Integrated heat pipe heat sink with high heat dissipation

Abstract

The utility model discloses an integrated heat pipe radiator of high -efficient heat dissipation, and heat pipe radiator includes evaporimeter and condenser, and the evaporimeter is U type pipe, condenser parallel flow microchannel heat exchanger is equipped with a plurality of flat tubes of parallel arrangement between upper header and lower header, and is equipped with fin between adjacent flat tubes, U type pipe and condenser integration design have simplified the pipeline connection between evaporimeter and condenser, and the quantity of welding spot has reduced greatly, and has built high -efficient, compact and reliable heat pipe circulation loop simultaneously, and when being applied to the controller heat dissipation of air conditioning outdoor unit, has remarkable superiority in heat transfer efficiency, structural layout, reliability and environmental adaptability etc.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model belongs to the field of refrigeration and heat dissipation technology using phase change materials, and specifically relates to an integrated heat pipe radiator for efficient heat dissipation of controller electronic components in electrical equipment. Background Technology

[0002] The controller of the outdoor unit of an air conditioner, as the core electronic control unit, integrates power devices such as IGBTs and MOSFETs, drive circuits, sensors, and capacitors. Due to power losses of internal electronic components and the influence of the external environment, the controller generates high heat during operation. The on-resistance of semiconductor devices increases with temperature, leading to increased switching losses. The equivalent series resistance (ESR) of capacitors increases with temperature, exacerbating high-frequency ripple losses and affecting DC bus stability, thus reducing compressor drive efficiency. Furthermore, in high-temperature environments, the inverter and related electronic components are at risk of overheating. To avoid malfunctions, the inverter reduces current at high temperatures to lower component temperatures. However, this reduced current also lowers the compressor frequency, consequently reducing the air conditioner's cooling effect.

[0003] In existing technologies, heat pipe radiators have been used in the controllers of outdoor air conditioning units, but there are very few such solutions and insufficient research. This is mainly due to two major bottlenecks: space layout and cost control.

[0004] From a spatial layout perspective, modern air conditioner outdoor units are increasingly compact in their internal structure to meet market demands for miniaturization and lightweight design. The outdoor unit needs to integrate multiple core components such as the compressor, fan, heat exchanger, and electronic control module, leaving extremely limited space for heat dissipation on the control board. Heat pipe radiators require complete evaporator and condenser assemblies; the evaporator needs to be in close contact with the heat source (such as the power devices on the control board), while the condenser needs to occupy a large airflow area for effective heat dissipation. The spatial arrangement requirements of these two components significantly conflict with the existing layout of outdoor units. Furthermore, the routing and bending degree of the heat pipes are constrained by their internal capillary structure and working fluid flow characteristics, making it difficult to adapt to the complex three-dimensional space of the outdoor unit. Forced installation may result in excessive bending of the heat pipes, disrupting the internal working fluid circulation path and significantly reducing heat dissipation performance.

[0005] In terms of cost control, heat pipe radiators have a complex structure. Their core components include sealed heat pipes, high-precision heat dissipation fins, and compatible mounting brackets. Heat pipe manufacturing requires multiple precision processes such as vacuuming, refrigerant filling, and sealing welding. Assembling heat pipe radiators requires additional assembly processes and specialized tooling equipment, increasing labor and equipment costs in the production process. From a market competition perspective, air conditioning products are highly price-sensitive. The increased cost of heat pipe radiators will weaken the product's market competitiveness, causing manufacturers to prefer traditional air-cooling or passive cooling solutions when balancing improved heat dissipation performance with cost control.

[0006] In summary, the dual limitations of spatial layout and cost control are key obstacles to the widespread application of heat pipe radiators in the field of heat dissipation for outdoor unit controllers of air conditioners, and innovative solutions are urgently needed to overcome these technical bottlenecks. Utility Model Content

[0007] In view of the above problems, this utility model proposes an integrated heat pipe radiator with high-efficiency heat dissipation, including an evaporator and a condenser, and further comprising:

[0008] The evaporator includes a U-shaped tube made of flat tubes. The U-shaped tube includes an evaporation section, a connecting section and a reflux section connected in sequence. The evaporation section is longer than the reflux section and forms a height difference in the vertical direction. The evaporation section is used to make heat conduction contact with the heat source, and the reflux section is used to receive the refrigerant recirculated from the condenser.

