Showing papers on "Heat pipe published in 1976"

Heat pipes, process and apparatus for manufacturing same

Abstract: Heat pipes comprising an outer tubular material closed at both ends, a wick of metal fibers, an inner tubular material covered with the wick and inserted in the outer tubular material and a heat transfer volatile liquid confined in the closed outer tubular material. An evaporation region and a condensing region are respectively constituted in the end portions of the outer tubular material. The liquid in the evaporation region vaporizes when heated and the vapor is passed to the condensing region to condense while giving the heat of the vapor to other materials outside the heat pipe, and the condensed liquid is returned to the evaporation region by the capillary action of said wick, thus repeating a cycle of the evaporation and condensation.

Transistor cooling by heat pipes having a wick of dielectric powder

Abstract: A micro-electronic package which is capable of operating with power densities extending at least to 10 kilowatts per square centimeter comprises a sealed enclosure coupled to an external heat sink and electronic devices and circuitry within the enclosure. Electrical leads extend from the electronic devices and circuitry to the outside of the enclosure to couple the devices and circuitry into a larger electrical function. A dielectric powder is adhered as a complete and conformal coating substantially to all interior surfaces of the enclosure and to all exposed surfaces of the electronic devices and circuitry, and functions as a heat pipe wick. A dielectric working fluid within the enclosure, therefore, can intimately contact all the interior and exposed surfaces to minimize the occurrence of local hot spots on the electronic devices and circuitry and to maximize heat transfer therefrom to the external heat sink.

Novel heat pipe combination

Abstract: The basic heat pipe principle is employed in a heat pipe combination wherein two heat pipes are combined in opposing relationship to form an integral unit; such that the temperature, heat flow, thermal characteristics, and temperature-related parameters of a monitored environment or object exposed to one end of the heat pipe combination can be measured and controlled by controlling the heat flow of the opposite end of the heat pipe combination.

Thermo-electric generators

Abstract: A thermo-electric generator of the kind making use of beta alumina ceramic through which sodium is circulated to produce an electric potential between the two surfaces of the ceramic has the ceramic in the form of a tube closed at its upper end and with its open end extending into liquid sodium. A heat pipe extends into the ceramic tube and there is an external tubular casing around the ceramic tube forming a closed structure for housing sodium in liquid and vapor form both inside and outside the ceramic tube. The heat pipe may be arranged either as a heat source or heat sink for the sodium inside the ceramic tube, the housing forming the heat sink in the former case of the heat source in the latter. The ceramic tube may, at its open end, be sealed to the housing and a pump used for pumping the sodium from the cold face to the hot face of the ceramic or capillary means may be used to circulate the sodium.

Heat transfer blanket

Abstract: This disclosure pertains to a blanket having a plurality of portions of flexible heat pipes sandwiched between the outermost layers thereof. The portions of the flexible heat pipes disposed about the blanket provide a uniform heating or cooling pattern therein. The ends of the flexible heat pipes that are free from the blanket are thermally coupled to a combination heating and cooling system. When utilizing the heating system, the flexible heat pipes provide elevated temperatures at the blanket surfaces. When utilizing the cooling system, the flexible heat pipes provide lower than ambient temperatures at the blanket surfaces.

Down-pumping heat pipes

Abstract: Down-pumping heat pipes are provided to augment natural earth heat when used in association with conventional or up-pumping heat pipes for the purpose of maintaining an area such as a roadway free of ice and snow.

Heat collecting and transferring apparatus and systems adapted for use with solar energy

Abstract: Heat energy as from solar rays is collected by units including transparent plates covering a completely liquid filled chamber which has a heat absorbing layer as the internal surface of the chamber. The liquid is transparent and capable of absorbing, storing and/or transporting the heat energy. In one embodiment, the heat is removed to a storage tank from many such collector units by pumping. The system can allow draining of the collector when heat collection conditions do not prevail. In another embodiment of collector, the heat is transferred through the heat absorbing walls and the liquid medium acts mainly as a heat receiver and storing facility. A compartmentalized tank can be employed to enhance heat collection efficiency.

