INTERCONNECTED HEAT PIPE ASSEMBLY AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING THE SAME
The present invention relates to an interconnected heat pipe assembly and a method for manufacturing the same. The interconnected heat pipe assembly includes a first heat pipe and a second heat pipe. The first heat pipe comprises a first pipe, a first wick structure and a first working fluid. The first pipe has a hollow chamber and an opening. The first wick structure is arranged on inner walls of the hollow chamber. The first working fluid is filled in the hollow chamber. The second heat pipe is disposed through the opening in the first pipe with a portion of the second heat pipe being received in the hollow chamber. An air channel is formed between outer walls of the second heat pipe and inner walls of the first pipe. The present invention can conduct heat to a long distance and has an increased heat-conducting efficiency.
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a heat pipe assembly, in particular to an interconnected heat pipe assembly and a method for manufacturing the same.
2. Description of Prior Art
A heat pipe includes a sealed pipe, a wick structure arranged on an inner wall of the sealed pipe, and a working fluid filled in the sealed pipe. In use, one end of the heat pipe brought into thermal contact with a heat source is called as a heat-absorbing section (evaporating end), and the other end of the heat pipe away from the heat-absorbing end is called a heat-releasing section (condensing end). The heat generated by the heat source is absorbed by the working fluid in the heat-absorbing section of the heat pipe, so that the liquid-phase working fluid in the heat-absorbing section turns into a vapor phase. The vapor-phase working fluid flows toward the heat-releasing section due to a temperature difference in the heat pipe. The vapor-phase working fluid releases its latent heat to return to a liquid phase. The liquid-phase working fluid flows back to the heat-absorbing section along the wick structure inside the heat pipe. With the circulation and liquid-vapor phase change of the working fluid in the heat pipe, the heat generated by the heat source can be conducted from the heat-absorbing section to the heat-releasing section.
With the advancement of science and technology, the operating performance of electronic elements is increased greatly. As a result, the amount of heat generated by the electronic elements per unit of time is also increased substantially. Thus, when the working fluid in the heat-absorbing section of the heat pipe absorbs such a large amount of heat, the working fluid in the heat-absorbing section evaporates completely. However, the evaporating rate of the working fluid in the heat-absorbing section is much larger than the condensing rate of the working fluid in the heat-releasing section. Thus, the heat-absorbing section of the heat pipe may dry out after working for a period of time. In order to solve this problem, it is necessary to increase the size of the heat pipe so as to increase the volume of the working fluid contained therein. As a result, the electronic elements having such a large-sized heat pipe cannot be made more compact.
On the other hand, since the vapor-flowing rate in the heat pipe is larger than the liquid-reflowing rate in the wick structure, such a difference in rate becomes significant in a heat pipe of a long distance. As a result, the dry-out problem becomes more serious in a long heat pipe. Thus, it is an important issue for those skilled in this art to design a long heat pipe. On the other hand, the effective region of the heat pipe concentrates on the heat-absorbing section and the heat-releasing section only, and the rest portion of the heat pipe seems to serve as a transferring section. Thus, the heat-conducting efficiency of the whole heat pipe is restricted.
Therefore, it is an important issue for the present Inventor to solve the above-mentioned problems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention is to provide an interconnected heat pipe assembly, which is capable of conducting heat in a long distance and has an increased heat-conducting efficiency.
The present invention provides an interconnected heat pipe assembly, including:
a first heat pipe comprising a first pipe, a first wick structure and a first working fluid, the first pipe having a hollow chamber, the first wick structure being arranged on at least one inner wall of the hollow chamber, the first working fluid being filled in the hollow chamber; and
a second heat pipe comprising a second pipe, a second wick structure and a second working fluid, a portion of the second heat pipe being received and sealed in the hollow chamber of the first pipe, an air channel being formed between an outer wall of the second heat pipe and an inner wall of the first pipe.
The present invention is to provide a method for manufacturing an interconnected heat pipe assembly which is capable of conducting heat in a long distance and has an increased heat-conducting efficiency.