[0009] The condenser includes an upper manifold and a lower manifold, with multiple parallel flat tubes arranged between the upper and lower manifolds, and fins between adjacent flat tubes.

[0010] The condenser and evaporator form a heat pipe circulation loop and are integrated into a single structure. In the vertical direction, the condenser is located within the height difference between the evaporation section and the reflux section of the U-shaped tube.

[0011] The evaporator employs a U-shaped tube structure made of flat tubing, with the evaporation section longer than the reflux section, creating a vertical height difference. This design utilizes gravity to assist the refrigerant in flowing back from the condenser to the evaporation section, achieving refrigerant circulation without the need for additional power. This effectively solves the energy consumption problem of traditional heat pipes that rely on capillary structures or external forces, significantly improving the heat transfer efficiency and stability of the heat pipe system. The condenser is positioned within the height difference between the evaporation and reflux sections of the U-shaped tube, forming an integrated loop with the evaporator. This layout optimizes the spatial placement of the condenser and evaporator, avoiding the spatial conflicts that traditional heat pipe radiators require separate evaporator and condenser placements. Compared to existing technologies, the integrated structure significantly reduces the space occupancy of the cooling system, making it particularly suitable for installations in compact environments such as inside the outdoor unit of an air conditioner.

[0012] Preferably, the evaporator's flat tube body has an internal cavity structure, and the condenser's flat tubes include a parallel flow microchannel structure. The flat tube cavity is formed using an extrusion molding process, eliminating the need for an internal capillary wick compared to the complex vacuum welding process of traditional heat pipes, thus avoiding the risk of capillary wick blockage and reducing material costs and assembly time. The parallel flow microchannels (channel equivalent diameter 0.5-1.5mm) reduce the thickness of the working fluid flow boundary layer, and the parallel flow design of the microchannels ensures uniform distribution of the working fluid in each flat tube, avoiding the uneven flow problem of traditional cross-flow structures. In particular, the flat tube body of the evaporator and the flat tubes of the condenser have essentially the same cross-sectional length, resulting in a regular-sized integrated heat pipe radiator suitable for integral installation on electrical heating components for heat dissipation.

[0013] Preferably, the bottom of the upper manifold has multiple ports evenly distributed along its length, and the bottom end of the upper manifold is directly connected to the upper end of the evaporation section; the top of the lower manifold has multiple flat tube connection ports evenly distributed along its length, and the bottom end of the lower manifold is directly connected to the upper end of the reflux section. The upper end of the U-shaped tube evaporation section is directly connected to the upper manifold, and the upper end of the U-shaped tube reflux section is directly connected to the lower manifold. The evaporator and condenser are integrated together to form a heat pipe circulation loop.

[0014] The direct connection design between the manifold end and the U-shaped tube eliminates the need for transition fittings, corrugated pipes, and other accessories required in traditional connection methods, thus shortening the overall axial dimension of the radiator and increasing its volumetric density. In the case of an air conditioner outdoor unit's electrical control box, this structure can be embedded in an installation space with a thickness of ≤80mm, saving installation volume compared to traditional separate connection solutions. The direct end connection design also simplifies the radiator assembly process and reduces assembly time. In automated production lines, robots can complete the welding of the manifold and U-shaped tube in a single positioning operation.

[0015] The beneficial effects of this invention will be described in detail in the specific embodiments. Attached Figure Description

[0016] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this utility model, the drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. It should be understood that the following drawings only show some embodiments of this utility model and should not be regarded as a limitation on the scope. For those skilled in the art, other related drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0017] Figure 1 This is a 3D schematic diagram of an air conditioner outdoor unit.

[0018] Figure 2 This is a front view of the internal structure of the outdoor unit of an air conditioner.

[0019] Figure 3This is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the internal structure of an outdoor air conditioner unit.

[0020] Figure 4 for Figure 3 A magnified view of a portion of the image.

[0021] Figure 5 This is a first perspective view of the heat pipe radiator of this utility model.

[0022] Figure 6 This is a front view of the heat pipe radiator of this utility model.

[0023] Figure 7 This is a second perspective view of the heat pipe radiator of this utility model.

[0024] Figure 8 This is an exploded view of the heat pipe radiator structure of this utility model.

