Control system for heat pipes

Claim 2

A heat-pipe control system comprising an outer container having spaced end walls defining a sealed evacuated chamber, a first tubular member having a closed end, said first tubular member being supported on one of said end walls to locate said closed end within said chamber in axial spaced relationship to said end wall, means including said tubular member defining an evaporator section within said chamber, a second tubular member having a closed end, said second tubular member being supported on the other of said end walls to locate its closed end in axial spaced relationship to said other end wall and coaxially of said first tubular member, means including said second tubular member defining a condenser section within said chamber, means including a depending tube on said outer container between the closed ends of said first and second tubular member defining a reservoir having a predetermined amount of control fluid therein, an inlet to said tube directly communicating said reservoir with said sealed chamber, means for selectively heating and cooling said reservoir for causing said control fluid to be conditioned to vary the vapor pressure within said sealed chamber, capillary flow means thermally connected between said condenser and evaporator sections including an unsupported bridge portion overlying said tube inlet wetted when said vapor pressure increases within said chamber to increase the rate of heat transport from said evaporator section to said condenser section, said bridge portion being dried in response to cooling of said reservoir and condensation of fluid therein to reduce the rate of heat transport between said evaporator section and said condenser section.

Claim 3

A heat pipe assembly comprising a sealed evacuated outer housing, means defining an evaporator at one end of said housing, means defining a condenser at the opposite end of said housing, a porous wick located within said housing in spaced relationship thereto, said porous wick having a first segment thereon in heat-transfer relationship with said evaporator section, said porous wick including a second section thereon in heat-transfer relationship with said condenser section, means defining a reservoir having a predetermined amount of control fluid therein, said reservoir having an inlet in direct communication with the interior of said housing, said wick including an unsupported bridge portion between said evaporator and said condenser overlying said tube inlet, control means for varying the condition of said control fluid within said reservoir to vary the vapor pressure within said housing for varying the amount of liquid within said unsupported wick portion thereby to vary the rate of heat transport from said evaporator section to said condenser section, said reservOir being a variable volume bellows, said control means including an electrically energizable resistance heater on said bellows for heating said bellows to vary the vapor pressure in said housing, a potentiometer for controlling current in said resistance heater, means connecting said bellows to said potentiometer for regulating said potentiometer to reduce energization of said heater on the occurrence of a predetermined maximum pressure condition in said bellows.

Claim 4

A heat pipe assembly comprising a sealed evacuated outer housing, means defining an evaporator at one end of said housing, means defining a condenser at the opposite end of said housing, a porous wick located within said housing in spaced relationship thereto, said porous wick having a first segment thereon in heat-transfer relationship with said evaporator section, said porous wick including a second section thereon in heat-transfer relationship with said condenser section, means defining a reservoir having a predetermined amount of control fluid therein, said reservoir having an inlet in direct communication with the interior of said housing, said wick including an unsupported bridge portion between said evaporator and said condenser overlying said tube inlet, control means for varying the condition of said control fluid within said reservoir to vary the vapor pressure within said housing for varying the amount of liquid within said unsupported wick portion thereby to vary the rate of heat transport from said evaporator section to said condenser section, said reservOir being a variable volume bellows, said control means including an electrically energizable resistance heater on said bellows for heating said bellows to vary the vapor pressure in said housing, a potentiometer for controlling current in said resistance heater, means connecting said bellows to said potentiometer for regulating said potentiometer to reduce energization of said heater on the occurrence of a predetermined maximum pressure condition in said bellows.

Claim 5

A heat-pipe system including housing means defining a sealed evacuated chamber, first heat-pipe means located within said sealed chamber, second heat-pipe means located within said chamber, a reservoir having a predetermined amount of control fluid therein, means including an inlet in said housing means communicating said reservoir with said sealed chamber, means for varying the amount of control fluid within said reservoir so as to change the vapor pressure within said sealed chamber, capillary flow means located within said sealed chamber having a first portion thereon in heat-transfer relationship with said first heat-pipe means and a second portion thereon in heat-transfer relationship with said second heat-pipe means, said capillary flow means including an unsupported bridge portion between said first and second heat-pipe means overlying said inlet portion increasing in wetness in response to an increase in vapor pressure within said sealed chamber in response to changes in the amount of fluid within said control reservoir for increasing the rate of heat transport between said first and second heat-pipe means, said capillary flow means bridge portion being dried in response to condensation of said control fluid within said reservoir for reducing the amount of heat transport from said first heat pipe means to said second heat pipe means.

Claim 6

A heat-pipe system including housing means defining a sealed evacuated chamber, first heat-pipe means located within said sealed chamber, second heat-pipe means located within said chamber, a reservoir having a predetermined amount of control fluid therein, means including an inlet in said housing means communicating said reservoir with said sealed chamber, means for varying the amount of control fluid within said reservoir so as to change the vapor pressure within said sealed chamber, capillary flow means located within said sealed chamber having a first portion thereon in heat-transfer relationship with said first heat-pipe means and a second portion thereon in heat-transfer relationship with said second heat-pipe means, said capillary flow means including an unsupported bridge portion between said first and second heat-pipe means overlying said inlet portion increasing in wetness in response to an increase in vapor pressure within said sealed chamber in response to changes in the amount of fluid within said control reservoir for increasing the rate of heat transport between said first and second heat-pipe means, said capillary flow means bridge portion being dried in response to condensation of said control fluid within said reservoir for reducing the amount of heat transport from said first heat pipe means to said second heat pipe means.

