Oscillating Heat Pipe Wick and Vent Layout for Better Heat Transfer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing oscillating heat pipes for cooling electronic components, such as laser circuitry in LiDAR devices, face inefficiencies in heat transfer due to limitations in fluid dynamics and thermal management within the evaporator and condenser regions.
Innovation Solution
The oscillating heat pipe design incorporates a channel system with wick structures located within the evaporator region, featuring U-shaped bends and vents to facilitate the oscillating motion of the working fluid, enhancing heat transfer efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If a wick structure is added within the evaporator region, then heat transfer efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a wick structure with porous material within the evaporator region to enhance capillary action and improve heat transfer efficiency. The porous wick material provides increased surface area for phase change and facilitates working fluid distribution, directly addressing the heat transfer efficiency improvement while accepting the inherent complexity of incorporating porous structures.
2Productivity
If vents are configured to enable vapour phase return from wick structure to channel, then fluid oscillation effectiveness is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the evaporator region by introducing vents that create distinct flow paths for vapour phase return from the wick structure to the channel. This segmentation allows independent optimization of liquid supply through the wick and vapour return through the vents, improving fluid oscillation effectiveness while requiring multiple manufacturing steps for the vented structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The vent structure is integrated within the evaporator region, with vents nested within or adjacent to the wick structure. This nesting approach allows the vapour return pathway to be incorporated within the existing evaporator geometry, improving fluid oscillation while minimizing additional manufacturing complexity compared to separate external vent systems.
3Loss of energy
If U-shaped bends are incorporated in the evaporator region, then thermal energy exchange is enhanced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates U-shaped bends within the evaporator region to enhance thermal energy exchange. The curved geometry increases the thermal path length and surface area for heat transfer between the working fluid and evaporator walls, improving thermal energy exchange efficiency while accepting the geometric complexity of bent channel structures.
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 configuration significantly improves heat transfer efficiency by allowing for more effective fluid oscillation and thermal energy exchange between the evaporator and condenser regions, effectively cooling high-heat components like laser circuitry.
Implementation Method 1
at least one wick structure in fluidic connection with the channel so as to enable working fluid to flow from the channel into the wick structure
Implementation Method 2
at least one vent configured to enable working fluid in an, at least partial, vapour phase to be returned from the wick structure to the channel
Implementation Method 3
with the gaseous part of the fluid generated via evaporation within the evaporator
Implementation Method 4
and the liquid phase generated through condensation at the condenser region
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4~5A
AI summary
Examples of the disclosure relate to an oscillating heat pipe. The oscillating heat pipe comprises a channel, a wick structure and a vent. The channel is configured to enable flow of working fluid between at least one condenser region and at least one evaporator region. The wick structure is in fluidic connection with the channel so as to enable working fluid to flow from the channel into the wick structure. The vent is configured to enable working fluid in an, at least partial, vapour phase to be returned from the wick structure to the channel.