The present invention provides a method for manufacturing an interconnected heat pipe assembly, including steps of:
a) providing a first pipe, both ends of the first pipe being formed into a first degassing port and an opening;
b) providing a first wick structure, arranging the first wick structure on an inner wall of the first pipe;
c) providing a second heat pipe, disposing the second heat pipe through the opening of the first pipe with a portion of the second heat pipe being received in the first pipe;
d) providing a soldering apparatus, soldering a connecting portion between the opening of the first pipe and the second heat pipe by the soldering apparatus;
e) providing a first working fluid, filling the first working fluid into the first pipe through the first degassing port; and
f) providing a degassing and soldering apparatus, degassing the first pipe and then sealing the first degassing port to form a first heat pipe by the degassing and soldering apparatus.
The present invention provides a method for manufacturing an interconnected heat pipe assembly, including steps of:
a) providing a first pipe, both ends of the first pipe being formed into an opening and a second opening, the first pipe being provided with a degassing tube;
b) providing a first wick structure, arranging the first wick structure on an inner wall of the first pipe;
c) providing a second heat pipe, disposing the second heat pipe through the opening of the first pipe with a portion of the second heat pipe being received in the first pipe and the other portion of the second heat pipe penetrating the opening to form a second degassing port;
d) providing a third heat pipe, disposing the third heat pipe through the second opening of the first pipe with a portion of the third heat pipe being received in the first pipe and the other portion of the third heat pipe penetrating the second opening to form a third degassing port;
e) providing a soldering apparatus, soldering a connecting portion between the opening of the first pipe and the second heat pipe as well as a connecting portion between the second opening of the first pipe and the third heat pipe by the soldering apparatus;
f) providing a working fluid, filling the working fluid into the first pipe through the degassing tube, filling the working fluid into the second pipe through the second degassing port, filling the working fluid into the third pipe through the third degassing port; and
g) providing a degassing and soldering apparatus, degassing and sealing the first pipe, the second pipe and third pipe to form a first heat pipe, a second heat pipe and a third heat pipe respectively by the degassing and soldering apparatus.
According to another feature of the present invention, the present invention provides a pressing tool to press the first heat pipe and the second heat pipe to be flat. In this way, the second heat pipe is configured to support the inner walls of the first heat pipe.
In comparison with prior art, the present invention has the following advantageous features.
A portion of the second heat pipe is inserted into the first heat pipe in such a manner that an air channel is formed between outer walls of the second heat pipe and inner walls of the first heat pipe. The working fluid is filled in the hollow chamber of the heat pipe and the second heat pipe. The working fluid in the first heat pipe and the working fluid in the second heat pipe are respectively subjected to liquid/vapor phase change. Thus, the dry-out phenomenon occurred in conventional single heat pipe will not happen in the present invention. In other words, the working fluid in the first heat pipe and the working fluid in the second heat pipe can be used for heat exchange sufficiently. Further, the first heat pipe and the second heat pipe are formed with an independent hollow chamber respectively. Therefore, the interconnected heat pipe assembly of the present invention exhibits a larger heat-conducting efficiency than the conventional single heat pipe.
According to still another feature of the present invention, a pressing tool is used to press the first heat pipe and the second heat pipe to be flat with the second heat pipe being configured to support the inner walls of the first heat pipe. Thus, the flattened first heat pipe has a larger contact area than a conventional tubular heat pipe, thereby increasing the heat-conducting efficiency thereof. Further, the flattened first heat pipe reduces the overall thickness of the interconnected heat pipe assembly, thereby conforming to the requirements for compact design.
The detailed description and technical contents of the present invention will become apparent with the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying drawings. It is noteworthy to point out that the drawings is provided for illustration only, but not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.
Please refer to
The method for manufacturing an interconnected heat pipe assembly of the present invention includes steps as follows.
a) providing a first pipe, both ends of the first pipe being formed into a first degassing port and an opening;
In the step a), as shown in
b) providing a first wick structure, arranging the first wick structure on an inner wall of the first pipe;
In the step b), as shown in
c) providing a second heat pipe, disposing the second heat pipe through the opening of the first pipe with a portion of the second heat pipe being received in the first pipe;
In the step c), as shown in
d) providing a soldering apparatus, soldering and sealing a connecting portion between the opening of the first pipe and the second heat pipe by the soldering apparatus.
