HEAT PIPE WITH CAPILLARY WICK

Abstract

A heat pipe includes a casing (100) containing a working fluid therein and a capillary wick (200) arranged on an inner wall of the casing. The casing includes an evaporating section (400) at one end thereof and a condensing section (600) at an opposite end thereof, and a central section (500) located between the evaporating section and the condensing section. The thickness of the capillary wick formed at the evaporating section is smaller than that of the capillary wick formed at the central section in a radial direction of the casing. The capillary wick is capable of reducing thermal resistance between the working fluid and the casing.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Many aspects of the present apparatus and method can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present apparatus and method. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a heat pipe in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a heat pipe in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a heat pipe in accordance with a third embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a heat pipe in accordance with a fourth embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a heat pipe in accordance with related art.

Claims

1. A heat pipe comprising: a metal casing containing a working fluid therein, the casing comprising an evaporating section and a condensing section at an opposite end thereof, and a central section located between the evaporating section and the condensing section; anda capillary wick arranged on an inner surface of the casing; whereina thickness of the capillary wick formed at the evaporating section in a radial direction of the casing is smaller than that of the capillary wick formed in the central section of the casing.

2. The heat pipe of claim 1, wherein pore sizes of the capillary wick gradually increase from the evaporating section to the condensing section of the casing.

3. The heat pipe of claim 1, wherein the thickness of the capillary wick formed at the evaporating section gradually increases towards the condensing section in a lengthwise direction of the casing.

4. The heat pipe of claim 3, wherein the thickness of the capillary wick formed at the condensing section gradually decreases towards an end of the condensing section remote from the evaporating section in a lengthwise direction of the casing.

5. The heat pipe of claim 4, wherein the casing further comprises a tube attached to an inner surface of the capillary wick in the central section of the casing.

6. The heat pipe of claim 1, wherein an average thickness of the capillary wick formed at the condensing section is smaller than that of the capillary wick formed at the central section.

7. The heat pipe of claim 6, wherein the thickness of the capillary wick formed at the condensing section is uniform and different to that of the capillary wick formed at the central section.

8. The heat pipe of claim 6, wherein the thickness of the capillary wick formed at the evaporating section is uniform and different to that of the capillary wick formed at the central section.

9. The heat pipe of claim 8, wherein the capillary wick is a grooved-type wick.

10. The heat pipe of claim 8, wherein the capillary wick is a sintered-type wick.

11. A heat pipe for transmitting heat from one section of the heat pipe to another section of the heat pipe comprising: a metal hollow casing containing a working fluid therein, the casing comprising an evaporating section, a condensing section and a central section between the evaporating section and condensing section; anda capillary wick formed at an inner wall of the casing, the capillary wick comprising a first capillary wick formed at the evaporating section of the casing, a second capillary wick formed at the central section of the casing and a third capillary wick formed at the condensing section of the casing, wherein a thickness of the first capillary wick is smaller than that of the second capillary wick.

12. The heat pipe of claim 11, wherein a thickness of the third capillary wick gradually decreases towards an end of the condensing section remote from the evaporating section in a lengthwise direction of the casing.

13. The heat pipe of claim 12, wherein an average thickness of the third capillary wick is smaller than that of the first capillary wick.

14. The heat pipe of claim 13, wherein the thickness of the first capillary wick gradually increases towards the condensing section in a lengthwise direction of the casing.

15. The heat pipe of claim 14, wherein the casing further comprises a tube attached to an inner surface of the capillary wick in the central section of the casing.

16. A heat pipe comprising: a casing having an evaporating section, a condensing section and a central section between the evaporating and condensing sections;a working fluid received in the casing, the working fluid receiving heat at the evaporating section to become vapor, the vapor condensing into liquid at the condensing section; anda capillary wick attached to an inner wall of the casing, wherein the capillary wick has a pore size gradually increased from the evaporating section to the condensing section and the capillary wick at the evaporating section has a thickness which is smaller than that of the capillary wick at the central section.

17. The heat pipe of claim 16, wherein the thickness of the capillary wick at the evaporating section is gradually increased along a direction from the evaporating section toward the condensing section.

18. The heat pipe of claim 17, wherein the capillary wick at the condensing section has a thickness gradually decreased toward an end of the condensing section remote from the evaporating section.

19. The heat pipe of claim 18, where a tube is attached to an inner surface of the capillary wick at the central section.

20. The heat pipe of claim 16, wherein the thickness of the capillary wick at the evaporating section is the same as that at the condensing section.