METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING TRANSFER OF A HEAT LOAD BETWEEN A HEAT SOURCE AND A HEAT RECEIVER
An apparatus for providing transfer of a heat load between a heat source and a heat receiver includes a female part configured to be fixed to the heat source or the heat receiver and a male part configured to be fixed to the other of the heat source or the heat receiver. The female part includes a female structure. The male part includes a male structure. The male part and the female part are configured to form a heat transfer surface for the heat load therebetween when the male part is placed in the female part. Structures are configured to provide a heat transfer surface that increases with the temperature, so as to increase the heat load transfer between the structures.
1 . An apparatus for providing a transfer of a heat load between a heat source and a heat receiver, said apparatus comprising:
a female part configured to be fixed to said heat source or said heat receiver, said female part comprising a female structure; and
a male part configured to be fixed to the other of said heat source or said heat receiver, said male part comprising a male structure;
wherein said male part and said female part are configured to form a heat transfer surface for said heat load therebetween when said male part is placed in said female part; and
wherein structures are configured to provide a heat transfer surface that increases with the temperature, so as to increase the heat load transfer between said structures.
2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the male and female structures form a gap therebetween and comprise materials having different coefficients of thermal expansion.
3 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the coefficient of thermal expansion of the male structure is greater than the coefficient of thermal expansion of the female structure.
4 . The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the male structure is arranged to expand radially as the temperature increases and comprises an external surface, which is configured to face an internal surface of the female structure with the gap therebetween.
5 . The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the male structure comprises an internal surface that is smaller than its external surface and that is configured to face an external surface of the female structure by forming a heat transfer surface therebetween, the gap being formed between said surfaces upon radial expansion of the male structure.
6 . The apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the male structure comprises an internal layer comprising a first material and an external layer comprising a second material, wherein the coefficient of thermal expansion of the first material is different than the coefficient of thermal expansion of the second material.
7 . The apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein at least one structure comprises surface features that are configured to enter into contact with the other structure upon thermal expansion of structures.
8 . The apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the surface features comprise protrusions.
9 . The apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the gap formed between the male structure and the female structure is partially filled with a thermally conductive fluid.
10 . The apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the thermally conductive fluid is maintained into a structure by means of a sealing mechanism when the male and female structures are disconnected.
11 . The apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the thermally conductive fluid is a dielectric fluid.
12 . A Heat pipe for thermally and mechanically connecting a heat source and a heat receiver, said heat pipe comprising two ends that are each equipped with respectively a part of an apparatus according to claim 1 .