fluid in the capillary structure 120 of the insulation section 110b. The principle has been explained and will not be repeated here.

[0078] For example, the mesh count of the metal mesh in the insulation section 110b can be any value of 20 mesh, 40 mesh, 60 mesh, 80 mesh or less than 100 mesh.

[0079] In some embodiments, see Figure 1The thickness of at least one of the capillary structure 120 in the evaporation section 110a and the capillary structure 120 in the condensation section 110c is less than the thickness of the capillary structure 120 in the adiabatic section 110b. Specifically, the thickness of at least one of the first sub-capillary structure 1221 and the third sub-capillary structure 1223 is less than the thickness of the second sub-capillary structure 1222. This results in a smaller thickness of at least one of the capillary structure 120 in the evaporation section 110a and the capillary structure 120 in the condensation section 110c. When the thickness of the capillary structure 120 in the evaporation section 110a is smaller, the thickness of the capillary structure 120 that the bubbles formed by the boiling of the liquid working fluid need to pass through is also smaller. The lower resistance to bubbles results in less resistance to the steam escaping from the capillary structure 120 in the evaporation section 110a. When the thickness of the capillary structure 120 in the condensation section 110c is smaller, the resistance to the condensation of steam in the condensation section 110c in contact with the inner wall of the tube body 110 is reduced. In addition, the thickness of the capillary structure 120 in the adiabatic section 110b can be larger, which is beneficial to increasing the cross-sectional area of ​​the capillary structure 120 in the adiabatic section 110b along the extension direction perpendicular to the tube body 110. This increases the number of flow channels in the capillary structure 120 in the adiabatic section 110b, which is beneficial to reducing the flow resistance of the heat transfer medium in the adiabatic section 110b.

[0080] In other embodiments, the thickness of at least one of the capillary structure 120 of the evaporation section 110a and the capillary structure 120 of the condensation section 110c is equal to the thickness of the capillary structure 120 of the adiabatic section 110b, thereby making the thickness of the capillary structure 120 more uniform and helping to reduce the difficulty of preparing the capillary structure 120.

[0081] In some embodiments, the tube body 110 includes a transition section (not shown in the figure), at least one of the evaporation section 110a and the insulation section 110b, and the condensation section 110c and the insulation section 110b is provided with a transition section, and the capillary structure 120 is provided in the receiving cavity 115 of the transition section. In embodiments where the thickness of the capillary structure 120 in the evaporation section 110a and the capillary structure 120 in the condensation section 110c is less than the thickness of the capillary structure 120 in the insulation section 110b, the thickness of the capillary structure 120 in the transition section gradually decreases along the direction from the insulation section 110b to the transition section. This helps to avoid abrupt changes in the thickness of the capillary structure 120 between the evaporation section 110a and the insulation section 110b, and between the condensation section 110c and the insulation section 110b, which could lead to stress concentration areas inside the capillary structure 120. In addition, it also facilitates the stable and uniform transport of the heat transfer medium between the evaporation section 110a and the insulation section 110b, and between the condensation section 110c and the insulation section 110b.

[0082] In some embodiments, the pore radius of the capillary structure 120 in the transition section gradually decreases along the direction from the adiabatic section 110b to the transition section. This helps to avoid abrupt changes in the pore radius of the capillary structure 120 between the evaporation section 110a and the adiabatic section 110b, and between the condensation section 110c and the adiabatic section 110b. This facilitates stable and uniform transport of the heat transfer medium between the evaporation section 110a and the adiabatic section 110b, and between the condensation section 110c and the adiabatic section 110b.

[0083] In some embodiments, when preparing the capillary structure 120, a central rod can be inserted into the tube 110, and a sintering material can be placed between the tube 110 and the central rod. The sintering material is then sintered to form the capillary structure 120, and then the central rod is removed.

[0084] In some embodiments, see Figure 2 and Figure 4 At least one of the capillary structures 120 of the evaporation section 110a and the capillary structures 120 of the condensation section 110c has a groove 121 on the side opposite to the tube body 110, namely the first sub-capillary structure 1221. Figure 1 ) and the third subcapillary structure 1223 ( Figure 1 At least one of the capillary structures 120 of the evaporation section 110a and the condensation section 110c has a groove 121 on the side opposite to the tube body 110. This increases the heat exchange area between at least one of the capillary structures 120 of the evaporation section 110a and the heat-conducting working fluid, which helps to reduce thermal resistance.

