Loop Heat Pipe Recess Structure for Higher Heat Dissipation

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional loop heat pipes fail to provide sufficiently high heat dissipation performance.

Innovation Solution

The loop heat pipe design incorporates a structure with recesses in the pipe walls and a porous body inside the liquid pipe to enhance heat dissipation, utilizing laminated metal layers with solid-phase bonding and a capillary force to guide the working fluid effectively, preventing backflow and improving contact area with ambient air.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If conventional loop heat pipe structure is used, then manufacturing is simple, but heat dissipation performance is insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanufacturing simplicityVSAvoidheat dissipation performance
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a porous body into the liquid pipe of the loop heat pipe. The porous body has capillary pores that generate capillary force to drive the working fluid from the liquid pipe to the evaporator, preventing vapor backflow and enhancing heat dissipation performance while maintaining manufacturing feasibility through sintering or bonding processes

Inventive Principle:
Principle #31Porous materials

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a composite structure by combining the porous body with the liquid pipe. The porous body is formed by sintering or bonding porous particles within the liquid pipe, creating a composite material system that provides both fluid guidance through capillary action and structural integrity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Reliability

If porous body is added to liquid pipe, then heat dissipation performance improves, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveheat dissipation performanceVSAvoidstructure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the porous body directly into the liquid pipe structure, making the porous body an integral part of the liquid pipe rather than a separate component. This integration reduces assembly steps and overall device complexity while maintaining the heat dissipation performance benefits

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Area of stationary object

If recesses are formed in pipe walls, then contact area with ambient air increases, but manufacturing precision requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontact area with ambient airVSAvoidrecess formation precision
Core Design Contradiction:
Area of stationary objectVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent forms recesses in the outer walls of the evaporator, condenser, liquid pipe, and vapor pipe to increase the contact area with ambient air. These recesses can be formed through various manufacturing techniques such as machining, molding, or additive manufacturing, allowing flexibility in achieving the desired surface area enhancement while managing manufacturing precision requirements

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

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 design significantly enhances heat dissipation efficiency by increasing the contact area with ambient air and preventing vapor backflow, leading to improved cooling performance for heat-generating components.

Implementation Method 1

a porous body is provided inside the evaporator and the liquid pipe of the loop heat pipe, and the working fluid inside the liquid pipe is guided to the evaporator due to a capillary force generated in the porous body

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCapillary force: Capillary Action

Implementation Method 2

The heat pipe utilizes a phase change of a working fluid to transfer heat

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPhase change: Phase Change

Data Source

PatentEP3816563B1Loop heat pipe
Publication Date: 2024.08.21 SHINKO ELECTRIC IND CO LTD
  • EP3816563B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3816563B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP3816563B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

A loop heat pipe includes an evaporator to vaporizes a working fluid, a condenser to liquefy the working fluid, a liquid pipe to connect the evaporator and the condenser, and a vapor pipe to connect the evaporator and the condenser, and form a loop-shaped passage together with the liquid pipe. A recess is formed in at least a portion of an outer wall surface of a pipe wall of the evaporator, the condenser, the liquid pipe, and the vapor pipe.