Heat pipe wick bonding by crimping

Abstract

A method of manufacturing a wick assembly is disclosed, the method including: placing an inner ring on a first wick; placing the inner ring on a second wick; abutting an end of the first wick with an end of the second wick; placing an outer ring around a portion of the first wick and a portion of the second wick; placing a mandrel within the inner ring; placing a die around the outer ring; and applying a force to the die, which bonds the outer ring, inner ring, first wick, and second wick together to form the wick assembly.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] (CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS) This application claims the benefit of and priority under 35 U.S.C. § 120 of U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 18 / 049,526, entitled "HEAT PIPE WICK BONDING THROUGH CRIMPING," filed October 25, 2022, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0002] (Government Contract) This invention was made with government support under contract DE-NE0008853 awarded by the Department of Energy. The government has certain rights in this invention. [Background technology]

[0003] The present invention relates generally to heat pipes used in heat transfer systems, and more particularly to wicks within heat pipes configured to transfer the working fluid of the heat pipe from a condensation region to an evaporation region of the heat pipe. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0004] The various features of the embodiments described herein, together with their advantages, may be understood as follows from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0005] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram showing a working fluid moving through a heat pipe.

[0006] [Figure 2] 1A-1C illustrate a method of manufacturing a wick assembly according to at least one aspect of the present disclosure.

[0007] [Figure 3] FIG. 1 illustrates an inner ring disposed within a primary wick, according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0008] [Figure 4] 4 illustrates the inner ring of FIG. 3 further positioned within a secondary wick, according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0009] [Figure 5] 5 illustrates an outer ring disposed around the primary and secondary wicks of FIG. 4, in accordance with at least one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0010] [Figure 6] FIG. 6 illustrates a mandrel disposed within the inner ring of FIG. 5, in accordance with at least one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0011] [Figure 7] FIG. 7 illustrates a die disposed around the outer ring of FIG. 6, in accordance with at least one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0012] [Figure 8] 8 illustrates a compressive force applied to the die of FIG. 7, according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0013] Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views. The exemplifications set forth herein are, in one aspect, illustrative of various embodiments of the invention, and such exemplifications are not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention in any manner. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0014] Numerous specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the overall structure, function, manufacture, and use of the embodiments described herein and illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Well-known operations, components, and elements have not been described in detail so as not to obscure the embodiments described herein. The reader can understand that the embodiments described and illustrated herein are non-limiting examples, and thus, the specific structural and functional details disclosed herein may be representative and exemplary. Variations and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the claims.

[0015] A heat pipe is a sealed, two-phase heat transfer component used to transfer heat from a primary side (evaporation section) to a secondary side (condensation section). FIG. 1 illustrates, as an example, a heat pipe 100 comprising the aforementioned evaporator section 102, condenser section 106, and adiabatic section 104 extending therebetween. The heat pipe 100 further includes a working fluid (e.g., water, liquid potassium, sodium, or an alkali metal) and a wick 108. During operation, the working fluid is configured to absorb heat and vaporize in the evaporator section 102. Saturated vapor with latent heat of vaporization flows through the adiabatic section 104 toward the condenser section 106. In the condenser section 106, the vapor condenses into a liquid pool 110, releasing the latent heat. The condensed liquid is returned to the evaporator section 102 through the wick 108 by capillary action. The flow path of the aforementioned working fluid is indicated by the segmented arrows in FIG. 1. The phase change process and two-phase circulation continue as long as the temperature gradient between the evaporator section and the condenser section is maintained. Because the heat transfer coefficients for boiling and condensation are so high, heat pipes are very effective heat conductors.

[0016] Nuclear systems utilize heat pipes with the evaporative section located within the nuclear fuel core and the condensing section located near a heat exchanger. The nuclear fuel vaporizes the working fluid, and the heat exchanger absorbs the latent heat in the condensing section. Examples of heat pipes in nuclear applications are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,684,848, U.S. Pat. No. 6,768,781, and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2016 / 0027536, all of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

[0017] Another use of heat pipes in nuclear systems is in microreactors. Microreactors are nuclear reactors that produce less than 10 MWe and can be deployed in remote applications. Such microreactors are housed in relatively small vessels, can operate without active human intervention, and can operate without refueling / replenishment for longer periods than conventional nuclear power plants. One such microreactor is the eVinci microreactor system designed by Westinghouse Electric Company. The eVinci system is a heat-pipe-cooled nuclear power system that uses heat pipes as passive heat removal devices to efficiently transfer thermal energy from the reactor core to a heat exchanger.