[0025] Reference numerals: 1: Upper manifold; 2: Lower manifold; 3: U-shaped tube; 4: Evaporation section; 5: Connecting section; 6: Return section; 7: Flat tube; 8: Fin; 9: Filling tube; 10: First upper plug; 11: Second lower plug; 12: First side partition; 13: Second side partition; 14: First lower plug; 15: Second lower plug; 16: Flat tube connection port; 20: Outdoor unit condenser; 21: Partition plate; 22: Control box; 23: Air duct cavity; 24: Control cavity; 25: Blade. Detailed Implementation

[0026] To better understand the above-mentioned objectives, features and advantages of this utility model, the present utility model will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0027] Many specific details are set forth in the following description in order to provide a full understanding of the present invention. However, the present invention may also be implemented in other ways different from those described herein. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0028] It should be noted that the use of terms such as "first" and "second" in this application is for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of those features. Furthermore, the technical solutions of the various embodiments can be combined with each other, but this must be based on the ability of those skilled in the art to implement them. If the combination of technical solutions is contradictory or impossible to implement, such a combination of technical solutions should be considered non-existent and not within the scope of protection claimed in this application.

[0029] Air conditioner outdoor unit controller

[0030] Figure 1-3 The outdoor unit of the air conditioner in this embodiment is shown. The air conditioner cools by transferring heat from indoors to outdoors through the phase change of the refrigerant. It is mainly completed by four core components: compressor, condenser, expansion valve, evaporator and control system. Low temperature and low pressure refrigerant vapor is drawn in by the compressor and compressed into high temperature and high pressure gas. The compressor is the power source of the whole cycle. Its operating frequency is adjusted by the outdoor unit controller to adapt to different load requirements.

[0031] High-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant gas enters the outdoor unit's condenser, where forced convection by a fan releases heat into the outdoor air, condensing into a medium-temperature, high-pressure liquid. The outdoor unit controller is the core component of the air conditioner. It regulates the compressor speed to achieve stepless adjustment of cooling capacity, meeting different load demands. It also controls the outdoor fan speed to optimize condenser heat dissipation efficiency, reducing noise and energy consumption. Furthermore, the outdoor unit controller collects signals such as temperature, pressure, and current for real-time system monitoring and protection. Essentially, the controller is a highly integrated circuit board (PCB) housing IGBT or MOSFET power modules, a microprocessor, drive circuits, and protection devices. Power losses from electronic components and the high-temperature environment exacerbate heat accumulation, causing the outdoor unit controller to operate at high temperatures.

[0032] heat pipe radiator

[0033] Traditional heat pipes require long, thin pipes to connect the evaporator and condenser, which creates thermal resistance and flow resistance, leading to a loss of heat transfer efficiency. (According to the attached manual...) Figure 5-8 As shown, in this design, the upper port of the evaporation section 4 of the U-shaped tube 3 is directly connected to the upper manifold 1, and the upper port of the return section 6 is welded to the lower manifold 2. The connection between the two ports can be an insertion type, for example, the upper port of the evaporation section 4 is inserted into the port of the upper manifold 1, and the upper port of the return section 6 is directly inserted into the port of the lower manifold 2, and then welded, thus forming an integrated evaporator-condenser structure. The thermal resistance and working fluid flow resistance are greatly reduced, significantly improving the heat pipe circulation speed. Moreover, eliminating the piping reduces welding points and potential leakage points, preventing leakage of the outdoor unit in vibration environments, such as compressor start-up and shutdown vibrations, and vibrations during transportation. The welded connection between the U-shaped tube and the manifold forms a non-flexible pipeline, which can withstand the long-term vibration working environment of the outdoor unit and avoid the fatigue breakage problem of traditional hoses. The surface of the all-aluminum or copper-aluminum material can be anodized to adapt to high humidity, salt spray and other corrosive environments. At the same time, the integrated structure can be installed as an independent module on the partition plate 21, saving piping and positioning processes compared to traditional solutions.

[0034] In addition, the multiple flat tubes evenly distributed between the upper and lower manifolds ensure that steam can be evenly distributed to each flat tube 7 after entering the upper manifold 1 from the evaporation section 4. This avoids the flow deviation caused by uneven resistance in traditional parallel pipelines, improves the uniformity of surface temperature distribution, and reduces the risk of local overheating.

