Carbon nanotube heat pipe or thermosiphon
Heat transfer systems and methods are provided. The heat transfer system includes an evaporator section integrated with or thermally joined to a heat dissipating system. The evaporator section is connected to a condenser section by a conduit. Together, portions of the evaporator section, the condenser section, and the conduit form a closed volume containing a heat transfer fluid. A superhydrophobic surface is present on at least a portion of the condenser section forming a part of the closed volume. The superhydrophobic surface can include a plurality of carbon nanotubes. The carbon nanotubes can be provided as a forest of carbon nanotubes extending from a rough surface.
1. A heat transfer system, comprising:
an evaporator section;
a connecting section;
a condenser section, wherein surfaces of each of the evaporator section, the connecting section, and the condenser section form an enclosed volume, and wherein a superhydrophobic surface is present on at least a portion of the condenser section surface forming a part of the enclosed volume; and
a heat transfer fluid, wherein the heat transfer fluid is contained within the enclosed volume, and wherein a superhydrophobic surface is not present on any portion of the evaporator section surface forming a part of the enclosed volume.
2. The heat transfer system of claim 1 , wherein a superhydrophobic surface is not present on any portion of the connecting section surface forming a part of the enclosed volume.
3. The heat transfer system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a wicking structure on a portion of the surface of the evaporator section forming a part of the enclosed volume.
4. The heat transfer system of claim 1 , wherein the superhydrophobic surface is mechanically robust.
5. The heat transfer system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a heat dissipating system, wherein the evaporator section is integrated with or thermally joined to the heat dissipating system.
6. The heat transfer system of claim 5 , wherein the heat dissipating system is an electronic system.
7. The heat transfer system of claim 1 , wherein the superhydrophobic surface includes a substrate and a forest of carbon nanotubes extending from a surface of the substrate.
8. The heat transfer system of claim 7 , wherein the surface of the substrate is a rough surface.
9. The heat transfer system of claim 1 , wherein the heat transfer system is configured as a loop heat pipe, and wherein the connecting section includes first and second conduits.
10. A heat transfer system, comprising:
an evaporator section;
a connecting section; and
a condenser section, wherein surfaces of each of the evaporator section, the connecting section, and the condenser section form an enclosed volume, wherein superhydrophobic surface is present on at least a portion of the condenser section surface forming a part of the enclosed volume, and wherein the superhydrophobic surface includes a forest of vertically aligned carbon nanotubes.
11. The heat transfer system of claim 10 , further comprising:
a heat transfer fluid, wherein the heat transfer fluid is contained within the enclosed volume.
12. The heat transfer system of claim 10 , wherein the forest of vertically aligned carbon nanotubes is formed on a substrate having a rough surface.
13. The heat transfer system of claim 12 , wherein the substrate is a silicon substrate.
14. The heat transfer system of claim 12 , wherein the rough surface of the substrate has a surface roughness ratio of from about 1.0 to about 2.0.
15. The heat transfer system of claim 12 , wherein the superhydrophobic surface is present only on a portion of the condenser section.
16. The heat transfer system of claim 15 , further comprising a wicking structure on a portion of the surface of the evaporator section forming a part of the enclosed volume, wherein the wicking structure includes a sparse forest of carbon nanotubes.
17. The heat transfer system of claim 16 , further comprising:
a heat transfer fluid, wherein the heat transfer fluid has a low surface tension.
18. A heat transfer system, comprising:
an evaporator section:
a connecting section; and
a condenser section, wherein surfaces of each of the evaporator section, the connecting section, and the condenser section form an enclosed volume, and wherein a superhydrophobic surface is present on at least a portion of the condenser section surface forming a part of the enclosed volume, and wherein the superhydrophobic surface includes a coating of randomly aligned carbon nanotubes.