[0018] Heat pipes used in microreactors experience extreme operating temperatures (over 850°C) and require an internal wick made of a material that can withstand these temperatures and is compatible with the working fluid. This wick can be fabricated from a rolled wire mesh that is diffusion bonded into a tube. The wick tube allows the working fluid in the heat pipe to flow radially (after the latent heat is released and the working fluid is absorbed by the wick) and along its axis while maintaining its rigidity (capillary action returns the working fluid towards the evaporation section).

[0019] The manufacturing of wicks for insertion into heat pipes requires a highly complex and detailed process. At a very high level, wicks are made from a piece of wire mesh wrapped around a mandrel made from a metal tube and an inflatable bladder. Prior to diffusion bonding, the wick is mechanically deformed and bonded to the desired shape using a hydroforming device. Examples of hydroforming devices are described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 16 / 853,270 and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 012,725, which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. After bonding, the wick is diffusion bonded in a vacuum oven while maintained in a compressed state, and the material used to hold the wick in compression during diffusion bonding is removed. An example of a wick forming method is described in U.S. Patent No. 3,964,902, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Currently, a method is used to place ends on both sides of the wick using a crimp and die process as described in U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 979,822, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0020] In actual operations, manufacturing 48-inch wicks is standard practice and possible with existing equipment. However, multiple personnel are required to move the 48-inch rolled wicks to the hydroformer, and the move itself does not lend itself to full production lengths up to 22 feet.

[0021] In view of the above, it is desirable to form a full production length wick, such as a 22 foot wick, from a wick manufactured using standard practices (i.e., a 48 inch wick), such as by joining the wick end to end axially. This allows for shorter wicks to be manufactured and joined by mechanical means to create the production length wick. This operation eliminates the complications involved in manufacturing a 22 foot long wick.

[0022] Currently, a lab-grade clean space longer than the wick is required. An ultrasonic cleaning trough capable of holding the wick material before it is formed is required. For a 48-inch wick, the metal mesh is rolled along its short length and placed in the current cleaner. However, for a 22-foot-long wick, the material is 5.5 times longer, making it difficult to roll along the short axis. This can result in the tightly rolled mesh not being properly cleaned, potentially damaging or resulting in poor heat pipe performance.

[0023] With the systems and processes in place to connect short wicks, the ease of short wick manufacturing can be utilized to produce wicks of any desired length. Currently, short wicks can be quickly (within 2 hours) rolled and hydroformed. Therefore, multiple short wicks can be manufactured, tested, and quality-tested to create full-length wicks.

[0024] When joining two wicks, the joint must pass a bubble test. The bubble test indicates the wick's performance. While immersed in deionized water, pressure is slowly applied to the wick using an inert gas. The higher the pressure the wick can hold, the better it will perform in the heat pipe. This joint must be as pressure-resistant as the rest of the wick. Therefore, the wick joining method must be thin enough not to restrict the flow during operation, between gas in the center of the wick and liquid between the outer surface of the wick and the inner surface of the heat pipe tube.

[0025] Referring now to FIG. 2 , a method 200 for manufacturing a wick assembly is provided in accordance with at least one aspect of the present disclosure. In various embodiments, the method 200 includes disposing (202) an inner ring on a primary wick. In one aspect, referring to FIG. 3 , an inner ring 302 and a primary wick 304 are provided. The inner ring 302 defines an outer diameter, and the primary wick 304 defines an inner diameter. In some embodiments, the inner diameter of the primary wick 304 is substantially the same as the outer diameter of the inner ring 302. Thus, when the inner ring 302 is inserted into the primary wick 304, a tight friction fit is created therebetween. In various other embodiments, the outer diameter of the inner ring 302 can be smaller than the inner diameter of the primary wick 304, allowing the inner ring 302 to move easily within the primary wick 304. In various embodiments, the primary wick 304 and the inner ring 302 can be made of similar materials. In various other embodiments, the primary wick 304 and the inner ring 302 can be made of different materials.