Performance characteristics of rotating wickless heat pipes

Abstract: A theoretical model was derived for laminar film condensation on the inside of a rotating, truncated cone which includes the effects of vapor shear and vapor pressure drop. Results are compared to those of previous investigations. Experimental data are presented for rotational speeds of 700, 1,400, 2,100, and 2,800 rpm using water, ethyl alcohol, and Freon 113 as working fluids. Agreement between theory and experiment is within + or - 20 percent.

Home laundry dryer

Abstract: A home laundry dryer in which both the fresh air entering a laundry drum and the air exhausted from the drum pass through a thermal recovery unit in the dryer. The unit has a high temperature passage through which the exhaust air flows and a low temperature passage through which the entering air flows. Heat from the exhausted air is transferred by means of heat pipes from the high temperature passage to the entering air in the low temperature passage. This heat transfer lowers the energy required to raise the entering air to a selected drying temperature. The dryer, including the thermal recovery unit, fits in a housing of substantially standard size for home dryers.

Heat exchanger gas separator

Abstract: A gas conveying duct-type heat exchanger is shown and described having two gases passing therethrough, preferably in counterflow relationship. An easily assembled, sectioned gas separator is provided to divide the duct into separate gas conduits. The separator sections are designed to fit with each other and to support heat pipes extending between adjacent conduits for transferring heat from one conduit to the next. The structure is adapted for ready on-site assembly and modification, thus providing facility in relating the constructed device to the heat load in a given installation and permitting shipment of a unit in disassembled condition.

Heat pipe capable of operating against gravity and structures utilizing same

Abstract: A heat pipe has its evaporator at its upper end and its condenser at its lower end and an adiabatic section separating the two so that capillary wicks or grooves do not extend through the heat pipe. A central liquid return tube extends between the evaporator and condenser. A vapor bubble generator is placed at the condenser section in the reservoir where the liquid state of the working fluid collects. When the vapor bubble generator is operated, bubbles form which, because of their buoyancy, will rise to the top of the central tube. As they rise, small amounts of working fluid in its liquid state will be carried with the bubbles and spill over the top of the tube and onto the evaporator wick. As a consequence, the heat pipe is insensitive to its vertical height and can operate against gravitational forces.

Glassmaking furnace employing heat pipes for preheating glass batch

Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for recovering waste heat from the exhaust of a combustion-heated glass melting furnace and transferred by heat pipes to an enclosure in which incoming glass batch materials are preheated prior to being fed to the furnace for melting. The batch materials are efficiently preheated with the waste heat without permitting direct contact between the exhaust effluent and the batch materials so that the entrainment and discharge of batch dust with the effluent is avoided.

Method of heat accumulation and a thermal accumulator for the application of said method

Abstract: A heat-transporting fluid F is passed over a material C having a high latent heat of fusion and in direct contact therewith so that the fluid and the material exchange heat at a temperature close to the melting point of the material. By contacting the hot fluid F with the material C, this material melts and accumulates heat in the form of latent heat of fusion while cooling the fluid F. When the cold fluid is contacted directly with the material C, this material solidifies and releases heat which is transmitted to the fluid F.

Electrically heated liquid tank employing heat pipe heat transfer means

Abstract: The heating apparatus for applying heat to the interior of a chamber includes a modular, removable, electrical, heat-producing unit and a heat pipe mountable in a wall of the chamber with one end of the pipe arranged to receive heat from the electrical heat producing unit exterior of the housing and with another end of the pipe constructed and arranged to apply heat to the medium within the chamber. The heat pipe has high conductivity with a low temperature differential between the ends thereof and the heat producing unit includes an electric coil positioned about and removably secured to the one end of the heat pipe. The electric coil is embedded in a high thermal conductivity, low electrical conductivity filler material which is surrounded by a low thermal conductivity insulating jacket and which is received around a metal core member which is removably secured to the one end of the heat pipe.

