Enhanced heat pipe cooling with MHD fluid flow
A heat source is cooled by employing heat pipes, magneto-hydrodynamic fluid pipes, and a heat sink. Heat is transmitted from evaporating ends of the heat pipes connected to the heat source to condensing ends of the heat pipes connected to the heat sink. The magneto-hydrodynamic fluid is circulated inside the magneto-hydrodynamic fluid pipes. Magnetic fields are generated using an array of magnets and an electric potential is created from a top surface to a bottom surface of each magneto-hydrodynamic fluid pipe using metal films. The magnetic fields and electric potential induce an electrically-conductive magneto-hydrodynamic fluid to circulate in the magneto-hydrodynamic fluid pipes thereby dissipating heat from the heat sink.
1. A method for cooling a heat source with heat pipes, a plurality of magneto-hydrodynamic fluid pipes (MHD fluid pipes), and a heat sink comprising a plurality of heat sink fins, the method comprising:
transmitting heat from evaporating ends of the heat pipes connected to the heat source to condensing ends of the heat pipes connected to the heat sink; and
circulating magneto-hydrodynamic fluid (MHD fluid) inside the plurality of MHD fluid pipes, wherein the plurality of MHD fluid pipes are embedded in the plurality of heat sink fins to reduce a thermal gradient within the heat sink and to dissipate heat.
2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
circulating the MHD fluid inside the plurality of MHD fluid pipes using an magneto-hydrodynamic pump (MHD pump) assembly.
3. The method according to claim 2 , further comprising:
shielding the MHD pump assembly with a ferromagnetic metal enclosure.
4. The method according to claim 2 , further comprising:
controlling the circulation of the MHD fluid by adjusting an electric potential applied to segments of the plurality of MHD fluid pipes in the MHD pump assembly.
5. A method for cooling a heat sink connected to a plurality of heat pipes and comprising a plurality of magneto-hydrodynamic fluid pipes (MHD fluid pipes), the method comprising:
generating a plurality of magnetic fields using an array of magnets;
creating an electric potential from a top surface to a bottom surface of each MHD fluid pipe using a plurality of metal films;
inducing, by the plurality of magnetic fields and the electric potential, an electrically-conductive magneto-hydrodynamic fluid (MHD fluid) to circulate in the plurality of MHD fluid pipes; and
dissipating heat from the heat sink.
6. The method according to claim 5 , further comprising:
at least partially shielding the plurality of magnetic fields.
7. The method according to claim 5 , further comprising:
using a directional air flow through the heat sink to accelerate the heat dissipation.
8. The method according to claim 5 , further comprising:
measuring a temperature at a location of the heat sink; and
adjusting a flow rate of the MHD fluid circulating in the plurality of MHD fluid pipes based on the measured temperature.