[0026] In various embodiments, the method 200 further comprises disposing (204) an inner ring in the secondary wick. In one aspect, with reference to FIG. 5 , a secondary wick 306 is provided defining an inner diameter. In some embodiments, the inner diameter of the secondary wick 306 is substantially the same as the outer diameter of the inner ring 302. Thus, when the inner ring 302 is inserted into the secondary wick 306, a tight friction fit is created therebetween. In various other embodiments, the outer diameter of the inner ring 302 can be smaller than the inner diameter of the secondary wick 306, allowing the inner ring 302 to move easily within the secondary wick 306. In various embodiments, the inner diameter of the secondary wick 306 is substantially the same as the inner diameter of the first wick 304. In various other embodiments, the inner diameter of the second wick 306 is different from the inner diameter of the first wick 304.

[0027] In various embodiments, the insertion of the inner ring 302 into the second wick 306 occurs after the inner ring 302 is inserted into the first wick 304. In various other embodiments, the insertion of the inner ring 302 into the second wick 306 occurs substantially simultaneously with the insertion of the inner ring 302 into the first wick 304. In various other embodiments, the inner ring 302 is inserted into the first wick 304 and the second wick 306 such that approximately half of the outer surface area of ​​the inner ring 302 is covered by the first wick 304 and approximately half of the outer surface area of ​​the inner ring 302 is covered by the second wick 306, as shown in FIG. 4 . In various other embodiments, more of the inner ring 302 is disposed on one of the wicks 304, 306 than the other. In one embodiment, the inner ring 302 is positioned so that 75% of the outer surface area of ​​the inner ring 302 is covered by the first wick 304 and the remaining 25% of the outer surface area of ​​the inner ring 302 is covered by the second wick 306.

[0028] In various embodiments, the inner ring 302 is made from a 3D printing manufacturing process so that any suitable size wick can be made. In one aspect, the 3D printed inner ring comprises a 3D printed stainless steel inner ring having a porosity similar to one or both of the first wick 304 and the second wick 306.

[0029] In various embodiments, the method 200 further includes abutting (206) an end of the first wick with an end of the second wick. In one aspect, with reference to FIG. 5 , the end 305 of the first wick 304 abuts the end 307 of the second wick such that the inner ring 302 is completely covered by the first wick 304 and the second wick 306. In some embodiments, the end 305 of the first wick defines an edge perpendicular to the length of the first wick 304, and the end 307 of the second wick 306 defines an edge perpendicular to the length of the second wick 306. Thus, abutting the ends 305, 307 of the first wick 304 and the second wick 306 comprises abutting the perpendicular edges of the first wick 304 and the second wick 306, thereby forming a circumferential seal around the inner ring 302. In some embodiments, the end 305 of the first wick 304 defines a first finger, and the end 307 of the second wick 306 defines a second finger. Thus, abutting the ends 305, 307 of the first wick 304 and the second wick 306 comprises interlacing the first finger of the first wick 304 and the second finger of the second wick 306. In various embodiments, the abutting step (206) is omitted such that a gap is defined between the end 305 of the first wick 304 and the end 307 of the second wick 306, leaving a portion of the inner ring 302 exposed.

[0030] In various embodiments, method 200 further includes disposing (208) an outer ring around a portion of the first wick and a portion of the second wick. In one aspect, referring to FIG. 5 , outer ring 308 is disposed around a portion of first wick 304 and a portion of second wick 306 such that first wick 304, second wick 306, and inner ring 302 are captured by outer ring 308. In various embodiments, the length of inner ring 302 and the length of outer ring 308 are the same. In other various embodiments, the length of inner ring 302 is greater than the length of outer ring 308. In various embodiments, the length of outer ring 308 is greater than the length of inner ring 302.

[0031] In one aspect, the outer ring 308 defines an inner diameter, the first wick 304 defines an outer diameter, and the second wick 306 defines an outer diameter. In various embodiments, the inner diameter of the outer ring 308, the outer diameter of the first wick 304, and the outer diameter of the second wick 306 are substantially the same. Thus, disposing the outer ring 308 around the first wick 304 and the second wick 306 creates a tight friction fit therebetween. In various other embodiments, the inner diameter of the outer ring 308 can be larger than the outer diameter of the first wick 304 and the outer diameter of the second wick 306, allowing the outer ring 308 to easily move along the length of the first wick 304 and the second wick 306. In various embodiments, the outer ring 308 can be positioned around the first wick 304 and the second wick 306 such that a first portion of the first wick 304 and a second portion of the second wick 306 captured by the outer ring 308 are the same, as seen in FIG. 5. In various other embodiments, the outer ring 308 can be positioned around the first wick 304 and the second wick 306 such that a first portion of the first wick 304 and a second portion of the second wick 306 captured by the outer ring are different. In various embodiments, the inner ring 302 and the outer ring 308 function cooperatively to define a junction between the first wick 304 and the second wick 306, as described in more detail below.

