Capillary Pumped Micro Loop With Insulating Sleeve
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Solution Overview
Problem
Heat transfer loops with capillary pumping face inefficiencies due to parasitic heating of the liquid transfer fluid, which degrades thermal performance and can lead to loop shutdown, especially in high-power density electronic components with significant temperature gradients.
Innovation Solution
A passive thermal regulation device with a heat transfer loop featuring a microporous mass evaporator and condenser, where the liquid phase is pumped through a thermally insulating sleeve to prevent parasitic heat fluxes, and the vapor phase is evacuated through a central duct, ensuring efficient heat transfer and minimizing fluid heating.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the liquid reserve is positioned close to the evaporator for efficient capillary pumping, then the fluid circulation is improved, but parasitic heating of the liquid increases degrading thermal performance
Solution Approach 1:
The microporous mass is divided into two distinct zones: a first zone in thermal contact with the hot source for vapor generation, and a second zone thermally isolated for liquid reservoir function. This segmentation allows the liquid reserve to be positioned adjacent to the evaporator for efficient capillary pumping while preventing parasitic heating through the thermal barrier between zones.
Solution Approach 2:
A thermal barrier or insulating structure is introduced between the hot source/evaporator zone and the liquid reserve zone. This intermediary element blocks parasitic heat fluxes from heating the liquid while allowing capillary forces to continue pumping the liquid efficiently from the reserve through the microporous mass.
2Power
If the microporous mass is extended to improve heat transfer surface area, then thermal performance improves, but parasitic heat fluxes to the liquid reserve increase
Solution Approach 1:
Different regions of the microporous mass are assigned different thermal characteristics: the first zone has high thermal conductivity to the hot source for maximum heat transfer capacity, while the second zone has low thermal conductivity to prevent parasitic heating. This local differentiation allows extended surface area without proportional increase in parasitic heat fluxes.
Solution Approach 2:
The extended microporous mass is segmented into functional zones with different thermal isolation properties, allowing the overall heat transfer surface area to be increased while specific zones maintain thermal barriers to prevent parasitic heating of the liquid reserve.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the loop is miniaturized for electronic component cooling, then application versatility improves, but thermal management efficiency decreases due to parasitic heating effects
Solution Approach 1:
The miniaturized loop incorporates a segmented microporous mass with thermally isolated zones, enabling the system to maintain high thermal regulation efficiency in a compact form factor suitable for electronic component cooling applications.
Solution Approach 2:
A thermal barrier is introduced within the miniaturized loop structure to prevent parasitic heating of the liquid reserve, thereby maintaining thermal management efficiency despite the reduced scale and increased surface-to-volume ratio characteristic of miniaturized systems.
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
This design enhances thermal performance by reducing parasitic heating and maintaining fluid flow, thereby improving the reliability and efficiency of thermal regulation for high-power density electronic components.
Implementation Method 1
a microporous mass, which ensures the circulation of heat transfer fluid in the liquid phase by capillary pumping
Implementation Method 2
The fluid in liquid phase present in the reserve associated with the evaporator evaporates in the microporous mass under the effect of the heat coming from the hot source
Implementation Method 3
The fluid in liquid phase present in the reserve associated with the evaporator evaporates in the microporous mass under the effect of the heat coming from the hot source. The gas thus created
Implementation Method 4
where it condenses and returns in the liquid phase to the evaporator, thus creating a heat transfer cycle
Implementation Method 5
the first longitudinal part penetrating inside a thermally insulating sleeve located in a portion of said external tube
Data Source
Figure 1~4
Figure 2~3
Figure 5~6
AI summary
Each loop (1) of the device includes an evaporator (2) and a condenser (3) connected by an outer tube (6) in a portion of which extends a thermally insulating sleeve (9) having one end (9b) that can lead into the condenser (3) and another end (9a) that surrounds a first portion (8a) of a microporous mass (8) provided in the outer tube (6) and pumping by capillarity a liquid-phase heat-carrier fluid flowing in the insulating sleeve (9) of the condenser (3) towards the evaporator (2), while the gaseous-phase fluid flows from a vapour-collecting central duct (25) in a second portion (8b) of the mass (8) of the evaporator (2) towards the condenser (3) in a duct (11) inside said outer tube (6). The invention can be used for the thermal energy transfer from an electronic component or circuit defining a heat source (4) in relation with the evaporator (2) to a cold source (5) in relation with the condenser (3).