Modular Heat Pipe Additive Manufacturing with Re-entrant Grooves
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for manufacturing heat pipes with reentrant grooves are complex, time-consuming, and limited in length, especially for large dimensions, and existing additive manufacturing methods cannot produce heat pipes with large reentrant grooves effectively.
Innovation Solution
The use of an additive manufacturing method to create modular heat pipes with reentrant grooves, allowing for efficient assembly of vapor and liquid channels into larger, complex shapes, enabling the production of heat pipes with improved performance and extended lengths by connecting modules through welding, gluing, or mechanical means.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If additive manufacturing method is used to produce heat pipes with large reentrant grooves, then manufacturing capability for large dimensions is improved, but the ability to produce heat pipes with large reentrant grooves is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The heat pipe is divided into multiple modular sections that can be manufactured separately using additive manufacturing and then assembled together. This segmentation allows each module to be produced with precise groove dimensions while the overall heat pipe can achieve large dimensions and large reentrant grooves that would be impossible to manufacture as a single piece.
2Manufacturing precision
If plate stacking method is used to manufacture heat pipes, then groove dimensions can be easily fixed, but the length of heat pipe that can be produced is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The heat pipe is constructed from multiple modular sections joined together through welding or mechanical connections. Each module maintains precise groove dimensions through additive manufacturing, while the modular architecture enables the production of heat pipes with extended lengths beyond the limitations of single-piece plate stacking methods.
3Length of moving object
If modular assembly is used to extend heat pipe length, then heat pipe length is improved, but sealing and pressure resistance conditions become more difficult to satisfy
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple modular sections are joined together through welding or tight mechanical connections that merge the separate modules into a unified structure. This merging approach maintains sealing integrity and pressure resistance across the entire heat pipe while enabling extended lengths, as the joints between modules are designed to withstand operating pressures and temperatures.
4Shape
If complex architectures are produced by stacking heat pipes, then architectural complexity is improved, but thermal resistance increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
Complex architectures are achieved by joining multiple heat pipe modules together through welding or mechanical connections that create continuous thermal pathways. This merging approach eliminates the radial thermal resistances and contact resistances that would occur between stacked heat pipes, maintaining low thermal resistance while enabling complex configurations such as heat pipes with multiple evaporators or condensers.
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 approach enables the production of heat pipes with enhanced thermal performance and complex architectures, reducing thermal resistance and allowing for efficient heat transfer over longer lengths, while minimizing material usage and assembly complexity.
Implementation Method 1
The use of an additive manufacturing method to create modular heat pipes with reentrant grooves
Implementation Method 2
connecting modules through welding, gluing, or mechanical means
Implementation Method 3
The return of the liquid fluid from the condenser zone to the evaporator zone is obtained by capillary pumping
Implementation Method 4
Under the effect of a heat source applied to one end, called the evaporator, the liquid vaporizes
Implementation Method 5
At the condenser, the vapor condenses and returns to the liquid phase
Data Source
Figure 1~5
Figure 6~8
Figure 9A~11B
AI summary
Elementary module (M1) for manufacturing a re-entrant groove capillary pumping heatpipe, said elementary module being configured to be hermetically sealed to at least one other elementary module to form a re-entrant groove capillary pumping heatpipe, said module comprising a body made by additive manufacturing, said body comprising at least two end faces (12, 14), said body comprising a portion of the steam channel (2) of the heatpipe, a portion of the liquid channels (4.1) of the heatpipe and a portion of the connecting channels (4.2) linking the portion of the steam channel (2) and the portions of liquid channels (4.1), said portions of steam channel (2) and liquid channels (4.1) opening into at least one of the end faces (12, 14), at least through which said elementary module is intended to connect to another elementary module.