[0032] In various embodiments, the outer ring 308 is made from a 3D printing manufacturing process so that any suitable size wick can be made. In one aspect, the 3D printed outer ring comprises a 3D printed stainless steel outer ring having a porosity similar to one or both of the first wick 304 and the second wick 306.

[0033] In various embodiments, the method 200 further includes placing (210) a mandrel within the inner ring. Referring to FIG. 6 , a mandrel 310 is provided that can be placed within the inner ring 302 by threading the head 312 of the mandrel 310, from which a bar 314 extends, through the open end of the first wick 304. In various other embodiments, the mandrel 310 can be placed within the inner ring 302 by threading the head 312 of the mandrel 310, along with the bar 314, through the open end of the second wick 306. In various embodiments, the head 312 of the mandrel 310 can be constructed of a material that is sufficiently rigid to maintain its shape when the wick assembly is defined, as described in more detail below. In one embodiment, the mandrel 310 can be constructed of stainless steel. In various embodiments, the mandrel 310 is polished to reduce friction when the head 312 of the mandrel 310 is inserted into the inner ring 302.

[0034] In various embodiments, the head 312 of the mandrel 310 defines an outer diameter that corresponds to the inner diameter of the wick assembly, as described in more detail below. Thus, the shape of the head 312 of the mandrel 310 defines the final shape of the inner ring 302, the first wick 304, the second wick 306, and the outer ring 308, as described in more detail below. In various embodiments, the head 312 of the mandrel 310 defines a circular shape. In various other embodiments, the head 312 of the mandrel 310 defines an oval, star, square, rectangular, or any other suitable shape for use with a heat pipe, as desired. In various embodiments, the head 312 of the mandrel 310 is adjustable so that the head 312 can be positioned within inner rings 302 of various sizes. In one embodiment, the head 312 of the mandrel 310 includes a tube expander that allows a user to adjust the head 312 of the mandrel 310 to different sizes. In some embodiments, the head 312 of the mandrel 310 comprises an expandable or inflatable head that can transition between an unexpanded state and an expanded state. As the head transitions to the expanded state, the head can press the inner ring 302 against the first wick 304 and the second wick 306.

[0035] In various embodiments, the method 200 further includes disposing 212 a die around the outer ring. In one aspect, with reference to FIG. 7 , a die 316 is provided that defines an inner diameter substantially the same as the outer diameter of the outer ring 308. In various other embodiments, the inner diameter of the die 316 can be greater than the outer diameter of the outer ring 308. In various embodiments, the die 316 can include a first, top clamshell 318 that defines a first recess 319 and a bottom, second clamshell 320 that defines a second recess 321 that cooperatively function to define the inner diameter of the die 316.

[0036] In some embodiments, the first clamshell 318 is pivotally coupled to the second clamshell 320 such that the first clamshell 318 can pivot between an open configuration and a closed configuration. In the open configuration, the die 316 can receive the outer ring 308, the inner ring 302, the first wick 304, and the second wick 306 within the first recess 319 or the second recess 321. In the closed configuration, the die 316 can maintain the outer ring 308, the inner ring 302, the first wick 304, and the second wick 306 within the die 316. In some other embodiments, the first clamshell 318 is separate from the second clamshell 320, i.e., not fixedly attached to the second clamshell 320, such that the first clamshell 318 can translate independently of the second clamshell 320. In one embodiment, in the closed configuration, the first recess 319 and the second recess 321 define a shape that is identical to the shape of the head 312 of the mandrel 310. Thus, the first recess 319, the second recess 321, and the head 312 of the mandrel 310 cooperate to define the final shape of the wick assembly.