In the step d), as shown in
e) providing a first working fluid, filling the first working fluid in the first pipe via the first degassing port; and f) providing a degassing and soldering apparatus, degassing and sealing the first pipe to form a first heat pipe by the degassing and soldering apparatus.
In the steps e) and f), as shown in
Of course, it can be contemplated that the second pipe 20 may be made into the second heat pipe 200 first, and then it is disposed into the first pipe 10. Next, the connecting portion between the second heat pipe 200 and the first pipe 10 is soldered and sealed. Finally, the first pipe 10 is subjected to the filling of the first working fluid 15, the degassing and soldering to finish the first heat pipe 100. In this way, the interconnected heat pipe assembly 1 of the present invention can be also achieved.
Please refer to
Please refer to
It can be seen from
Please refer to
In the interconnected heat pipe assembly 1a, the steps of the method for manufacturing the first heat pipe 100′ and the second heat pipe 200′ are substantially the same as those in the previous embodiments, and thus the redundant description is omitted for clarity. In the following, only the method for manufacturing the third heat pipe 300′ is described.
A third pipe 30′ and a third wick structure 35′ are provided. The third wick structure 35′ is arranged on an inner wall of the third pipe 30′. The third pipe 30′ has a chamber 33′ and a pipe hole 32′. One end of the second heat pipe 200′ away from the first heat pipe 100′ is disposed through the pipe hole 32′ into the third pipe 30′, so that the other portion of the second heat pipe 200′ is received and sealed in the chamber 33′. An air channel S23′ is formed between the outer wall of the other portion of the second heat pipe 200′ and the inner wall of the third pipe 30′. One end of the third pipe 30′ away from the pipe hole 32′ is narrowed to form a third degassing port 31′. The third pipe 30′ is formed with a third tapered section 321′ near the pipe hole 32′. The soldering apparatus is used to seal the third pipe 30′ and the second heat pipe 200′, so that the third tapered section 321′ and the second heat pipe 200′ are soldered together at the pipe hole 32′. A third working fluid 36′ is provided and filled in the third pipe 30′. The degassing and soldering apparatus is used to degas the third pipe 30′ and seal the third degassing port 31′, thereby finishing the third heat pipe 300′. A pressing tool is provided to press at least one portion of the first heat pipe 100′, the second heat pipe 200′ and the third heat pipe 300′ to be flat.
The interconnected heat pipe assembly 1a of the second embodiment has a primary advantage of further extending the length of the second heat pipe 200′ for heat conduction to a longer distance. The third heat pipe 300′ is put on a portion of the second heat pipe 200′. An air channel S23′ is also formed between the third heat pipe 300′ and the second heat pipe 200′ like the first embodiment. The portion of the second heat pipe 200′ located in the third heat pipe 300′ serves as a heat-releasing section for heat-exchanging with the third heat pipe 300′. Thus, the heat is dissipated to the outside via the outer surface of the third heat pipe 300′. In other words, the third heat pipe 300′ not only increases the heat-conducting length of the second heat pipe 200′, but also increases the heat-dissipating area of the second heat pipe 200′. Thus, the heat-dissipating effect is improved greatly.