[0085] For example, there can be at least one recess, and when there are multiple grooves 121, the multiple grooves 121 can be arranged at intervals. This application embodiment is described using the example of multiple grooves 121.

[0086] See some examples. Figure 2 and Figure 3 Multiple grooves 121 extend along the extension direction of the tube body 110, and are arranged at intervals along the circumference of the tube body 110. This facilitates the transport of gaseous heat-conducting fluid along the extension direction of the grooves 121, thereby increasing the transport rate of the gaseous heat-conducting fluid. Furthermore, during the fabrication of the capillary structure 120, it is easier to remove the central rod from the tube body 110, reducing the fabrication difficulty of the capillary structure 120. See also other examples. Figure 4 Multiple grooves 121 extend circumferentially along the tube body 110, and the multiple grooves 121 are arranged at intervals along the extension direction of the tube body 110.

[0087] For example, the opening size of the groove 121 gradually increases from the bottom wall of the groove 121 to the opening. For example, the width of the groove 121 gradually increases from the bottom wall of the groove 121 to the opening. The capillary structure 120 between two adjacent grooves 121 can form a protrusion. Along the direction from one of the two adjacent grooves 121 to the other, the thickness of the protrusion first gradually increases and then gradually decreases, so that the thickness of the protrusion near the bottom wall of the groove 121 is smaller, thereby reducing the resistance of the steam in the evaporation section 110a from the capillary structure 120, and / or reducing the resistance of the steam in the condensation section 110c contacting and condensing with the inner wall of the tube body 110. In addition, the thickness of the protrusion away from the bottom wall of the groove 121 can be larger, which is beneficial to increase the area of ​​the protrusion, thereby increasing the heat exchange area between the capillary structure 120 and the heat-conducting working fluid.

[0088] For example, the groove depth of the groove 121 gradually increases from the center to the edge in the extension direction of the tube body 110, thereby making the groove depth of the groove 121 near the end in the extension direction of the tube body 110 larger, and making the thickness of the capillary structure 120 near the end in the extension direction of the tube body 110 lower. This is beneficial to reducing the resistance of steam from the evaporation section 110a to escape from the capillary structure 120, and / or reducing the resistance of steam in the condensation section 110c to condense in contact with the inner wall of the tube body 110. In addition, the groove depth of the groove 121 near the center of the tube body 110 is smaller, which is beneficial to the smooth transfer of the heat-conducting working fluid in the capillary structure 120 of the insulation section 110b to the capillary structure 120 of the evaporation section 110a / capillary structure 120 of the condensation section 110c.

[0089] For example, the groove depth of the groove 121 can be in the range of 0.1mm-0.5mm. For instance, the groove depth of the groove 121 can be 0.1mm, 0.2mm, 0.4mm, 0.5mm or any value between 0.1mm and 0.5mm.

[0090] For example, the dimension (i.e. width) of the groove 121 along the direction perpendicular to the extension of the groove 121 can be in the range of 0.5mm-5mm. For example, the width of the groove 121 can be 0.5mm, 1mm, 3mm, 5mm or any value between 0.5mm and 5mm.

[0091] In some embodiments, the tube body 110 is provided with a first fitting portion on the side facing the capillary structure 120, and the capillary structure 120 is provided with a second fitting portion on the side facing the tube body 110. One of the first fitting portion and the second fitting portion is a fitting groove, and the other is a fitting protrusion. The fitting protrusion is disposed in the fitting groove. In this way, the connection area between the tube body 110 and the capillary structure 120 can be increased through the cooperation of the fitting grooves, and the capillary structure 120 can also be limited, which is beneficial to improving the connection stability between the tube body 110 and the capillary structure 120.

[0092] For example, the opening size of the fitting groove gradually decreases along the direction from the bottom wall of the fitting groove to the opening of the groove, and the fitting protrusion is adapted to the shape of the fitting groove. In this way, the fitting groove can prevent the fitting protrusion from falling out of the fitting groove, which further helps to improve the connection stability between the tube body 110 and the capillary structure 120.