[0035] Evaporator

[0036] According to the instruction manual Figure 5-8 As shown, the evaporator of the heat pipe radiator is essentially a U-shaped tube structure, the main body of which includes an evaporation section 4, a connecting section 5, and a return section 6.

[0037] The U-shaped tube is arranged vertically in the vertical direction, that is, the evaporation section 4 and the return section 6 are set in parallel. The connecting section 5 is located at the lower part between the two and conducts the lower part of the two. The connecting section 5 at the bottom of the U-shaped tube and the condenser form a height difference. When the working fluid circulates, gravity can be used to realize the automatic return of the condensate without power consumption. In the typical scenario of the outdoor unit of the air conditioner being installed vertically, the condensed liquid working fluid can fall naturally back to the connecting section 5 along the direction of gravity through the return section 6 and be supplied to the evaporation section 4. There is no need for the capillary structure or pump drive that traditional heat pipes rely on. It is especially suitable for the passive heat dissipation needs of the outdoor unit without an additional power source, reducing system complexity and energy consumption.

[0038] Evaporation section 4 is directly attached to the heating element of the control box, such as the power module. Through close contact with the high thermal conductivity material, the Joule heat of the electronic component is quickly introduced into the working fluid inside the U-shaped tube, shortening the heat conduction path and avoiding the accumulation of local hot spots.

[0039] Evaporation section 4 and reflux section 6 are distributed on both sides of connecting section 5, forming a symmetrical U-shaped structure. Therefore, evaporation section 4 and reflux section 6 can work relatively independently, and no heat conduction occurs between them. In the prior art, some structures use two plate heat exchangers that are in close contact between evaporation section 4 and reflux section 6. This design will cause heat conduction between evaporation section 4 and reflux section 6. On the one hand, it will affect the temperature of evaporation section 4, resulting in insufficient evaporation and failure to form an effective cycle. On the other hand, it will make reflux section 6 prone to boiling, which will have a reverse effect on the operation of the condenser.

[0040] Condenser

[0041] The condenser of the heat pipe radiator includes a parallel flow microchannel high-efficiency heat dissipation assembly composed of flat tubes 7 and fins 8. In this embodiment, the flat tubes 7 have microchannels with a diameter of 0.5-1.5mm arranged inside, which greatly increases the contact area between the refrigerant and the air. Combined with the corrugated or serrated structure of the fins 8, it enhances air turbulence, breaks the boundary layer, and greatly improves the air-side heat transfer coefficient. Under the forced convection of the outdoor unit fan 25, the condensation heat can be quickly released into the environment.

[0042] Working status description

[0043] In use, the heat pipe radiator is fixed relative to the heat source. A predetermined amount of working fluid is injected into the heat pipe radiator through the filling pipe 9. In the working state, the wall of the U-shaped tube 3 is attached to the heat source and absorbs heat from the air conditioner controller. This allows the refrigerant working fluid to form vapor through the evaporation section 4 and enter the upper manifold 1. After being distributed into multiple flat tubes 7, the working fluid dissipates heat and condenses. It then returns to the evaporation section 4 through the return section 6 and the connecting section 5. This allows the heat in the air conditioner controller to be continuously transferred to the evaporation section 4 of the U-shaped tube 3 and then to the refrigerant in the heat pipe. The heat is carried away by the flow of the refrigerant in the heat pipe, thereby achieving the purpose of cooling the controller and ensuring its normal operation.

[0044] The air conditioner outdoor unit is divided into two independent functional areas by a partition plate 21. The air duct cavity 23 is the main heat dissipation channel and the core area for heat dissipation of the outdoor unit. The outdoor unit condenser 20 and blades 25 are arranged inside. The outdoor unit condenser 20 is a system-level heat dissipation component responsible for refrigerant condensation and heat release. The blades 25 can be axial fans to provide forced convection airflow. The airflow generated by the rotation of the blades 25 carries heat and is discharged outdoors along the direction of the fins of the outdoor unit condenser 20.