Please refer to
The method of the third embodiment is described as follows. First, a first pipe 10″ is provided. The middle section of the first pipe 10″ is provided with a degassing tube 11″. Both ends of the first pipe 10″ are formed with an opening 12″ and a second opening 16″. The first pipe 10″ is formed with a tapered section 161″ near the second opening 16″. Then, a first wick structure 13″ is filled into the first pipe 10″ and sintered to be adhered onto inner walls of the first pipe 10″. Then, a second pipe 20″ and a third pipe 30″ are provided. A second wick structure 22″ is arranged on inner walls of the second pipe 20″, and a third wick structure 35″ is arranged on inner walls of the third pipe 30″. The second pipe 20″ is narrowed to form a second degassing port 21″, and the third pipe 30″ is narrowed to form a third degassing port 31″. The second pipe 20″ is disposed through the opening 12″ into the first heat pipe 10″, and the third pipe 30″ is disposed through the second opening 16″ into the first heat pipe 10″. The second pipe 20″ and the first tapered section 121″ are soldered together at the opening 12″. The third pipe 30″ and the tapered section 161″ are soldered together at the second opening 16″. The first working fluid 15″ is filled in the first pipe 10″ via the degassing tube 11″. The second working fluid 23″ is filled in the second pipe 20 “ via the second degassing port 21”. The third working fluid 36″ is filled in the third pipe 30″ via the third degassing port 31″. The first pipe 10″, the second pipe 20″ and the third pipe 30″ are respectively degassed via the first degassing port 11″, the second degassing port 21″ and the third degassing port 31″, thereby finishing the first heat pipe 100″, the second heat pipe 200″ and the third heat pipe 300″. Finally, a pressing tool is provided to press at least one portion of the first heat pipe 100″, the second heat pipe 200″ and the third heat pipe 300″. After pressing, air channels S12″ are formed between the lateral inner walls of a portion of the first pipe 10″ and the lateral outer walls of the second heat pipe 200″. Air channels S13″ are formed between the lateral inner walls of the other portion of the first pipe 10″ and the lateral outer walls of the third heat pipe 300″.
It can be seen from
Of course, those skilled in this art can easily contemplate to connect at least one heat pipe 100″ to the interconnected heat pipe assembly 1b shown in
Although the present invention has been described with reference to the foregoing preferred embodiments, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the details thereof. Various equivalent variations and modifications can still occur to those skilled in this art in view of the teachings of the present invention. Thus, all such variations and equivalent modifications are also embraced within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.
Claims
1. An interconnected heat pipe assembly, including:
- a first heat pipe comprising a first pipe, a first wick structure and a first working fluid, the first pipe having a hollow chamber, the first wick structure being arranged on at least one inner wall of the hollow chamber, the first working fluid being filled in the hollow chamber; and
- a second heat pipe comprising a second pipe, a second wick structure and a second working fluid, a portion of the second heat pipe being received and sealed in the hollow chamber of the first pipe, an air channel being formed between an outer wall of the second heat pipe and an inner wall of the first pipe.
2. The interconnected heat pipe assembly according to claim 1, wherein the first pipe is provided with an opening, one end of the first pipe near the opening is formed with a first tapered section, the other end of the first pipe away from the opening is formed with a first degassing port, the first tapered section and a portion of the second heat pipe are soldered together at the opening.
3. The interconnected heat pipe assembly according to claim 2, wherein the other portion of the second heat pipe penetrates the opening to form a second degassing port.
4. The interconnected heat pipe assembly according to claim 3, wherein the first heat pipe and the second heat pipe are pressed to be flat in such a manner that vertical inner walls of the first pipe are brought into tight contact with vertical outer walls of the second heat pipe, the air channel is formed between lateral inner walls of the first pipe and lateral outer walls of the second heat pipe.
5. The interconnected heat pipe assembly according to claim 4, further comprising a third heat pipe connected to the second heat pipe and away from the first heat pipe.
6. The interconnected heat pipe assembly according to claim 5, wherein the third heat pipe comprises a third pipe and a third wick structure arranged on an inner wall of the third pipe, the third pipe has a chamber and a pipe hole, one end of the second heat pipe away from the first heat pipe is disposed through the pipe hole into the third pipe with the other portion of the second heat pipe being received and sealed in the chamber, an air channel is formed between outer walls of the other portion of the second heat pipe and inner walls of the third pipe.
7. The interconnected heat pipe assembly according to claim 6, wherein one end of the third pipe near the pipe hole is formed with a third tapered section, the other end of the third pipe away from the pipe hole is formed with a third degassing port, the third tapered section and the second heat pipe are soldered together at the pipe hole.
8. The interconnected heat pipe assembly according to claim 4, further comprising a third heat pipe connected to the first heat pipe and away from the second heat pipe.
