Loop Heat Pipe Cooling System with Capillary Circulation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Traditional air cooling methods for IT devices face limitations in heat dissipation due to high power consumption, and liquid cooling systems risk refrigerant leakage and require reliable, costly pumps.

Innovation Solution

A heat-pipe heat dissipation system utilizing a loop heat pipe configuration with capillary structures and vacuum-pumping, eliminating the need for pumps by using capillary suction force for refrigerant circulation and ensuring no refrigerant leakage through quick connectors.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If a pump is used to drive refrigerant circulation in liquid cooling systems, then heat dissipation capability is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to motion parts requiring backup

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveheat dissipation capabilityVSAvoidsystem reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the mechanical pump system with a capillary wick-based passive circulation system. The capillary wick structure utilizes surface tension forces to drive refrigerant circulation without mechanical moving parts, thereby eliminating the reliability issues associated with pump motion parts while maintaining effective heat dissipation capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The system enables self-service circulation where the capillary wick automatically drives refrigerant flow from the condenser back to the evaporator without external mechanical assistance. The refrigerant circulation is self-sustained through capillary forces, eliminating the need for powered pump components and their associated reliability concerns.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

2Productivity

If a pump is used to drive refrigerant circulation, then heat dissipation capability is improved, but device complexity and cost increase due to required backup systems

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveheat dissipation capabilityVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the mechanical pump system with a capillary wick-based passive circulation system. The capillary wick structure utilizes surface tension forces to drive refrigerant circulation without mechanical moving parts, thereby eliminating the reliability issues associated with pump motion parts while maintaining effective heat dissipation capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention extracts and removes the pump component entirely from the liquid cooling system, replacing it with a passive capillary circulation mechanism. This extraction eliminates the complexity and cost associated with pump mechanisms and their required backup systems while preserving the essential refrigerant circulation function.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Ease of operation

If quick connectors are used to connect heat dissipation pipelines, then ease of installation is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to refrigerant leakage risk under high pressure

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinstallation convenienceVSAvoidconnection reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the high-pressure pump-driven system with a low-pressure capillary circulation system. This pressure reduction eliminates the refrigerant leakage risk at quick connector interfaces while maintaining installation convenience, as the quick connectors operate in a safe low-pressure environment without requiring complex high-pressure sealing mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

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 system achieves high heat transfer efficiency with stable reliability and no risk of refrigerant leakage, driven by capillary force, reducing the need for additional driving elements and maintaining negative pressure within the loop heat pipe.

Implementation Method 1

a capillary structure is provided inside the evaporation section, and the capillary structure provides a capillary suction force to enable the refrigerant to circulate in the loop heat pipe

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCapillary suction force: Capillary Action

Implementation Method 2

The heat exchanger dissipates heat from coolant in the coolant loop to refrigerant in the refrigerant loop

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPhase change: Phase Change

Implementation Method 3

the evaporation section is connected between the first steam pipe and the first liquid pipe

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectEvaporation: Evaporation

Data Source

PatentEP3193571B1Heat pipe based cooling system and power equipment
Publication Date: 2020.08.26 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD
  • EP3193571B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3193571B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3193571B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The present invention discloses a heat-pipe heat dissipation system, including a first pipeline and a second pipeline, where the first pipeline includes a first steam pipe, a first liquid pipe, and an evaporation section that is connected between the first steam pipe and the first liquid pipe, and the second pipeline includes a second steam pipe, a second liquid pipe, and a heat exchanger that is connected between the second steam pipe and the second liquid pipe. Two pairs of quick connectors are respectively connected between the first steam pipe and the second steam pipe and between the first liquid pipe and the second liquid pipe, so that the first pipeline and the second pipeline are joined to form a loop heat pipe. The loop heat pipe includes a valve and a nozzle that are configured for vacuum pumping. Refrigerant is provided inside the loop heat pipe. A capillary structure is provided inside the evaporation section to provide a capillary suction force to enable the refrigerant to circulate in the loop heat pipe. The present invention has advantages of high heat transfer efficiency, good reliability, and no risk of refrigerant leakage. The present invention further provides a power device.