[0037] In various embodiments, the method 200 further includes applying a force (214) to the die to form the wick assembly. In one aspect, applying a force, such as a compressive force F, to the die 316 crimps the outer ring 308 to the inner ring 302, creating compression between the first wick 304 and the second wick 306 and crimping the outer ring 308, inner ring 302, first wick 304, and second wick 306 together to form the wick assembly. The head 312 of the mandrel 310 applies a repulsive force against the compressive force F, defining the final shape of the joint of the wick assembly. In one aspect, the head 312 of the mandrel 310 ensures that an even amount of compression is applied by the die 316.

[0038] In various other embodiments, the method 200 does not include positioning a die around the outer ring (212) and applying a force to form a wick assembly (214). Rather, as described above, the mandrel may include an expandable, or inflatable, head that can transition toward an expanded state to apply a force to the inner ring. In such embodiments, the expandable, or inflatable, head applies a force sufficient to form a wick assembly having the inner ring 302, the first wick 304, and the second wick 306. In various other embodiments, the method may collectively include the positioning step (212) and the applying a force step (214), while simultaneously applying a force to the inner ring 302 with the expandable, or inflatable, head. Thus, the die and the expandable, or inflatable, head may cooperate to apply a force to the inner ring 302, the first wick 304, and the second wick 304 to form the wick assembly.

[0039] After the compressive force F is applied to the wick assembly by the die 316, the wick assembly can be removed from the die 316 and the mandrel 310 can be pulled out of the wick assembly. Through prototyping, the inventors have found that there is some bounce from the outer ring 308 after compression, which allows the mandrel 310 to slide out of the wick assembly after compression. Additional wicks can be added to the wick assembly by repeating the above-described method 200 as necessary to increase the final length. As noted above, a full production length wick is 22 feet. Thus, in one embodiment, the above-described method 200 can be performed five times with a 48-inch wick, followed by another time with a 24-inch wick to build a 22-foot wick containing five junctions.

[0040] Once the final length of the wick assembly is achieved using the methods described above, the wick assembly can be diffusion bonded using any suitable diffusion bonding method to fuse the first wick 304, second wick 306, inner ring 302, and outer ring 308 at their respective joints. The fused wick assembly can then be placed into a heat pipe.

[0041] In various embodiments, the first wick 304 and the second wick 306 have the same characteristics, such as length, material, porosity, diameter, or any other suitable characteristic associated with a wick as described elsewhere herein. In various other embodiments, the first wick 304 and the second wick 306 have at least one different characteristic. Thus, the method 200 described above enables a user to create a wick assembly having different characteristics along its length. For example, in some embodiments, the first wick 304 includes a first porosity and the second wick 306 includes a second porosity that is different from the first porosity. Thus, a wick assembly can be created using the first wick 304 and the second wick 306 such that the wick assembly has a porosity that varies along the axis of the wick assembly, and therefore, along the axis of the heat pipe.

[0042] In various embodiments, the inner ring 302 and the outer ring 308 extend linearly such that adjacent wicks are joined together to form a linearly extending wick assembly. In various other embodiments, the inner ring 302 and the outer ring 308 can extend radially such that adjacent wicks are joined together to form a radially extending wick assembly. Thus, the above-described method 200 allows a user to fabricate a wick assembly that can be placed in a curved heat pipe, as opposed to a linear heat pipe.

[0043] Various aspects of the subject matter described herein are illustrated in the following examples.

[0044] Example 1 - A method of manufacturing a wick assembly, comprising: placing an inner ring on a first wick; placing the inner ring on a second wick; abutting an end of the first wick and an end of the second wick; placing an outer ring around a portion of the first wick and a portion of the second wick; placing a mandrel within the inner ring; placing a die around the outer ring; applying a force to the die, wherein the force bonds the outer ring, the inner ring, the first wick, and the second wick together to form the wick assembly.

[0045] Example 2 - The method of Example 1, further comprising removing the mandrel from the wick assembly.

[0046] Example 3 - The method of Example 1 or 2, further comprising removing the die from the wick assembly.

[0047] Example 4 - The method of Example 3, further comprising diffusion bonding the wick assembly.

[0048] Example 5 - A method according to any one of Examples 1 to 4, further comprising defining a first edge at the end of the first wick that is perpendicular to the length of the first wick, and defining a second edge at the end of the second wick that is perpendicular to the length of the second wick, wherein abutting the end of the first wick with the end of the second wick comprises abutting the first edge at the end of the first wick with the second edge at the end of the second wick.

