Integral heat pipe enclosure

摘要

A passive cooling system for cooling an enclosure containing electronic components. A hollowed portion of the enclosure is formed as an integral heat pipe containing a working fluid. The hollowed portion has an evaporator section located at the top and a condenser section located at the bottom. The enclosure also has hollowed side walls which serve as passage ways for the working fluid to flow through in between the evaporator and condenser sections. Gravity and the pressure of evaporation force the working fluid down to the condenser section. A wick is provided for returning the working fluid to the evaporator section by capillary action. Additionally, an ultrasonic transducer driven by the heat rejected from the condenser section may be used to help return the working fluid to the evaporator section. Finally, a check valve may be employed before the evaporator section for the working fluid to flow through.