Manufacturing and characterization of welded, sintered condensers for a loop heat pipe

Abstract

A manufacturing process plan was developed for a welded condenser utilizing a sintered wick. Electronic devices have progressed to the point where new designs are limited by the thermal management system used to ensure safe operating temperatures. Coupling the effects of high surface area of multiple condensers, the low thermal resistance of loop heat pipes, and the increased dissipation rates with an integrated fan system, a high efficiency heat exchanger has been previously designed. The multiplecondenser loop heat pipe required reliably manufactured condensers, with specified internal features composed of sinter wick material in order to prevent flooding and flash vaporization; key challenges faced by having multiple condensers in a loop heat pipe. The implementation of a functional sintered bond used to assemble the condenser and a welded flange design for the creation of a hermetic seal, resulted in a more reliable condenser, which functioned in a similar manner to previous designs. Additionally, the performance of the condenser under air restriction was addressed.