[0093] For example, the cross-sectional shape of the tube 110 along the direction perpendicular to its extension can be circular, polygonal, elliptical, or other shapes.

[0094] For example, the thickness of at least one of the capillary structure 120 of the evaporation section 110a and the capillary structure 120 of the condensation section 110c can be in the range of 0.1 mm to 0.6 mm. For example, the thickness can be 0.1 mm, 0.2 mm, 0.4 mm, 0.6 mm or any value between 0.1 mm and 0.6 mm.

[0095] For example, the thickness of the capillary structure 120 of the insulating section 110b can range from 0.2 mm to 0.8 mm. For instance, the thickness can be 0.2 mm, 0.4 mm, 0.6 mm, 0.8 mm, or any value between 0.2 mm and 0.8 mm.

[0096] In some embodiments, see Figure 5 and Figure 6The tube body 110 includes a first tube wall 111 and a second tube wall 112 arranged opposite to and spaced apart along a first direction X. The first tube wall 111 is close to the heating element 200 and is thermally connected to the heating element 200. The thickness of the capillary structure 120 on the first tube wall 111 is less than the thickness of the capillary structure 120 on the second tube wall 112 of the evaporation section 110a and the insulation section 110b. This thinner capillary structure 120 on the first tube wall 111, which is in direct contact with the heating element 200, reduces the resistance to vapor escape from the capillary structure 120, allowing for more targeted heat dissipation from the heating element 200. Conversely, the larger thickness of the capillary structure 120 on the second tube wall 112 of the evaporation section 110a and the insulation section 110b allows the return flow of the heat-conducting working fluid to be mainly concentrated on the capillary structure 120 on the second tube wall 112. The first direction X intersects the extension direction of the tube body 110. For example, the first direction X may intersect the extension direction of the tube 110 perpendicularly or obliquely.

[0097] In some embodiments, see Figure 5 The thickness of the capillary structure 120 on the first tube wall 111 is less than the thickness of the capillary structure 120 on the second tube wall 112 of the condensing section 110c. Thus, the thickness of the capillary structure 120 on the second tube wall 112 of the condensing section 110c is larger, which can concentrate the return flow of the heat transfer medium mainly on the capillary structure 120 on the second tube wall 112.

[0098] In other embodiments, see Figure 6 and Figure 7 The tube body 110 includes a third tube wall 113 and a fourth tube wall 114 that are arranged opposite to each other and spaced apart along the second direction Y. The third tube wall 113 and the fourth tube wall 114 are both connected to the first tube wall 111 and the second tube wall 112. The thickness of the capillary structure 120 on the second tube wall 112, the third tube wall 113 and the fourth tube wall 114 of the condensing section 110c is smaller than the thickness of the capillary structure 120 on the second tube wall 112 of the evaporating section 110a and the adiabatic section 110b. Thus, the thickness of the capillary structure 120 at all points along the circumferential extension of the tube body 110 of the condensing section 110c is relatively small. The condensing section 110c can be inserted into the heat dissipation element. The resistance to condensation of vapor in the condensing section 110c is relatively low when it contacts the inner wall of the tube body 110 at all points. Moreover, the contact area between the tube body 110 of the condensing section 110c and the heat dissipation element is relatively large, thereby achieving heat dissipation of the condensing section 110c more quickly.

[0099] The heat-conducting working fluid in the capillary structure 120 on the second tube wall 112 can be transferred to the capillary structure 120 on the first tube wall 111 through the capillary structures 120 on the third tube wall 113 and the fourth tube wall 114. Figure 6 The middle arrows C and D indicate the transport direction of some of the heat-conducting working fluid.

[0100] For example, any two of the first direction X, the second direction Y, and the extension direction of the tube 110 intersect. For instance, any two of the first direction X, the second direction Y, and the extension direction of the tube 110 may intersect perpendicularly or obliquely.

[0101] This application provides an electronic device, see [link to relevant documentation] Figure 7 The electronic device includes a heating element 200 and a heat pipe 100 in the above embodiment, and the heating element 200 is thermally connected to the evaporation section 110a of the heat pipe 100.

[0102] For example, electronic devices may include network devices, computers, servers, mobile phones, tablets, or other electronic devices.