[0049] Example 6 - The method of any one of Examples 1 to 4, further comprising defining a first finger portion at the end of the first wick and defining a second finger portion at the end of the second wick, wherein abutting the end of the first wick and the end of the second wick comprises interweaving the first finger portion and the second finger portion.

[0050] Example 7 - A method of preparing a heat pipe, the method comprising: manufacturing a wick assembly comprising placing an inner ring on a first wick; placing the inner ring on a second wick; placing an outer ring around a portion of the first wick and a portion of the second wick; placing a die around the outer ring; applying a force to the die, the force bonding the outer ring, the inner ring, the first wick, and the second wick together to form the wick assembly; diffusion bonding the wick assembly; and placing the diffusion bonded wick assembly into the heat pipe.

[0051] Example 8 - The method of Example 7, further comprising placing a mandrel within the inner ring prior to applying the force to the die.

[0052] Example 9 - The method of Example 8, further comprising removing the mandrel from the wick assembly after applying the force to the die.

[0053] Example 10 - The method of any one of Examples 7-9, wherein forming the wick assembly further comprises abutting an end of the first wick and an end of the second wick.

[0054] Example 11 - A method according to Example 10, further comprising defining a first edge at the end of the first wick that is perpendicular to the length of the first wick, and defining a second edge at the end of the second wick that is perpendicular to the length of the second wick, wherein abutting the end of the first wick with the end of the second wick comprises abutting the first edge at the end of the first wick with the second edge at the end of the second wick.

[0055] Example 12 - The method of Example 10, further comprising defining a first finger portion at the end of the first wick and defining a second finger portion at the end of the second wick, wherein abutting the end of the first wick and the end of the second wick comprises interweaving the first finger portion and the second finger portion.

[0056] Example 13 - A method of manufacturing a wick assembly, comprising: placing an inner ring on a first wick having a first characteristic; placing the inner ring on a second wick having a second characteristic different from the first characteristic; abutting an end of the first wick and an end of the second wick; placing an outer ring around a portion of the first wick and a portion of the second wick; placing a mandrel within the inner ring; placing a die around the outer ring; applying a force to the die, wherein the force bonds the outer ring, the inner ring, the first wick, and the second wick together to form the wick assembly.

[0057] Example 14 - The method of Example 13, wherein the first property comprises a material of the first wick and the second property comprises a material of the second wick.

[0058] Example 15 - The method of Example 13 or 14, wherein the first characteristic comprises a length of the first wick and the second characteristic comprises a length of the second wick.

[0059] Example 16 - The method of any one of Examples 13-15, wherein the first property comprises a porosity of the first wick and the second property comprises a porosity of the second wick.

[0060] Example 17 - The method of any one of Examples 13-16, further comprising removing the die from the wick assembly.

[0061] Example 18 - The method of Example 17, further comprising diffusion bonding the wick assembly.

[0062] Example 19 - A method according to any one of Examples 13 to 18, further comprising defining a first edge at the end of the first wick that is perpendicular to the length of the first wick, and defining a second edge at the end of the second wick that is perpendicular to the length of the second wick, wherein abutting the end of the first wick with the end of the second wick comprises abutting the first edge at the end of the first wick with the second edge at the end of the second wick.

[0063] Example 20 - The method of any one of Examples 13 to 18, further comprising defining a first finger portion at the end of the first wick and defining a second finger portion at the end of the second wick, wherein abutting the end of the first wick and the end of the second wick comprises interweaving the first finger portion and the second finger portion.

[0064] One or more components may be referred to herein as being "configured to," "configurable to," "operable to," "adapted to," "capable of," "adaptable to," "adaptable to," etc. Those skilled in the art will recognize that, unless the context requires otherwise, "configured to" may generally encompass active and / or inactive and / or standby components.

[0065] Those skilled in the art will generally recognize that terms used in this specification, and particularly in the appended claims (e.g., the body of the appended claims), are generally intended as "open" terms (e.g., the term "comprises" should be interpreted as "including, but not limited to," the term "having" should be interpreted as "having at least," the term "comprises" should be interpreted as "including, but not limited to," etc.). Those skilled in the art will further understand that if a specific number of recitations of an introduced claim are intended, such intention will be explicitly set forth in the claim; otherwise, no such intention exists. For example, as an aid to understanding, the appended claims below may use the introductory phrases "at least one" and "one or more" to introduce the recitations of the claims. However, the use of such phrases should not be construed as meaning that the introduction of a claim recitation by the indefinite article "a" or "an" limits a particular claim that includes such introduced claim recitation to claims that include only one such introduced claim recitation, even if the same claim includes the introductory phrase "one or more" or "at least one" and an indefinite article such as "a" or "an" (e.g., "a" and / or "an" should ordinarily be interpreted to mean "at least one" or "one or more").

