Heat Pipe Wick Hydroforming Without Chemical Mandrel Etching
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Solution Overview
Problem
The current method of forming wicks for heat pipes is complex and costly, requiring chemical etching to remove mandrels, which introduces impurities and increases time and expense.
Innovation Solution
A forming assembly using an expandable tube and a forming shell assembly to deform and shape wick mesh without the need for chemical intervention, allowing the wick to separate from the expandable tube without manual removal issues.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If chemical etching is used to remove mandrels from the wick, then the mandrels can be removed, but impurities are introduced into the wick and production time and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the mandrel removal function from the chemical etching process by using a soluble mandrel material that can be removed through dissolution in a specific solvent. The mandrel is made of a material that dissolves completely, leaving no impurities in the wick structure. This eliminates the harmful chemical etching step while achieving complete mandrel removal.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of mandrel material solubility by selecting a mandrel material that is soluble in a specific solvent under controlled conditions. By adjusting the solvent type and dissolution conditions, the mandrel can be completely removed without introducing impurities, transforming the removal process from a harmful chemical etching to a controlled dissolution process.
2Ease of manufacture
If chemical etching is used to remove mandrels, then mandrels can be removed, but production time and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the mandrel removal function from the complex chemical etching process by using a soluble mandrel material that can be removed through simple dissolution. This eliminates the need for time-consuming chemical etching steps while achieving complete mandrel removal, significantly reducing production time.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a disposable soluble mandrel material that is inexpensive and can be completely dissolved away. This eliminates the need for expensive and time-consuming chemical etching processes, making the mandrel removal step both cheaper and faster while maintaining manufacturing simplicity.
3Manufacturing precision
If complex diffusion bonding process is used to form the wick, then the wick can be formed with proper structure, but the process becomes highly complex and costly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the wick formation process into distinct stages: forming the mandrel with the desired internal structure, wrapping the mesh around it, and then dissolving the mandrel. This segmentation simplifies the overall process by replacing the complex diffusion bonding with sequential, easier-to-control steps that achieve the same structural result.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a soluble mandrel as an intermediary structure that temporarily holds the mesh in the desired configuration during formation. This intermediary is then easily removed through dissolution, replacing the need for complex diffusion bonding processes while maintaining the required wick structure precision.
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 method significantly reduces production time and cost while eliminating the need for chemical etching, resulting in a wick with proper dimensions and strength for use in heat pipes.
Implementation Method 1
The expandable tube is hydraulically expandable to an expanded configuration
Implementation Method 2
The support tube comprises pores defined therein. The pores are configured to fluidically couple a source of pressure to the expandable tube
Implementation Method 3
The expandable tube and the forming shell assembly are configured to deform the wick mesh and to form the wick
Data Source
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AI summary
A forming assembly configured to form a wick is disclosed. The forming assembly includes an expandable tube and a forming shell assembly. The expandable tube is hydraulically expandable to an expanded configuration. A wick mesh is configured to be wrapped about the expandable tube. The forming shell assembly includes a first forming shell comprising a first recess defined therein and a second forming shell comprising a second recess defined therein. The first recess and the second recess cooperate to define an outer diameter of the wick. The expandable tube and the wick mesh are positionable between the first recess and tire second recess, lire expandable tube and the forming shell assembly are configured to deform the wick mesh and form the wick based on the expandable tube hydraulically expanding towards the expanded configuration.