Conformal thermal ground planes
A conformal thermal ground plane is disclosed according to some embodiments along with a method of manufacturing a conformal thermal ground plane according to other embodiments. The method may include forming a first planar containment layer into a first non-planar containment layer having a first non-planar shape; forming a second planar containment layer into a second non-planar containment layer having a second non-planar shape; disposing a liquid cavity and a vapor cavity between the first non-planar containment layer and the second non-planar containment layer; sealing at least a portion of the first non-planar containment layer and at least a portion of the second non-planar containment layer; and charging at least the liquid cavity with a working fluid.
1. A method of manufacturing a conformal thermal ground plane, the method comprising:
forming a first planar containment layer into a first non-planar containment layer having a first non-planar shape;
forming a second planar containment layer into a second non-planar containment layer having a second non-planar shape;
forming a planar wicking layer into a non-planar wicking layer having a non-planar shape;
disposing a liquid cavity and a vapor cavity between the first non-planar containment layer and the second non-planar containment layer, wherein the liquid cavity includes the non-planar wicking layer;
sealing at least a portion of the of the first non-planar containment layer and at least a portion of the second non-planar containment layer together; and
charging at least the liquid cavity with a working fluid.
2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the working fluid is at a pressure below ambient pressure.
3. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising disposing a second liquid cavity between the first non-planar containment layer and the second non-planar containment layer.
4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first non-planar containment layer and/or the second non-planar containment layer is formed using at least one of a mold, a die, and a press.
5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the liquid cavity and/or the vapor cavity is formed using at least one of a mold, a die, and a press.
6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the wicking layer comprises a wicking structure.
7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first non-planar containment layer and/or forming the second non-planar containment layer is formed using vacuum forming.
8. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
heating the first non-planar containment layer to a temperature above the pliable forming temperature of the first non-planar containment layer; and
heating the second non-planar containment layer to a temperature above the pliable forming temperature of the second non-planar containment layer.
9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the liquid cavity comprises at least one of channels, micro pillars and a mesh.
10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the vapor cavity comprises at one of coarse channels, coarsely spaced pillars, and a coarse mesh.