Lattice Wick Heat Pipe for High Flux Thermal Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional heat pipes have limited heat flux capacity due to obstructive granular structures that impede vapor transport, making them inadequate for high power density electronics that generate local heat fluxes exceeding 100-1000 W/cm2.
Innovation Solution
A lattice wick structure with granular wicking walls and interconnect wicks is designed to facilitate liquid transport through capillary action in two directions and vapor transport orthogonally, enhancing capillary pumping pressure and vapor transport efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If a granular wicking structure is used to provide capillary pumping pressure, then liquid transport capability is improved, but vapor transport is obstructed
Solution Approach 1:
The wick structure is segmented into distinct functional zones: capillary wicking walls for liquid transport and vapor vent channels for vapor transport. This segmentation allows each zone to optimize its specific function without interfering with the other, resolving the contradiction between liquid pumping and vapor transport.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the wick structure have different properties: the wicking walls have fine granular structure for high capillary pressure, while the vapor vents have open channel structure for low-resistance vapor flow. This local differentiation allows simultaneous optimization of both liquid transport and vapor transport.
2Productivity
If the wick structure density is increased to improve liquid delivery, then capillary limit is improved, but vapor transport resistance increases
Solution Approach 1:
The wick structure is divided into wicking walls with high density for liquid delivery and interconnected vapor vents with low density for vapor transport. This segmentation enables high liquid delivery rate without increasing vapor transport resistance.
Solution Approach 2:
Vapor transport is moved to a different dimensional pathway through the vapor vent network that runs between and through the wicking walls, rather than through the granular structure itself. This dimensional separation allows independent optimization of liquid and vapor transport pathways.
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional heat pipe design is used, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but heat flux capacity is limited to less than 80 W/cm2
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the wick structure and vapor chamber into an integrated unit where the vapor vents are formed as part of the wick structure itself. This merging maintains manufacturing simplicity while enabling high heat flux capacity through improved vapor transport.
Solution Approach 2:
The wick structure uses porous granular materials with controlled pore size distribution to provide both capillary pumping for liquid delivery and interconnected pores for vapor transport. This porous material approach enables high heat flux capacity while maintaining ease of manufacture through sintering processes.
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 lattice wick structure significantly increases heat flux capacity and phase change heat transfer performance, enabling effective heat management for high power density electronics by improving both liquid and vapor transport mechanisms.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of granular wicking walls configured to transport liquid through capillary action in a first direction
Implementation Method 2
a plurality of granular interconnect wicks embedded between respective pairs of said plurality of granular wicking walls to transport liquid through capillary action in a second direction substantially perpendicular to said first direction
Implementation Method 3
each set of the plurality of granular wicking walls forming respective vapor vents between them to transport vapor
Implementation Method 4
the working fluid is heated and a portion of the working fluid in an evaporator region within the heat pipe adjacent the contact surface is vaporized
Implementation Method 5
The vapor is communicated through a vapor space in the heat pipe to a condenser region for condensation and then pumped back towards the contact region using capillary pressure created by the wicking structure
Data Source
AI summary
A heat pipe apparatus having a sintered lattice wick structure includes a plurality of wicking walls having respective length, width and heights and spaced in parallel to wick liquid in a first direction along the respective lengths, the respective lengths being longer than the respective widths and the respective heights, the plurality of wicking walls being adjacent to one another and spaced apart to form vapor vents between them, a plurality of interconnect wicking walls to wick liquid between adjacent wicking walls in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction, and a vapor chamber encompassing the sintered lattice wick structure, the vapor chamber having an interior condensation surface and interior evaporator surface, wherein the plurality of wicking walls and the plurality of interconnect wicking walls are configured to wick liquid in first and second directions and the vapor vents communicate vapor in a direction orthogonal to the first and second directions.