Heat pipe component deployed from a compact volume
View Patent ↗A component of a heat pipe assembly ( 100 ) has hollow fluid transport sections ( 108 ) communicating with hollow bendable fluid transport sections ( 110 ); the bendable fluid transport sections ( 110 ) being bendable to deploy the transport sections ( 108 ) from a compact volume.
1. A component of a heat pipe assembly comprising:
hollow fluid transport sections communicating with hollow bendable fluid transport sections;
the bendable fluid transport sections being bendable to stack the rigid sections in a compact volume;
and further comprising a sub-cooler having an external condensate line section, and an external vapor line section, the external vapor line section communicating with a vapor line in the hollow fluid transport sections and in the bendable fluid transport sections.
2. The component of claim 1 , and further comprising: fins on the hollow fluid transport sections.
3. The component of claim 1 , and further comprising: a further flexible hollow fluid transport section connecting the component in a heat pipe assembly.
4. The component of claim 1 , and further comprising: a liquid line extending through the hollow fluid transport sections and through the bendable fluid transport sections.
5. The component of claim 1 , and further comprising: an exterior side of the hollow and bendable fluid transport sections dissipating latent heat of vapor phase fluid being transported.
6. The component of claim 1 , and further comprising: an evaporator of a heat pipe assembly, the hollow fluid transport sections having a shape conforming to the exterior of the evaporator.
7. The component of claim 1 , and further comprising: an evaporator of a heat pipe assembly; and a fin on each of the hollow fluid transport sections having a shape conforming to the shape of the exterior of the evaporator.
8. The component of claim 1 , and further comprising: the component being a condenser of a heat pipe assembly.
9. A heat pipe assembly comprising:
a hollow envelope having an evaporator and a condenser containing a quantity of working fluid;
the condenser having hollow fluid transport sections communicating with hollow bendable fluid transport sections; the bendable fluid transport sections being bendable to stack the rigid sections in a compact volume;
and further comprising a sub-cooler having an external condensate line section, and an external vapor line section, the external vapor line section communicating with a vapor line in the hollow fluid transport sections and in the bendable fluid transport sections.
10. The heat pipe assembly of claim 9 , and further comprising: fins on the hollow fluid transport sections.
11. The heat pipe assembly of claim 9 , and further comprising: a liquid line extending through the hollow fluid transport sections and through the bendable fluid transport sections.
12. The heat pipe assembly of claim 9 , and further comprising: an exterior side of each of the hollow and bendable fluid transport sections dissipating latent heat of vapor phase fluid.
13. The heat pipe assembly of claim 9 , and further comprising: the hollow fluid transport sections having a shape conforming to the exterior of the evaporator.
14. A component of a heat pipe assembly comprising:
hollow fluid transport sections communicating with hollow bendable fluid transport sections;
the bendable fluid transport sections being bendable to stack the rigid sections in a compact volume;
and further comprising one of the hollow fluid transport sections having an external fin and providing a sub-cooler for condensate, and an external vapor line connected to a vapor collection manifold of a heat pipe assembly; the vapor line by-passing the sub-cooler and being connected to a bendable hollow fluid transport section that is, in turn, connected between the sub-cooler and an adjacent hollow fluid transport section.
15. A component of a heat pipe assembly comprising:
hollow fluid transport sections communicating with hollow bendable fluid transport sections;
the bendable fluid transport sections being bendable to stack the rigid sections in a compact volume;
and further comprising a coupling tee having a liquid line section between the fluid transport sections and a reservoir of a heat pipe assembly, and the coupling tee having a vapor line section between the fluid transport sections and an evaporator of a heat pipe assembly.