[0066] Furthermore, even when a specific number in an introduced claim is explicitly recited, those skilled in the art will recognize that such recitation should generally be interpreted to mean at least the recited number (e.g., the recitation "two items" without other modifiers generally means at least two items, or more than two items). Furthermore, when a conventional description similar to "at least one of A, B, and C, etc." is used, such a configuration is generally intended in the sense that those skilled in the art would understand the conventional description (e.g., "a system having at least one of A, B, and C" includes, but is not limited to, systems having A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C together, B and C together, and / or A, B, and C together, etc.). When conventional language similar to "at least one of A, B, or C, etc." is used, such configuration is generally intended in the sense that one of ordinary skill in the art would understand the conventional language (e.g., "a system having at least one of A, B, or C" includes, but is not limited to, a system having A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C together, B and C together, and / or A, B, and C together, etc.). As will be further understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, whether in the specification, claims, or drawings, disjunctive words and / or phrases typically presenting two or more alternative terms should be understood to contemplate the possibility of including one of the terms, either of the terms, or both terms, unless the context dictates otherwise. For example, the phrase "A or B" is typically understood to include the possibilities of "A" or "B" or "A and B."

[0067] With respect to the appended claims, those skilled in the art will understand that the operations described therein may generally be performed in any order. Also, while various operational flow diagrams are shown in a sequence, it should be understood that various operations may be performed in an order other than that shown, or may be performed simultaneously. Examples of such alternative sequences may include overlapping, alternating, interrupted, reordered, progressive, preparatory, supplemental, simultaneous, reversed, or other variations, unless the context dictates otherwise. Furthermore, terms such as past tense adjectives, such as "responsive to" and "related to," are generally not intended to exclude such variations, unless the context dictates otherwise.

[0068] It should be noted that references to "one embodiment," "an embodiment," "exemplary," "one example," etc. mean that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment is included in at least one embodiment. Thus, the appearances of the phrases "in one embodiment," "in an embodiment," "in an example," and "in one example" in various places throughout this specification do not necessarily all refer to the same embodiment. Furthermore, particular features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments.

[0069] Any patent applications, patents, non-patent publications, or other disclosure materials referred to herein and / or set forth in an Application Data Sheet are incorporated herein by reference to the extent that the incorporated material does not contradict this specification. Therefore, to the extent necessary, the disclosures expressly set forth herein supersede any conflicting material incorporated herein by reference. Any material, or portion thereof, purportedly incorporated herein by reference that contradicts any existing definitions, statements, or other disclosure material set forth herein is incorporated only to the extent that no conflict arises between the incorporated material and the existing disclosure material.

[0070] "Comprise" (and any forms of comprise, such as "comprises" and "comprising"), "have" (and any forms of have, such as "has" and "having"), "include" (and any forms of include, such as "includes" and "including"), and "contain" (and any forms of contain, such as "contains" and "containing") are open-ended linking verbs. Consequently, a system that "comprises," "has," "includes," or "contains" one or more elements possesses those one or more elements, but is not limited to possessing only those one or more elements. Similarly, an element of a system, device, or apparatus that "comprises," "has," "includes," or "contains" one or more features possesses those one or more features, but is not limited to possessing only those one or more features.

[0071] As used in this disclosure, the terms "substantially," "about," or "generally," unless otherwise specified, refer to an acceptable error for a particular value as determined by one of ordinary skill in the art, which depends in part on how the value is measured or determined. In certain embodiments, the terms "substantially," "about," or "generally" mean within 1, 2, 3, or 4 standard deviations. In certain embodiments, the terms "substantially," "about," or "generally" mean within 50%, 20%, 15%, 10%, 9%, 8%, 7%, 6%, 5%, 4%, 3%, 2%, 1%, 0.5%, or 0.05% of a given value or range.

