Metal Composite Wick for Heat Pipe Thermal Conductivity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current heat dissipating components, such as heat pipes and vapor chambers, face limitations in heat dissipating efficiency due to the inherent properties of highly conductive metals like copper, which restrict further improvements in thermal conductivity and fluid penetration.
Innovation Solution
A metal composite material is created by adhering pulverized carbon materials with high heat conductivity and hydrophilicity to the surface of metal powders, enhancing both thermal conductivity and hydrophilicity, thereby increasing the surface area for improved heat dissipation when used in heat pipes or vapor chambers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If highly heat conductive metals (copper or aluminum) are used in heat dissipating components, then heat conductivity is improved, but heat dissipating efficiency cannot be improved further due to material limitations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials by combining metal particles (copper or aluminum) with carbon particles (graphite or carbon nanotubes) to create a composite material that achieves both high heat conductivity and high hydrophilicity. The metal particles provide the base heat conductivity while the carbon particles enhance thermal pathways and wettability, resolving the limitation of using pure metals alone.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by creating a composite material where different components serve specific functions: metal particles provide thermal conduction, carbon particles enhance hydrophilicity and create capillary structures, and the combination creates local regions with optimized properties for both heat transfer and fluid penetration throughout the heat dissipating component.
2Reliability
If a wick formed of fine copper wire braid or sintered copper powder is used to increase contact area with working fluid, then heat dissipating efficiency is improved, but material limitations prevent further improvement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a composite wick material combining metal particles and carbon particles, where the carbon component significantly enhances hydrophilicity and capillary action compared to pure metal wicks. This composite structure allows the wick to achieve superior fluid penetration and contact area without being constrained by the physical limits of pure metal materials.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes porous structures formed by the composite particles to create capillary channels that enhance working fluid penetration. The porous composite material provides extensive surface area and capillary pathways for fluid flow, improving heat dissipation through enhanced evaporation while overcoming the limitations of dense metal wick structures.
3Reliability
If carbon material is pulverized to improve hydrophilicity, then working fluid penetration and contact area are increased, but the structural integrity must be maintained
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses composite materials where carbon particles (pulverized to enhance hydrophilicity) are combined with metal particles to form a composite structure. The metal component provides structural integrity and mechanical strength while the pulverized carbon particles maintain enhanced hydrophilicity and fluid penetration capabilities, allowing both requirements to be satisfied simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by having different components fulfill different requirements: the metal particle matrix provides structural integrity and strength, while the pulverized carbon particles distributed throughout provide localized hydrophilicity enhancement and fluid penetration pathways, allowing the material to satisfy both structural and functional requirements.
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 enhanced metal composite material significantly improves heat dissipating efficiency by increasing the surface area for fluid penetration and heat transfer, leading to more effective cooling of semiconductor devices and other heat-generating components.
Implementation Method 1
an adhesion step of applying a mechanical impact force to a carbon material and a metal powder at such an intensity as capable of pulverizing the carbon material, thereby adhering the carbon material to a surface of the metal powder
Implementation Method 2
heat generated from the semiconductor device to be cooled is once diffused to the heat spreader and then dissipated by the heat sink
Implementation Method 3
the working fluid is evaporated while depriving the latent heat. Then, when the vapors of the working fluid flow toward the low temperature side, the heat generated from the semiconductor devices is diffused and, as a result, the heat generating body is cooled
Implementation Method 4
dissipating heat and cooling the semiconductor devices via the heat spreader by latent heat of evaporation of the working fluid
Implementation Method 5
the hydrophilicity of the carbon material is improved by the pulverization. Since the carbon material improved in the hydrophilicity is exposed to the surface of the metal composite material, the hydrophilicity of the metal composite material can be improved. Accordingly, when the metal composite material is used as the wick for the heat pipe or the vapor chamber, the working fluid can be penetrated also in narrow gaps
Data Source
AI summary
A method of manufacturing a metal composite material includes applying a mechanical impact force to a carbon material and a metal powder at such an intensity as capable of pulverizing the carbon material, thereby adhering the carbon material to a surface of the metal powder.