Heat pipe-turbine

Abstract: A turbine, such as a steam turbine, which may be employed to drive an electric generator, is operated by movement through it of gas vaporized in a heat pipe. The turbine is enclosed in the heat pipe structure and the pipe is sealed so that the vaporizable fluid therein is not lost during use. The fluid is maintained at a desired pressure at which it is readily vaporized by heating means, such as heated air brought into contact with the heat pipe, and is also readily condensed by cooling means, such as ambient air. In modifications of the more basic invention an auxiliary heat pipe or a plurality of such pipes is employed to extract energy from a source of heat after it has heated the turbine-containing heat pipe and such auxiliary heat pipe(s) may also be used to pre-heat a heat transfer fluid. Turbines may be present in the auxiliary heat pipes too and they may be connected to the same or different generators. The generators may be enclosed in an insulating medium common to the heat pipe to prevent external heat losses and in a further modification of the invention, may be mounted inside the heat pipe with the turbine. Although the invention is primarily intended for efficient power production it may be adapted for use as an indicator of temperature differences by utilizing the flow of evaporated fluid, which is proportional to the temperature difference, to generate electricity, the voltage or current flow of which may be measured.

Solar heat collector

Abstract: A solar heat collector designed to obtain maximum heat from sunlight rays when operational and minimum heat from sunlight rays when non-operational. The solar heat collector contains two sheets of solid material spaced and confronting each other between which a heat transfer liquid flows through baffle arrangement so as to increase the efficiency for obtaining higher temperatures of the heat transfer liquid.

Laundry drying system and method

Abstract: A laundry drying system and method in which fresh air flows through a low temperature duct of a preheater, then through a primary heater before entering a laundry drying chamber is described. The air enters into contact with laundry in the chamber, then is exhausted, flowing through a high temperature duct of the preheater. In the preheater, heat pipes transfer heat from the exhaust air in the high temperature duct to the fresh air in the low temperature duct. Thus, heat which would otherwise be discarded in the exhaust air stream is recovered for use in the drying process. The preheater preferably uses heat pipes having a liquid return tube and set in a plate fin heat exchanger. To provide for a cool down cycle, there is a bypass which defeats the operation of the preheater. Lint exhausted by the drying chamber is partly collected by a dry type lint remover between the chamber exhaust and the preheater. Lint not thus collected can accumulate on the edges of the heat exchanger fins, which are closely spaced for this purpose, rather than accumulate on the heat pipes. Provision is made to open the system for removal of the accumulated lint and to pull out the preheater for cleaning off substances condensed in its high temperature duct.

Heat recovery apparatus

Abstract: A heat recovery apparatus in which an exhaust gas section and a fresh air section are disposed in side-by-side relationship to form an integral unit, for recovering heat from a stack or flue and discharging fresh air into a space to be heated. Heat pipe units extend from the hot gas passage of one section into the fresh air passage of the other section to transfer the heat between the two passages, the air flow in the exhaust gas section being in a series flow relationship and the flow in the fresh air section being in a parallel flow relationship. Louvers are provided for controlling the flow of exhaust gases and fresh air through the respective passages, and blowers are used to force the exhaust gases and fresh air through the passage. The passages of each section are provided with a main and by-pass passages controlled by louvers which are used to regulate the heat recovery and output of the unit.

Demand sensitive energy storage in molten salts

Abstract: Heat-of-fusion energy storage and on-demand steam are obtained using heat pipe techniques to transfer heat to and from stacked salt cans and onto boiler tubes within a sealed “energy storage-boiler” tank.

Freeze/thaw power system

Abstract: A method and apparatus using a FREEZE/THAW POWER CYCLE The apparatus includes a piston driven by the expansion power of a fluid such as water in a cyclinder on freezing and the thawing thereof with alternate, rapid freezing and thawing of the fluid by low and high temperature means with heat transfer rates facilitated by the use of heat pipes or tubes or other conductor means to produce a continuous single or multi cyclinder quick, polution free and noiseless freeze/thaw power cycle

Heat pipes to use heat from light fixtures

Abstract: A heat pipe to remove heat from a light fixture in a room of a building that will transfer the fixture heat to a system in a building that will in turn reject or use the fixture heat in a heating, ventilating, air conditioning system for the building.

