IL42908A

IL42908A - Thermal transfer device,provided with capillary wick

Info

Publication number: IL42908A
Application number: IL42908A
Authority: IL
Original assignee: Q Dot Corp
Priority date: 1973-08-05
Filing date: 1973-08-05
Publication date: 1976-08-31
Also published as: IL42908A0

Claims

42908/2 Claims :

1. A thermal transfer device comprising: a generally straight, tubular sealed envelope having walls and at least two sections between which thermal energy is to be transferred, a working fLuid having a liquid phase and a vapor phase at the operating temperature of the device, the liquid phase standing in at least one section to a level less than the height of the portion of the envelope forming the section, said two sections being in communication with each other to transfer said working fluid in said liquid and vapor phases between said sections, and ,„f,„ capillary means formed in the alls of the envelope in at least said one section for transporting the liquid phase upwardly above the level of the liquid phase in said one section by capillary action.

2. The thermal transfer device of Claim 1 wherein the capillary means comprises a plurality of capillary grooves.

3. The thermal transfer device of Claim 2 wherein the capillary grooves have openings narrower than other portions of the grooves to provide improved capillary action.

4. The thermal transfer device of Claim 2 wherein the envelope is generally tubular in said at least one section and the capillary grooves extend substantially around the interior surface of the tubular section.

5. The thermal transfer device of Claim 4 wherein the capillary grooves are formed in a substantially continuous spiral,

6. ' The thermal transfer device of Claim 4 wherein the envelope is cy1 indr ical ly shaped in said at least one section.

7. The thermal transfer device of Claim 1 wherein: the liquid phase of the working fluid stands at a common level within both said at least two sections intermediate the lower and upper limits of the portions of the envelope forming the respective sections, and there are capillary means formed in the walls of the envelope at both of said at least two sections for transporting the liquid phase upwardly above the level of the liquid phase in the respective sections.

8. The thermal transfer device of Claim 7 wherein ee h of the capillary means comprises a plurality of capillary grooves.

9. The thermal transfer device of Claim 8 wherein the capillary grooves have openings narrower than other portions of the grooves to provide improved capillary action.

10. The thermal transfer device of Claim 8 wherein the envelope is generally tubular in each of said at least two sections and the capillary grooves extend substantially around the interior surface of the section.

11. The thermal transfer unit of Claim 10 wherein the envelope is cylindrically shaped in each of the sections, I i

12. The thermal transfer device of Claim 10 wherein the capillary groove in each of the sections is a substantially continuous spiral groove.

13. The thermal transfer device of Claim 1 wherein the envelope is a generally horizontally disposed tubular member having sealed ends.

14. The thermal transfer device of Claim 13 wherein the tubular member is cylindrically shaped.

15. The thermal transfer device of Claim 13 wherein the capillary means extends substantially the length of the tubular member. ,

16. The thermal transfer device of Claim 15 wherein the capillary means comprises a plurality of circumferentially extending capillary grooves.

17. The thermal transfer device of Claim 15 wherein the capillary means comprises a substantially continuous spiral capillary groove.

18. The thermal transfer device of Claim 13 further characterized by means for partitioning the tubular member to at least partially separate the longitudinal flow of the vapor phase in the upper portion of the tubular member from the liquid phase in the lower portion.

19. The thermal transfer device of Claim 18 wherein the partitioning means comprises a generally horizontally disposed plate extending substantially transversely across the tubular member and longitudinally along a substantial portion of the tubular member.

20. The thermal transfer device of Claim 19 wherein the capillary means comprises a plurality of capillary grooves.

21. The thermal transfer device of Claim 19 wherein the partitioning means comprises a member extending longitudinall of the tubular member having a generally horizontally disposed plate member and a generally vertically disposed plate member, at least one of the plate members extending into contact with the side walls of the tubular envelope to support' the partitioning means.

22. The thermal transfer device of Claim 21 wherein the tubular member is generally cylindrical, the capillary means comprises a plurality of capillary grooves extending ci rcumferentially around the interior surface of the tubular member, and the partitioning means includes a generally horizontally disposed plate and a generally vertically disposed plate each extending substantially across a diameter of tubular member and along a substantial portion of the length of the tubular member. 42908/2

23. A thermal transfer device comprising an elongated generally horizontally disposed sealed envelope, means partitioning the envelope longitudinally into upper and lower sections , a working fluid within the envelope having a liquid phase and a gas phase at the operating temperature of the device, the liquid phase being limited to the lower section, said upper and lower sections being in communication with each other to transfer said working fluid between said sections, and capillary means formed in the interior walls in at least one portion of the envelope for transporting the liquid phase from the lower section to the upper section.

24. The thermal transfer device of claim 23 wherein the capillary means comprises capillary grooves formed in the walls of the envelope. \

25. The thermal transfer device of claim 24 wherein the envelope is a generally cylindrical tubular member having sealed ends , the capillary means comprises a plurality of circumferen-tially extending capillary grooves formed in the interior wall of the tubular member, and the partitioning means comprises generally horizontally disposed plate means extending transversely and longitudinally of the tubular member. 42908/2

26. The thermal transfer device of claim 25 wherein the partitioning means includes generally vertically disposed plate means extending transversely and longitudinally of the tubular member.

27. The thermal transfer device according to claim 1 comprising a cylindrical tube of heat conductive material having a plurality of circumferentially extending fins formed integrally with the interior surface of the tube, each fin having a greater radial dimension than the width of the opening between adjacent fins, the adjacent fins forming capillary grooves for the liquid phase of a fluid to be vaporized by heat transferred through the walls of the tube, the fins having a cross sectional configuration characterized by one portion near the end which extends toward an adjacent fin to a greater extent than the portion of the fin near the root to form a capillary groove having a cross section characterized by a restricted opening. ttorney or pplicants