[0103] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0104] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of several implementation methods of this application, and while the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the patent application. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of this application, and these all fall within the protection scope of this application. Therefore, the protection scope of this patent application should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A heat pipe, characterized by, include: The tube body has a accommodating cavity. The tube body includes an evaporation section, an insulation section, and a condensation section arranged sequentially along the extension direction of the tube body. The accommodating cavity is used to house the heat-conducting working fluid. A capillary structure, disposed within the accommodating cavity and connected to the tube body, includes: The first sub-capillary structure is located in the evaporation section; The second subcapillary structure is located in the insulating section; and A third sub-capillary structure is provided in the condensation section; Wherein, the pore radius of at least one of the first sub-capillary structure and the third sub-capillary structure is smaller than the pore radius of the second sub-capillary structure.

2. The heat pipe according to claim 1, wherein At least one of the first sub-capillary structure and the third sub-capillary structure has a pore radius less than or equal to a first threshold, the first threshold being in the range of 30 μm-36 μm; and / or, The pore radius of the second subcapillary structure is greater than the first threshold, which is in the range of 30μm-36μm.

3. The heat pipe according to claim 1, wherein The capillary structure includes sintered powder; at least one of the sintered powder in the evaporation section and the sintered powder in the condensation section has a mesh size greater than that of the sintered powder in the insulation section. Alternatively, the capillary structure may include a metal mesh; at least one of the metal mesh in the evaporation section and the metal mesh in the condensation section has a mesh count greater than that in the adiabatic section.

4. The heat pipe according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein The thickness of at least one of the first subcapillary structure and the third subcapillary structure is less than the thickness of the second subcapillary structure.

5. The heat pipe according to claim 4, wherein The tube body includes a transition section, and the transition section is provided between at least one of the evaporation section and the insulation section, and between the condensation section and the insulation section, and the capillary structure is provided in the accommodating cavity of the transition section; The pore radius of the capillary structure in the transition section gradually decreases along the direction from the insulating section to the transition section; and / or, The thickness of the capillary structure in the transition section gradually decreases along the direction from the insulating section to the transition section.

6. The heat pipe according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein At least one of the first sub-capillary structure and the third sub-capillary structure has a groove on the side opposite to the tube body.

7. The heat pipe according to claim 6, wherein The grooves are multiple; the multiple grooves extend along the extension direction of the tube body and are arranged at intervals along the circumference of the tube body; or, the multiple grooves extend along the circumference of the tube body and are arranged at intervals along the extension direction of the tube body; and / or, The depth of the groove gradually increases from the center to the edge in the direction of extension of the tube; and / or, The opening size of the groove gradually increases from the bottom wall of the groove to the opening; and / or, The tube body has a first fitting part on the side facing the capillary structure, and the capillary structure has a second fitting part on the side facing the tube body. One of the first fitting part and the second fitting part is a fitting groove, and the other is a fitting protrusion. The fitting protrusion is disposed in the fitting groove, and the opening size of the fitting groove gradually decreases along the direction from the bottom wall of the fitting groove to the opening of the groove.

8. The heat pipe according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein The tube body includes a first tube wall and a second tube wall that are arranged opposite to and spaced apart along a first direction. The first tube wall is close to the heating element and is thermally connected to the heating element. The thickness of the capillary structure on the first tube wall is less than the thickness of the capillary structure on the second tube wall of the evaporation section and the insulation section, and the first direction intersects the extension direction of the tube body.

9. The heat pipe according to claim 8, wherein The thickness of the capillary structure on the first pipe wall is less than the thickness of the capillary structure on the second pipe wall of the condensation section; or, The tube body includes a third tube wall and a fourth tube wall that are opposite to and spaced apart along a second direction. The third tube wall and the fourth tube wall are both connected to the first tube wall and the second tube wall. The thickness of the capillary structure on the second tube wall, the third tube wall and the fourth tube wall of the condensation section is less than the thickness of the capillary structure on the second tube wall of the evaporation section and the insulation section. Any two of the first direction, the second direction and the extension direction of the tube body intersect.

10. An electronic device, comprising: It includes a heating element and a heat pipe as described in any one of claims 1-9, wherein the heating element is thermally connected to the evaporation section of the heat pipe.

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