Permafrost stabilizing heat pipe assembly

Claim 1

In a structural support installation in a permafrost or similar environment, an improved permafrost stabilizing assembly comprising: a support structure including a tubular body having a normally lower portion thereof installed in a generally permafrost-like medium, said support body having an accommodation space therein, and means for sealing said lower body portion at a lower end thereof to produce an accommodation space which is closed at its lower end; at least one heat pipe element including a cylindrical tubular container having a charge of working fluid therein, said container comprising a normally lower portion including a predetermined part which is installed in said accommodation space, and a normally upper portion including a predetermined part adapted to be coupled to a heat exchanger at least partially exposed to a generally atmosphere-like medium, said accommodation space being comparatively large laterally in respect to said lower container portion, said predetermined part of said lower container portion being installed in said accommodation space at least in proximity longitudinally to an inner surface of said support body, and said upper container portion having a wall sufficiently strong and thick to allow safe processing work thereon; a first substance having a thermal conductivity greater than air generally filling said accommodation space remaining between said support body and said lower container portion of said at least one heat pipe element; and at least one heat exchanger including a radiator having a cylindrical tubular body, and heat transferring fins affixed to a predetermined part thereof, said radiator body having a cylindrical coupling surface generally positioned concentrically at least in proximity to said predetermined part of said upper container portion of said at least one heat pipe element, and said predetermined part of said upper container portion of said at least one heat pipe element of said radiator body with its cylindrical coupling surface being sized to provide for an interference press fit such that said radiator body can be press-fitted on said predetermined part of said upper container portion for attachment thereto, whereby heat picked up by said support body from said permafrost-like medium is conducted at least partially by said first substance to said predetermined part of said lower container portion of said at least one heat pipe element installed in said accommodation space and transported by said working fluid in vaporized form to said predetermined part of said upper container portion of said at least one heat pipe element coupled to said at least one heat exchanger for transfer to said atmosphere-like medium accompanied with condensation of said vaporized working fluid for return to said predetermined part of said lower container portion of said at least one heat pipe element.