Evaporator for use in a heat transfer system

1. An evaporator comprising:

a cylindrical barrier wall defining a central axial opening and an outer cylindrical surface, the cylindrical barrier wall having a length, a first axial end, a second axial end and being closed from fluid flow at both the first axial end and the second axial end;

a cylindrical wick disposed within the central axial opening, defining a central axial channel and extending substantially along the entire length of the cylindrical barrier wall from the first axial end to the second axial end;

a liquid inlet port extending through the cylindrical barrier wall and through a passage in the cylindrical wick to a location proximate to an inner surface of the cylindrical wick defining the central axial channel and directly communicating with the central axial channel;

a liquid outlet port extending through the cylindrical barrier wall and through a passage in the cylindrical wick to a location proximate to an inner surface of the cylindrical wick defining the central axial channel and directly communicating with the central axial channel; and

a vapor port extending through the cylindrical barrier wall to a location proximate to an outer surface of the cylindrical wick.

2. The evaporator of claim 1 , further comprising a sleeve that is attached to the cylindrical barrier wall at each of the liquid inlet port and the liquid outlet port.

3. The evaporator of claim 2 , wherein each sleeve is welded to the cylindrical barrier wall at the outer cylindrical surface.

4. The evaporator of claim 1 , further comprising:

an outer sleeve defining a sleeve axis at each of the liquid inlet port and the liquid outlet port; and

a tube within each outer sleeve and extending along the sleeve axis;

wherein:

a first region of the tube is attached to an outer sleeve and a second region of the tube extends into the cylindrical wick; and

each outer sleeve is attached to the cylindrical barrier wall.

5. An evaporator comprising:

a cylindrical barrier wall defining a central axial opening and an outer cylindrical surface, the cylindrical barrier wall having a length, a first axial end, a second axial end and being closed from fluid flow at both the first axial end and the second axial end;

a cylindrical wick disposed within the central axial opening, defining a central axial channel and extending substantially along the entire length of the cylindrical barrier wall from the first axial end to the second axial end;

a liquid inlet port extending through the cylindrical barrier wall and through the cylindrical wick to the central axial channel;

a liquid outlet port extending through the cylindrical barrier wall and through the cylindrical wick to the central axial channel;

a vapor port extending through the cylindrical barrier wall to proximate an outer surface of the cylindrical wick;

an outer sleeve defining a sleeve axis at each of the liquid inlet port and the liquid outlet port; and

a tube within each outer sleeve and extending along the sleeve axis; and

wherein:

a first region of the tube is attached to an outer sleeve and a second region of the tube extends into the cylindrical wick;

each outer sleeve is attached to the cylindrical barrier wall; and

the second region of the tube is sealed to the cylindrical wick in such manner that a gap between the tube at the second region and the cylindrical wick is smaller than a radius of pores within the cylindrical wick.

6. An evaporator comprising:

a cylindrical barrier wall defining a central axial opening and an outer cylindrical surface, the cylindrical barrier wall having a length, a first axial end, a second axial end and being closed from fluid flow at both the first axial end and the second axial end;

a cylindrical wick disposed within the central axial opening, defining a central axial channel and extending substantially along the entire length of the cylindrical barrier wall from the first axial end to the second axial end;

a liquid inlet port extending through the cylindrical barrier wall and through the cylindrical wick to the central axial channel;

a liquid outlet port extending through the cylindrical barrier wall and through the cylindrical wick to the central axial channel;

a vapor port extending through the cylindrical barrier wall to proximate an outer surface of the cylindrical wick;

an outer sleeve defining a sleeve axis at each of the liquid inlet port and the liquid outlet port; and

a tube within each outer sleeve and extending along the sleeve axis; and

wherein:

a first region of the tube is attached to an outer sleeve and a second region of the tube extends into the cylindrical wick;

each outer sleeve is attached to the cylindrical barrier wall;

the tube is made of a first metal at the first region and the tube is made of a second metal at the second region;

the first region of the tube is welded to the outer sleeve; and

the second region of the tube is welded to the cylindrical wick.

7. The evaporator of claim 1 , further comprising a heat-receiving saddle that covers at least part of the outer cylindrical surface of the cylindrical barrier wall and having at least one opening in the heat-receiving saddle corresponding to at least one of the liquid inlet port, the liquid outlet port, and the vapor port.

8. The evaporator of claim 7 , wherein the heat-receiving saddle is made of a material having a coefficient of thermal expansion of about two times the magnitude of the coefficient of thermal expansion of the heat source applied to the evaporator.

9. The evaporator of claim 1 , further comprising a first cap disposed at the first axial end of the cylindrical barrier wall and closing the cylindrical barrier wall from fluid flow at the first axial end.

10. The evaporator of claim 9 , further comprising a second cap disposed at the second axial end of the cylindrical barrier wall and closing the cylindrical barrier wall from fluid flow at the second axial end.

11. The evaporator of claim 9 , wherein the first cap includes a substantially conical surface extending at least partially into the central axial opening.