Floating Heat Pipe Assembly With Clamp Collar For Height Adjustment
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional heat pipes face reduced heat transfer efficiency or malfunction when used with heat sources of different heights due to structural deformation caused by bridging forces between sections with height differences, leading to potential separation of the wick structure.
Innovation Solution
A floating heat pipe assembly with a clamp collar that includes a flattened section and elastic clamping sections to resist bridging forces, allowing adjustable displacement of sections to accommodate height differences while maintaining structural integrity and capillary action efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the evaporator section or condenser section is adjusted in height location to cover height difference between two heat sources, then the heat pipe can accommodate different heat source heights, but the thermal insulated section is flexed or bent causing deformation and breaking of the wick structure
Solution Approach 1:
The heat pipe is divided into three distinct sections with different wall thicknesses: evaporator section, thermal insulated section, and condenser section. This segmentation allows each section to be optimized independently - the evaporator and condenser sections have thicker walls to withstand bridging forces, while the thermal insulated section has thinner walls to facilitate heat transfer, eliminating the need to bend the entire pipe to accommodate height differences.
Solution Approach 2:
Different sections of the heat pipe are assigned different pipe wall thicknesses according to their specific functional requirements. The evaporator and condenser sections have greater wall thickness to resist deformation under bridging forces, while the thermal insulated section has smaller wall thickness to maintain efficient heat transfer. This local differentiation of structural properties resolves the contradiction between height adjustment capability and wick structure integrity.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the thermal insulated section is flexed or bent to accommodate height difference, then the heat pipe can adapt to different heat source configurations, but the bridging force deforms the pipe and causes separation of the wick structure
Solution Approach 1:
The heat pipe is segmented into three sections with differentiated wall thicknesses. The evaporator and condenser sections have thicker walls specifically designed to resist bridging forces, while the thermal insulated section has thinner walls optimized for heat transfer. This segmentation allows the pipe to accommodate height differences without deforming the thermal insulated section, as the thicker sections can absorb the mechanical stress.
Solution Approach 2:
The pipe wall thickness is locally optimized for each section's functional requirements. The evaporator and condenser sections have greater structural strength to withstand bridging forces during height adjustment, while the thermal insulated section maintains thinner walls for efficient heat transfer. This local quality differentiation enables height difference accommodation without compromising overall pipe structural strength or causing wick structure separation.
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 floating heat pipe assembly with a clamp collar effectively maintains heat transfer efficiency by resisting structural deformation and bridging forces, ensuring reliable operation even with height differences between heat sources.
Implementation Method 1
The principle for the heat pipe to dissipate heat is the two-phase change of the working fluid in the heat pipe. More specifically, the working fluid absorbs heat from a heat source located corresponding to an evaporator section that is located at an end of the heat pipe, such that the working fluid is finally vaporized and changes from a liquid phase into a vapor phase.
Implementation Method 2
a floating heat pipe assembly and a clamp collar for using therewith... avoids a floating heat pipe from reduced efficiency of capillary action or malfunction due to a structural deformation
Data Source
AI summary
A floating heat pipe assembly includes a floating heat pipe and a clamp collar used with the floating heat pipe. The floating heat pipe has a flattened section that has a flattened pipe size smaller than a pipe size of any other section of the floating heat pipe, so that the floating heat pipe is adjustable at the thinner flattened section for other sections of the floating heat pipe located at two opposite ends of the flattened section to displace to two positions having a height difference between them. The clamp collar is fitted on around the flattened section and includes two symmetrically arranged elastic clamping sections that elastically clamp on two opposite outer sides of the flattened section to hold the same in place, so that the sections of the floating heat pipe located at different heights do not deform to cause reduced or failed capillary action efficiency.