Flat Heat Pipe Dual Wick Structure for Fluid Return
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional flat heat pipes with wick structures face challenges in enhancing heat transport capacity due to limited vapor passage and difficulties in manufacturing, particularly in arranging complex wick structures within thin containers, which affects the capillary pumping and fluid return efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A flat heat pipe design incorporating a dual wick structure with copper fibers for capillary pumping and carbon fibers for enhanced heat conductivity, where the carbon wick is not sintered and held by the copper wick, allowing for efficient fluid return and reduced thermal resistance without the need for binder agents.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a wick structure is formed throughout between upper and lower inner faces to enable capillary pumping, then the working fluid can be returned to the evaporating portion, but the vapor passage is divided into two spaces and vapor flow is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The wick structure is segmented into two distinct parts: a first wick made of copper fibers for capillary pumping, and a second wick made of carbon fibers for heat conduction. This segmentation allows each wick to perform its specific function optimally without interfering with vapor flow passages.
Solution Approach 2:
Different materials are used for different functions within the wick structure. Copper fibers provide capillary action for fluid return, while carbon fibers provide high thermal conductivity for heat transport. This local quality differentiation resolves the contradiction by assigning specific properties to specific locations and functions.
2Speed
If the number of fibers forming the wick is reduced to expand the vapor passage, then vapor flow is improved, but the capillary pumping capability is weakened and working fluid cannot be returned sufficiently
Solution Approach 1:
The wick structure uses a composite of copper fibers and carbon fibers. The copper fibers provide capillary pumping capability while the carbon fibers enhance heat conduction. This composite material approach allows the system to maintain adequate fiber density for capillary action while improving overall heat transport performance.
3Reliability
If a wick structure having a complicated structure is arranged in the thin flat sealed container, then heat transport capacity can be improved, but manufacturing becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The complicated wick structure is segmented into two separate functional components that can be manufactured and assembled independently. This segmentation simplifies the manufacturing process while maintaining the complex functional requirements for heat transport.
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 dual wick structure enhances heat transport capacity by improving capillary pumping and reducing thermal resistance, while simplifying the manufacturing process and maintaining efficient fluid return to the evaporating portion.
Implementation Method 1
a wick structure that pulls the working fluid by a capillary pumping; a first wick formed of a plurality of copper fibers extending from the condensing portion to the evaporating portion
Implementation Method 2
heat conductivity of carbon is higher than that of copper. According to the present invention, therefore, thermal resistance of the heat pipe can be reduced by thus forming the second wick made of carbon fibers
Implementation Method 3
The end portion of the heat pipe thus brought into contact to the heat generating element serves as an evaporating portion where evaporation of the working fluid takes place
Implementation Method 4
the other end portion is brought into contact to a radiation member to serve as a condensing portion where condensation of the working fluid takes place as a result of transmitting heat to the radiation member
Data Source
AI summary
A heat pipe having enhanced heat transport capacity that can be manufactured easily is provided. The heat pipe 1 comprises a sealed container 2 and a wick structure 10. The wick structure includes a first wick 11 formed of copper fibers 11a, and a second wick formed of carbon fibers 12a. The first wick 11 is sintered to be fixed to an inner face 21a of a flat wall 21 while holding the second wick 12 therein.