[0045] The control chamber 24 is the core area of ​​the electronic control system, where the compressor is also installed. It has an independent sealed cavity and houses the control box 22. The control box 22 contains high-heat-generating electronic components such as the frequency converter module, microprocessor, and drive circuit. The control box 22 can be fixed to one side of the partition plate 21 by bolts or clips, with its surface tightly fitting the partition plate 21. Alternatively, it can be installed in a pre-reserved groove in the partition plate 21, exposing the heat-generating electronic components and forming the initial heat conduction interface between the heat source and the heat dissipation structure.

[0046] The U-shaped tube 3 is located in the air duct cavity 23. The evaporation section 4 can directly contact the heating element of the control box 22 through thermally conductive silicone or metal heat-conducting sheets to ensure low thermal resistance heat transfer. The condenser is located on the side of the air duct cavity 23 and is arranged vertically, that is, perpendicular to the airflow direction of the blades 25. The vertical flat tube 7 is perpendicular to the airflow direction, forming cross-flow heat exchange. The vertical arrangement of the fins 8 facilitates the discharge of dust particles with the airflow, reducing the impact of dust accumulation on heat dissipation. Its upper manifold 1 and lower manifold 2 form a microchannel heat dissipation unit with the fins 8 through the flat tube 7. The condenser is installed closer to the blades 25 than the outdoor unit condenser 20, that is, in the high-velocity area around the fan, giving priority to using high-speed airflow to enhance heat dissipation. Since the heat pipe radiator is installed vertically along the partition plate 21, the thickness of the outdoor air conditioner unit does not change compared to traditional models, perfectly adapting to the trend of compact flat and square outdoor unit design.

[0047] In continuous operation in high-temperature environments, when the outdoor temperature reaches 45℃ and the air conditioner is running at high frequency, the temperature of the heating element in the control box 22 can be controlled below 80℃ by the heat pipe radiator, ensuring that components such as the inverter module work in a safe temperature range (≤85℃) for a long time, and avoiding compressor frequency reduction or shutdown failure due to overheating.

[0048] In low-temperature environments, during winter heating mode, at an outdoor temperature of -10℃, gravity-assisted reflux is not affected by the increase in working fluid viscosity, and the condensate can still smoothly return to the evaporation section 4, maintaining stable heat dissipation circulation and solving the efficiency degradation problem of traditional passive heat dissipation solutions in low-temperature environments.

[0049] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this utility model, and not to limit it; under the concept of this utility model, the technical features of the above embodiments or different embodiments can also be combined, the steps can be implemented in any order, and there are many other variations of different aspects of this utility model as described above, which are not provided in the details for the sake of brevity.

Claims

1. An integrated heat pipe radiator for high-efficiency heat dissipation, comprising an evaporator and a condenser, characterized in that, Also includes: The evaporator includes a U-shaped tube (3) made of a flat tube. The U-shaped tube includes an evaporation section (4), a connecting section (5), and a reflux section (6) connected in sequence. The evaporation section (4) is longer than the reflux section (6) and forms a height difference in the vertical direction. The evaporation section is used to make heat conduction contact with the heat source, and the reflux section (6) is used to receive the refrigerant refrigerant flowing back from the condenser. The condenser includes an upper manifold (1) and a lower manifold (2), with multiple parallel flat tubes (7) between the upper and lower manifolds, and fins (8) between adjacent flat tubes. The condenser and evaporator form a heat pipe circulation loop and are integrated into a single structure. In the vertical direction, the condenser is located within the height difference between the evaporation section and the reflux section of the U-shaped tube.

2. The integrated heat pipe radiator with high-efficiency heat dissipation as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The flat tube of the evaporator has a cavity structure inside, and the flat tube (7) of the condenser includes a parallel flow microchannel structure.

3. The heat pipe radiator as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The flat tube body of the evaporator and the flat tube (7) of the condenser have basically the same cross-sectional length.

4. The heat pipe radiator as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The bottom of the upper manifold is provided with multiple ports evenly distributed along its length, and the bottom end of the upper manifold is directly connected to the upper end of the evaporation section; the top of the lower manifold is provided with multiple flat tube connection ports (16) evenly distributed along its length, and the bottom end of the lower manifold is directly connected to the upper end of the reflux section.

5. The heat pipe radiator as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The upper end of the evaporation section of the U-shaped tube is directly connected to the upper manifold, and the upper end of the return section of the U-shaped tube is directly connected to the lower manifold. The evaporator and condenser are integrated together to form a heat pipe circulation loop.

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