Apparatus and method using heat pipes for manipulating temperature gradients in a glass forming chamber

Abstract: A plurality of high-temperature operating, corrosion-resistant heat pipes are employed to distribute heat transversely and longitudinally from normally hotter portions of a glass forming chamber to normally cooler portions of the same chamber in order to provide a more uniform thermal environment for the forming of flat glass. In particular, heat pipes are provided beneath the surface of a pool of glass-supporting molten metal in such a chamber to remove heat from a central and usually upstream region of such a chamber and transfer it to a marginal and preferably downstream region of the chamber. By transferring the heat in this manner, the temperature gradients within the chamber may be manipulated to be more uniform throughout a forming region so that glass of improved quality can be produced with improved efficiency, utilizing less energy than normally required for producing glass according to typical conventional float glass manufacturing methods.

Water heat pipe with improved compatability

Abstract: Tantalum and like metals, when added to a water/ferrous metal heat pipe in the form of a foil, gauze or wire, acts as a hydrogen getter in order to counteract the otherwise incompatability of the heat pipe enclosure material with the water working fluid.

Heating device comprising a heat accumulator

Abstract: A heating system including a heat pipe containing evaporable heat transporting material, a closed reservoir containing heat-accumulating material within said heat pipe, and a quantity of said evaporable material in said reservoir for maintaining the same pressure in said reservoir and in said heat pipe.

Electric water heater utilizing a heat pipe

Abstract: A heating device for applying heat to the interior of a closed container containing a liquid therein to be heated includes an elongate cartridge-type electric heating unit and at least one heat pipe having a heat absorbing end and a heat transmitting end. The electric heating unit is attached to the heat absorbing end of each heat pipes and the heating device is secured in an aperture in the wall of the container by means of a mounting flange. The electric heating unit is mounted in an aperture in the mounting flange and the heating unit and at least one heat pipe attached thereto extend into the interior of the chamber to apply heat to the liquid in the container.

Freezer-sublimer for gaseous diffusion plant

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for freezing and subliming uranium hexafluoride (UF 6 ) as part of a gaeous diffusion plant from which a quantity of the UF 6 inventory is intermittently withdrawn and frozen to solidify it. A plurality of upright heat pipes holds a coolant and is arranged in a two compartment vessel, the lower compartment is exposed to UF 6 , the higher one serves for condensing the evaporated coolant by means of cooling water. In one embodiment, each pipe has a quantity of coolant such as freon, hermetically sealed therein. In the other embodiment, each pipe is sealed only at the lower end while the upper end communicates with a common vapor or cooling chamber which contains a water cooled condenser. The cooling water has a sufficiently low temperature to condense the evaporated coolant. The liquid coolant flows gravitationally downward to the lower end portion of the pipe. UF 6 gas is flowed into the tank where it contacts the finned outside surface of the heat pipes. Heat from the gas evaporates the coolant and the gas in turn is solidified on the exterior of the heat pipe sections in the tank. To recover UF 6 gas from the tank, the solidified UF 6 is sublimed by passing compressed UF 6 gas over the frozen UF 6 gas on the pipes or by externally heating the lower ends of the pipes sufficiently to evaporate the coolant therein above the subliming temperature of the UF 6 . The subliming UF 6 gas then condenses the coolant in the vertical heat pipes, so that it can gravitationally flow back to the lower end portions.

Gas filled swivel joint for cryogenic heat pipes

Abstract: In a vacuum environment such as space, conductive ball and socket members are fixed to respective heat pipes for permitting orthogonal movement of one heat pipe relative to the other and the gap between the ball and socket members is maintained under a light gas pressure with the low pressure gas forming a low thermal impedance path across the gap.