Heat-pipe arterial priming device

Claim 2

A heat pipe having a condenser region and an evaporator region and containing a working liquid; said heat pipe being provided with at least one artery of substantial length for transporting said working liquid between said condenser and evaporator regions; means forming at least one venting pore in said artery, said means in said artery being constituted at least in part by a thin-wall portion having at least one pore of capillary size formed therein; said wall portion being so thin as to keep said pore open through the action of meniscus coalescence of any meniscule amount of said working liquid tending to fill said pore when said pore borders a gas bubble within said artery; whereby said action of meniscus coalescence permits said pore to remain open for venting noncondensible gas that may be present within said artery during the priming thereof and until such time that said artery is fully primed with said working liquid.

Claim 3

The invention according to claim 1 where said thin-wall portion comprises a disk closing a terminal end of said artery.

Claim 4

The invention according to claim 1, wherein said thin-wall portion comprises a tubular extension of said artery, said venting pore being one of several similar pores formed in said tubular extension and spaced along the length thereof.

Claim 5

The invention according to claim 1, wherein said thin-wall portion comprises an elongated member, said venting pore being one of a plurality of similar pores formed in said elongated member and spaced longitudinally along the entire length thereof.

Claim 6

The invention according to claim 1, wherein said thin-wall portion has a maximum thickness that is determined by the following relationship: t DA (1 - Square Root 1 - (DP/DA)2), where t is the maximum thickness of said thin wall portion, DA is the diameter of said artery, DP is the diameter of said venting pore.

Claim 7

A heat pipe comprising: tubular enclosure means; a slab wick within said enclosure means and extending substantially the entire length of said enclosure means except for a minor portion thereof; a pair of main arteries mounted on opposite sides of said slab wick and coextensive in length therewith; a pair of drain wicks of slab construction mounted within said minor portion of said enclosure means and spaced from the end of said slab wick; non-porous shim means mounted between and separating said drain wicks; a pair of auxiliary arterial tubes mounted individually on said drain wicks and attached individually to said main arteries so as to form extensions thereof; a working liquid within said enclosure means of sufficient quantity to saturate all wick and arterial structures therein; and means forming at least one venting pore in each of said arterial tubes, said venting pores being sized to remain open by the action of meniscus coAlescence for venting noncondensible gas from said arteries and said arterial tubes until they are filled with said working liquid.

Claim 8

A heat pipe comprising: tubular enclosure means; a slab wick within said enclosure means and extending substantially the entire length of said enclosure means except for a minor portion thereof; a pair of main arteries mounted on opposite sides of said slab wick and coextensive in length therewith; a pair of drain wicks of slab construction mounted within said minor portion of said enclosure means and spaced from the end of said slab wick; non-porous shim means mounted between and separating said drain wicks; a pair of auxiliary arterial tubes mounted individually on said drain wicks and attached individually to said main arteries so as to form extensions thereof; a working liquid within said enclosure means of sufficient quantity to saturate all wick and arterial structures therein; and means forming at least one venting pore in each of said arterial tubes, said venting pores being sized to remain open by the action of meniscus coAlescence for venting noncondensible gas from said arteries and said arterial tubes until they are filled with said working liquid.

Claim 9

The invention according to claim 6, wherein said venting pore is formed in a thin foil disk closing the end of each of said arterial tubes.

Claim 10

The invention according to claim 6, wherein each of said aerterial tubes is provided with notches spaced peripherally about the end closed by said thin foil disk, and further including wick means covering said arterial tubes and said notches so as to provide liquid communication between the interior of said arterial tubes and said drain wicks.

Claim 11

A heat pipe comprising: a tubular enclosure means; a slab wick within said enclosure means and extending substantially the entire length thereof; a main artery mounted on a side of said slab wick and coextensive in length therewith except for a minor end portion; means providing liquid communication between the interior of said artery and said slab wick; an auxiliary arterial tube mounted on said end portion of said slab wick and attached to said main artery so as to form an extension thereof, said arterial tube being closed at its terminal end; a working liquid within said enclosure means of sufficient quantity to saturate all wick and arterial structures therein; and means forming a series of venting pores in said auxiliary arterial tube and spaced along the length thereof, said venting pores being dimensioned to remain open by the action of meniscus coalescence for venting noncondensible gas from said artery and said arterial tube until they are both filled with said working liquid.

Claim 12

A heat pipe comprising: a tubular enclosure means; a slab wick within said enclosure means and extending substantially the entire length thereof; a main artery mounted on a side of said slab wick and coextensive in length therewith except for a minor end portion; means providing liquid communication between the interior of said artery and said slab wick; an auxiliary arterial tube mounted on said end portion of said slab wick and attached to said main artery so as to form an extension thereof, said arterial tube being closed at its terminal end; a working liquid within said enclosure means of sufficient quantity to saturate all wick and arterial structures therein; and means forming a series of venting pores in said auxiliary arterial tube and spaced along the length thereof, said venting pores being dimensioned to remain open by the action of meniscus coalescence for venting noncondensible gas from said artery and said arterial tube until they are both filled with said working liquid.

Claim 13

The invention according to claim 9, and further including means providing liquid communication between the interior of said auxiliary arterial tube and said slab wick.

Claim 14

The invention according to claim 10 wherein said liquid communication means for said auxiliary arterial tube comprises an extension of the liquid communication means for said artery.

Claim 15

The invention according to claim 9, wherein said venting pores are located at an angle of approximately 45* relative to the plane of said slab wick.

Claim 16

A heat pipe comprising: tubular enclosure means; a slab wick within said enclosure means and extending substantially the entire length thereof; an artery mounted on a side of said slab wick and substantially coextensive in length therewith; said artery comprising a tubular member having two ends spaced apart and being of generally U-shape cross section with its longitudinal edges mounted spaced apart on said slab wick side so as to provide liquid communication between said slab wick and the interior of said artery; means closing at least one end of said tubular member; a working fluid within said enclosure means of sufficient quantity to saturate all wick and arterial structures therein; and mean forming a series of venting pores in said tubular member and spaced along the length thereof, said venting pores being of such size as to remain open by the action of meniscus coalescence for venting noncondensible gas from said artery until it is filled with said working liquid.

Claim 17

A heat pipe comprising: tubular enclosure means; a slab wick within said enclosure means and extending substantially the entire length thereof; an artery mounted on a side of said slab wick and substantially coextensive in length therewith; said artery comprising a tubular member having two ends spaced apart and being of generally U-shape cross section with its longitudinal edges mounted spaced apart on said slab wick side so as to provide liquid communication between said slab wick and the interior of said artery; means closing at least one end of said tubular member; a working fluid within said enclosure means of sufficient quantity to saturate all wick and arterial structures therein; and mean forming a series of venting pores in said tubular member and spaced along the length thereof, said venting pores being of such size as to remain open by the action of meniscus coalescence for venting noncondensible gas from said artery until it is filled with said working liquid.

Claim 18

The invention according to claim 13, wherein said venting pores are located along a straight line.

Claim 19

The invention according to claim 14, wherein said venting pores are located at angle of approximately 45* relative to the plane of said slab wick.

Claim 20

The invention according to claim 13 and further including means closing the other end of said tubular member.