[0072] In summary, numerous advantages have been described that accrue from employing the concepts described herein. The foregoing description of one or more embodiments has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or limiting to the precise embodiments disclosed. Modifications or variations are possible in light of the above teachings. The one or more embodiments have been selected and described in order to explain the principles and practical applications, so that one skilled in the art can utilize various embodiments with various modifications suited to the particular use contemplated. The claims filed herein are intended to define the overall scope.

Claims

1. 1. A method of manufacturing a wick assembly, comprising: disposing an inner ring on the first wick; placing the inner ring in a secondary wick; abutting an end of the first wick with an end of the second wick; disposing an outer ring around a portion of the first wick and a portion of the second wick; placing a mandrel within the inner ring; disposing a die around the outer ring; applying a force to the die, the force binding the outer ring, the inner ring, the first wick, and the second wick together to form the wick assembly; A method for providing

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising removing the mandrel from the wick assembly.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising removing the die from the wick assembly.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising diffusion bonding the wick assembly.

5. defining a first edge at the end of the primary wick, the first edge being perpendicular to a length of the primary wick; defining a second edge at the end of the secondary wick, the second edge being perpendicular to a length of the secondary wick; 2. The method of claim 1, wherein abutting the end of the first wick and the end of the second wick comprises abutting the first edge at the end of the first wick and the second edge at the end of the second wick.

6. defining a first finger at the end of the first wick; and defining a second finger at the end of the second wick; The method of claim 1 , wherein abutting the end of the first wick and the end of the second wick comprises interweaving the first fingers and the second fingers.

7. 1. A method of preparing a heat pipe, comprising:

1. Manufacturing a wick assembly, comprising: disposing an inner ring on the first wick; placing the inner ring in a secondary wick; disposing an outer ring around a portion of the first wick and a portion of the second wick; disposing a die around the outer ring; manufacturing the wick assembly, comprising: applying a force to the die, the force binding the outer ring, the inner ring, the first wick, and the second wick together to form the wick assembly; Diffusion bonding the wick assembly; and placing the diffusion bonded wick assembly onto the heat pipe.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising placing a mandrel within the inner ring prior to applying the force to the die.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising removing the mandrel from the wick assembly after applying the force to the die.

10. The method of claim 7 , wherein forming the wick assembly further comprises abutting an end of the first wick and an end of the second wick.

11. defining a first edge at the end of the primary wick, the first edge being perpendicular to a length of the primary wick; defining a second edge at the end of the secondary wick, the second edge being perpendicular to a length of the secondary wick; The method of claim 10, wherein abutting the end of the first wick and the end of the second wick comprises abutting the first edge at the end of the first wick and the second edge at the end of the second wick.

12. defining a first finger at the end of the first wick; and defining a second finger at the end of the second wick; The method of claim 10, wherein abutting the end of the first wick and the end of the second wick comprises interweaving the first fingers and the second fingers.

13. 1. A method of manufacturing a wick assembly, comprising: disposing an inner ring on a first wick having a first characteristic; disposing the inner ring in a second wick having a second characteristic different from the first characteristic; abutting an end of the first wick with an end of the second wick; disposing an outer ring around a portion of the first wick and a portion of the second wick; placing a mandrel within the inner ring; disposing a die around the outer ring; applying a force to the die, the force binding the outer ring, the inner ring, the first wick, and the second wick together to form the wick assembly; A method for providing

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the first characteristic comprises a material of the first wick and the second characteristic comprises a material of the second wick.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the first characteristic comprises a length of the first wick and the second characteristic comprises a length of the second wick.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein the first characteristic comprises a porosity of the first wick and the second characteristic comprises a porosity of the second wick.

17. The method of claim 13 further comprising removing the die from the wick assembly.

18. 20. The method of claim 17, further comprising diffusion bonding the wick assembly.

19. defining a first edge at the end of the primary wick, the first edge being perpendicular to a length of the primary wick; defining a second edge at the end of the secondary wick, the second edge being perpendicular to a length of the secondary wick; The method of claim 13, wherein abutting the end of the first wick and the end of the second wick comprises abutting the first edge at the end of the first wick and the second edge at the end of the second wick.

20. defining a first finger at the end of the first wick; and defining a second finger at the end of the second wick; 14. The method of claim 13, wherein abutting the end of the first wick and the end of the second wick comprises interweaving the first fingers and the second fingers.

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