Artery Heat Pipe Plate Stack Design for Vapor Bubble Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Artery heat pipes face a risk of defusing due to the appearance of vapor bubbles in the liquid artery, which prevents the resupply of liquid water to the channel at the evaporator zone, and the production process is complex, especially with extrusion methods that limit groove shape and increase thermal resistance.
Innovation Solution
A heat pipe design using a stack of plates with perforated and grooved plates to separate vapor and liquid channels, reducing heat conduction and simplifying production by allowing distributed liquid replenishment and efficient drainage, thereby minimizing the risk of defusing and enhancing heat exchange efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If traditional extrusion methods are used to manufacture artery heat pipes, then production is simplified, but groove shape is limited and thermal resistance increases
Solution Approach 1:
The heat pipe is divided into multiple segments (evaporator zone, adiabatic zone, condenser zone) with distinct functional characteristics. Each zone can be manufactured separately with optimized groove configurations, allowing complex groove shapes in the adiabatic zone while maintaining simpler structures in other zones, thus resolving the contradiction between manufacturing simplicity and groove shape flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
Different groove configurations are applied to different zones of the heat pipe. The adiabatic zone features complex grooves for optimized heat transfer, while evaporator and condenser zones have simpler groove structures suitable for standard manufacturing processes. This local differentiation allows the heat pipe to achieve both manufacturing ease and groove shape flexibility where needed.
2Use of energy by moving object
If heat conduction through the channel walls is increased, then heat transfer efficiency improves, but vapor bubble formation in the liquid artery increases causing defusing
Solution Approach 1:
A thermal management layer is introduced between the vapor channel walls and the liquid artery. This intermediary structure modulates heat conduction to the liquid artery, preventing excessive heat transfer that would cause vapor bubble formation, while still maintaining overall heat transfer efficiency through the heat pipe system.
Solution Approach 2:
The thermal conductivity parameters of the channel wall structure are optimized by adjusting wall thickness, material selection, and groove configurations. These parameter changes are designed to limit heat conduction to the liquid artery while preserving sufficient heat transfer capability, thereby preventing defusing without compromising heat transfer efficiency.
3Productivity
If the liquid artery is positioned close to the evaporator zone, then liquid resupply is efficient, but heat conduction to the artery causes vapor bubble formation
Solution Approach 1:
The groove structure acts as an intermediary between the liquid artery and the evaporator zone heating source. The grooves facilitate liquid flow while the spaced configuration reduces direct heat conduction pathways to the liquid artery, preventing vapor bubble formation while maintaining efficient liquid resupply.
Solution Approach 2:
The liquid artery is positioned in a spatial arrangement that utilizes the third dimension (depth/thickness of the heat pipe wall) to separate the liquid flow path from the primary heat conduction path. This dimensional separation allows the artery to receive liquid efficiently while minimizing thermal coupling with the evaporator zone heating source.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The design reduces the risk of vapor bubble formation and improves liquid circulation and heat exchange efficiency, while simplifying the manufacturing process and reducing thermal resistance, leading to improved operation and performance compared to traditional artery heat pipes.
Implementation Method 1
The return of the liquid fluid from the condenser zone to the evaporator zone is obtained by capillary pumping
Implementation Method 2
Under the effect of a hot source applied to one of the ends, designated evaporator, the liquid vaporizes
Implementation Method 3
At the condenser, the vapor condenses and returns to the liquid phase
Implementation Method 4
the conduction of heat from the face of the heat pipe intended to be heated towards the artery is reduced, in particular through the grooved plates which are very thin and have grooves
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 3~5
AI summary
A heat pipe with a core comprising a vapor channel and a liquid channel extending between a first end zone and a second end zone, and a stack comprising: - two end plates (18), - n perforated plates (20), n ≥ 1 comprising a first window (24), the first n windows (24) partially delimiting the vapor channel and the second n windows (26) partially delimiting the liquid channel, - n+1 grooved plates (22), each grooved plate (22) comprising first grooves (40), the perforated plate (20) being interposed between two grooved plates (22), the first grooves (40) extending between the first window (24) and the second window (26), - the first window (24) comprising second grooves (38) formed in an inner edge of the third upright (30), the second grooves (38) being arranged so that they connect two first grooves (40) of two grooved plates (22).