Heat pipes and thermal siphons

摘要

A heat pipe or thermal siphon having an internal surface shaped to promote thin film evaporation therefrom. The internal surface consists of a number of equi-spaced longitudinally extending ribs which define grooves between them, and the ribs may be of rectangular, semicircular, or triangular form. In use the bulk of the condensate in the thermal siphon is pulled by surface tension effects into the corners of the grooves, and leaves a thin film of the condensate between the rivulets. An assembly of heat transfer fins is attached externally one at each side of the heat pipe or thermal siphon for air flow therethrough transverse to the length of the heat pipe or thermal siphon, and a number of such assemblies are clustered together with a silicone rubber sealing strip between them at about the center of each assembly to divide the cluster into two sealingly separated portions.