Claims
- 1. A method for supporting a heat pipe in a heat pipe opening in a header plate comprising the steps of:
- interposing a thermal support sleeve between the heat pipe and the header plate in such a way that the heat pipe and thermal sleeve are separated by a substantially closed annular air gap along the length of the thermal sleeve;
- connecting a midsection of the thermal sleeve in sealed engagement with the header plate;
- connecting one end portion of the thermal sleeve in sealed engagement with the heat pipe at a point remote with respect to the thermal sleeve/header plate interface; and
- supporting said heat pipe with an opposed end portion of said thermal sleeve while permitting relative movement between said heat pipe and said thermal sleeve at said opposed end portion to accommodate thermal expansion and contraction of said heat pipe.
- 2. The method as defined in claim 1 including the steps of:
- forming a stepped bore within the heat pipe opening; and,
- maintaining the thermal sleeve radially spaced with respect to the header plate whereby the thermal sleeve and header plate are separated by an annular air gap along the depth of the heat pipe opening to the stepped bore.
- 3. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the thermal sleeve projects axially beyond the header plate and engages the heat pipe on opposited sides of the header plate by said end portions at points which are remote with respect to the thermal sleeve/header plate interface, including the step of sealing the thermal sleeve against the heat pipe on one side by forming a weld bead around the heat pipe/thermal sleeve interface at said one end portion.
Parent Case Info
This is a divisional of application Ser. No. 165,059, filed July 1, 1980 now U.S. Pat. No. 4,426,959, granted Jan. 24, 1984.
US Referenced Citations (5)
Foreign Referenced Citations (6)
Number |
Date |
Country |
2,609,088 |
Sep 1977 |
DEX |
67152 |
Jun 1978 |
JPX |
67153 |
Jun 1978 |
JPX |
97862 |
Aug 1979 |
JPX |
171441 |
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Divisions (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
165059 |
Jul 1980 |
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