Claim 7

A heat pipe combination comprising: a first heat pipe having a first tubular housing with the opposite end thereof closed, a porous capillary liner on the interior surface of said housing, an evaporator section on said first heat pipe and a condenser section thereon, a second heat pipe having a second tubular housing with the opposite ends thereof closed, a porous capillary liner on the interior surface of said second housing, an evaporator section on said second heat pipe and a condenser section thereon, a third tubular housing having a diameter greater than that of said first and second tubular housings, said condenser section of said first heat pipe being located within said third housing at one end thereof, said evaporator section of said second heat pipe being located within said third housing at the opposite end thereof, means including said third housing defining a sealed control chamber, a control wick of porous material located within said chamber having a portion thereon in heat-transfer relationship with said condenser section of said first heat pipe and a second portion thereon in heat-transfer relationship with said condenser section of said second heat pipe, means forming a control reservoir having a predetermined amount of fluid therein, means including an inlet in said first tubular housing for communicating said control reservoir with said sealed control chamber, said control wick including an unsupported bridge portion between said first and second portions thereof, said unsupported bridge portion overlying said inlet to be wetted by fluid within said reservoir, means for varying the condition of said fluid within said reservoir for changing the vapor pressure within said control chamber so as to vary the wetness of said unsupported bridge portion of said control wick thereby to vary the rate of heat transport between said first and second heat pipes.

Claim 8

A heat pipe combination comprising: a first heat pipe having a first tubular housing with the opposite end thereof closed, a porous capillary liner on the interior surface of said housing, an evaporator section on said first heat pipe and a condenser section thereon, a second heat pipe having a second tubular housing with the opposite ends thereof closed, a porous capillary liner on the interior surface of said second housing, an evaporator section on said second heat pipe and a condenser section thereon, a third tubular housing having a diameter greater than that of said first and second tubular housings, said condenser section of said first heat pipe being located within said third housing at one end thereof, said evaporator section of said second heat pipe being located within said third housing at the opposite end thereof, means including said third housing defining a sealed control chamber, a control wick of porous material located within said chamber having a portion thereon in heat-transfer relationship with said condenser section of said first heat pipe and a second portion thereon in heat-transfer relationship with said condenser section of said second heat pipe, means forming a control reservoir having a predetermined amount of fluid therein, means including an inlet in said first tubular housing for communicating said control reservoir with said sealed control chamber, said control wick including an unsupported bridge portion between said first and second portions thereof, said unsupported bridge portion overlying said inlet to be wetted by fluid within said reservoir, means for varying the condition of said fluid within said reservoir for changing the vapor pressure within said control chamber so as to vary the wetness of said unsupported bridge portion of said control wick thereby to vary the rate of heat transport between said first and second heat pipes.

Claim 9

A heat pipe device comprising: a large diameter tubular housing having opposite end walls thereon defining an evacuated chamber, a first tubular member directed into said chamber at one end thereof, said first member having a closed end located within said large diameter housing in concentric relationsHip therewith, a second tubular member directed into said chamber at the opposite end thereof, said second member having a closed end thereon located within said large-diameter pipe in concentric relationship therewith, said first and second tubular members each having a closed end located coaxially and in spaced relationship to each other, a heater located within said first member for directing heat interiorly of said large-diameter housing, heat-sink means located within said second member for removing heat from within said large-diameter housing, a depending tube on said large-diameter housing intermediate the opposite ends thereof forming a control reservoir, an inlet to said tube in direct communication with the interior of said housing, between said spaced, closed ends of said tubular members, a predetermined amount of control fluid within said depending tube, means for varying the condition of said fluid within said tube for controlling the vapor pressure within the interior of said large diameter housing, a sleeve of capillary flow material located within said chamber in spaced relationship to said outer housing have one end thereof fit over the closed end of said first member and having the opposite end thereof fit over the closed end of said second member for returning condensed liquid from the outer surface of the closed end of said second member back to said closed end of said first member for evaporation by said heater, said sleeve of capillary flow material including an unsupported bridge portion overlying said tube inlet having the wetness therein varied in accordance with changes in the condition of fluid within said tube for varying the rate of heat transport from said first member to said second member.

Claim 10

A heat pipe device comprising: a large diameter tubular housing having opposite end walls thereon defining an evacuated chamber, a first tubular member directed into said chamber at one end thereof, said first member having a closed end located within said large diameter housing in concentric relationsHip therewith, a second tubular member directed into said chamber at the opposite end thereof, said second member having a closed end thereon located within said large-diameter pipe in concentric relationship therewith, said first and second tubular members each having a closed end located coaxially and in spaced relationship to each other, a heater located within said first member for directing heat interiorly of said large-diameter housing, heat-sink means located within said second member for removing heat from within said large-diameter housing, a depending tube on said large-diameter housing intermediate the opposite ends thereof forming a control reservoir, an inlet to said tube in direct communication with the interior of said housing, between said spaced, closed ends of said tubular members, a predetermined amount of control fluid within said depending tube, means for varying the condition of said fluid within said tube for controlling the vapor pressure within the interior of said large diameter housing, a sleeve of capillary flow material located within said chamber in spaced relationship to said outer housing have one end thereof fit over the closed end of said first member and having the opposite end thereof fit over the closed end of said second member for returning condensed liquid from the outer surface of the closed end of said second member back to said closed end of said first member for evaporation by said heater, said sleeve of capillary flow material including an unsupported bridge portion overlying said tube inlet having the wetness therein varied in accordance with changes in the condition of fluid within said tube for varying the rate of heat transport from said first member to said second member.