9. The interconnected heat pipe assembly according to claim 8, wherein one end of the first pipe away from the opening is formed with a second opening, the third heat pipe comprises a third pipe and a third wick structure arranged on an inner wall of the third pipe, the third heat pipe is disposed through the second opening into the first pipe with a portion of the third heat pipe being received and sealed in the hollow chamber, another air channel is formed between outer walls of the third heat pipe and inner walls of the first pipe.
10. The interconnected heat pipe assembly according to claim 9, wherein one end of the first pipe near the second opening is formed with a tapered section, a middle portion of the first pipe is provided with a degassing tube, the tapered section and the third heat pipe are soldered together at the second opening, the other portion of the third heat pipe penetrates the second opening to form a third degassing port.
11. A method for manufacturing an interconnected heat pipe assembly, including steps of:
- a) providing a first pipe, both ends of the first pipe being formed into a first degassing port and an opening;
- b) providing a first wick structure, arranging the first wick structure on an inner wall of the first pipe;
- c) providing a second heat pipe, disposing the second heat pipe through the opening of the first pipe with a portion of the second heat pipe being received in the first pipe;
- d) providing a soldering apparatus, soldering a connecting portion between the opening of the first pipe and the second heat pipe by the soldering apparatus;
- e) providing a first working fluid, filling the first working fluid into the first pipe through the first degassing port; and
- f) providing a degassing and soldering apparatus, degassing the first pipe and then sealing the first degassing port to form a first heat pipe by the degassing and soldering apparatus.
12. The method according to claim 11, further including a step of providing a pressing tool, and pressing at least one portion of the first heat pipe and the second heat pipe to be flat by the pressing tool.
13. The method according to claim 11, further including steps of:
- g) providing a third pipe, both ends of the third pipe being formed with a third degassing port and a pipe hole;
- h) providing a third wick structure, arranging the third wick structure on an inner wall of the third pipe;
- j) narrowing the third degassing port, disposing a portion of the second heat pipe away from the first pipe through the pipe hole into the third pipe;
- j) soldering a connecting portion between the third pipe and the second heat pipe by the soldering apparatus;
- k) providing a third working fluid, filling the third working fluid into the third pipe; and
- 1) degassing the third pipe via the third degassing port by the degassing and soldering apparatus, sealing the third pipe by the soldering apparatus to form a third heat pipe.
14. The method according to claim 13, further including a step of providing a pressing tool, and pressing at least one portion of the first heat pipe, the second heat pipe and the third heat pipe to be flat by the pressing tool.
15. A method for manufacturing an interconnected heat pipe assembly, including steps of:
- a) providing a first pipe, both ends of the first pipe being formed into an opening and a second opening, the first pipe being provided with a degassing tube;
- b) providing a first wick structure, arranging the first wick structure on an inner wall of the first pipe;
- c) providing a second heat pipe, disposing the second heat pipe through the opening of the first pipe with a portion of the second heat pipe being received in the first pipe and the other portion of the second heat pipe penetrating the opening to form a second degassing port;
- d) providing a third heat pipe, disposing the third heat pipe through the second opening into the first pipe with a portion of the third heat pipe being received in the first pipe and the other portion of the third heat pipe penetrating the second opening to form a third degassing port;
- e) providing a soldering apparatus, soldering a connecting portion between the opening of the first pipe and the second heat pipe as well as a connecting portion between the second opening of the first pipe and the third heat pipe by the soldering apparatus;
- f) providing a working fluid, filling the working fluid into the first pipe through the degassing tube, filling the working fluid in the second pipe through the second degassing port, filling the working fluid in the third pipe through the third degassing port; and
- g) providing a degassing and soldering apparatus, degassing and sealing the first pipe, the second pipe and third pipe to form a first heat pipe, a second heat pipe and a third heat pipe respectively by the degassing and soldering apparatus.
16. The method according to claim 15, further including a step of: providing a pressing tool, and pressing at least one the first heat pipe, the second heat pipe and the third heat pipe to be flat by the pressing tool.
Type: Application
Filed: Mar 11, 2011
Publication Date: Sep 13, 2012
Applicant:
Inventor: Yu-Po HUANG (Kunshan City)
Application Number: 13/045,737
International Classification: F28D 15/04 (20060101); B21D 53/02 (20060101);