[DESCRIPTION]
[Invention Title]
LOOP TYPE MICRO HEAT TRANSPORT DEVICE
[Technical Field]
The present invention relates to a loop type micro heat transport device, and
more particularly, to a loop type micro heat transport device capable of
preventing pressure drop due to friction at an interface between gas and liquid,
improving cooling performance, and enabling long-distance heat transport, by
separately forming vapor and liquid transport lines.
[Background Art]
Recently, as performance of computers and various mobile electronic and
communication devices gets higher, their sizes are being continuously
miniaturized. However, the inner structure of the miniaturized mobile devices
is very densely integrated, so that there is little empty space to thereby provide
disadvantages in heat dissipation.
It is difficult for small-sized mobile devices such as notebook computers and
sub-notebook computers of the electronic and communication devices to
employ cooling devices to dissipate heat generated therefrom and discharge
the heat to the exterior, due to their size. Conventional cooling devices may be
a simple thermal conduction type device that a material having good thermal
conductivity is installed appropriate to a package structure of the device. In
addition, there exist a fan and heat pipe-type device, a liquid circulation-type
device, and so on.
The fan and heat pipe-type device is provided with a vent hole formed at a
side chassis of the device so that heat transported from a heat source through a
heat pipe is discharged through the vent hole. The liquid circulation-type
device, which is the most typical type device, has very excellent heat transport
performance in comparison with other cooling type devices.
Such cooling type devices are being widely used in the compact mobile
devices. However, as the electronic package structure in the compact mobile
device becomes more and more densely integrated, there are difficulties in
employing the conventional cooling devices due to its size.
That is, it is not easy to find a cooling method capable of transporting heat to a
relatively long distance in the case that the package structure has a small inner
volume and thickness. For example, when a small heat pipe is pressed to a
thickness smaller than about 2mm, its heat transport performance is
remarkably reduced to make it difficult to transport the heat to a distance
longer than about 50mm. Meanwhile, other cooling methods also have
disadvantages in thermal conductivity or size to make it difficult to apply them.
[Disclosure]
[Technical Problem]
The present invention is directed to a simple structure of loop type micro heat
transport device capable of preventing pressure drop due to friction at an
interface between gas and liquid, improving cooling performance, and
enabling long-distance heat transport, by separately forming vapor and liquid
transport lines.
[Technical Solution]
In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a loop
type micro heat transport device including: a lower plate having a reservoir for
storing operating fluid at its upper surface, an evaporating part spaced apart
from the reservoir to evaporate the operating fluid, and a condensing part for
condensing vapor evaporated from the evaporating part; and an upper plate
engaged with an upper surface of the lower plate and formed at a position
corresponding to the evaporating part and the condensing part, and including a
vapor space having a vapor line through which the vapor evaporated from the
evaporating part is transported to the condensing part, wherein the operating
fluid is circulated through the reservoir, the evaporating part, and the
condensing part.
In another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a
loop type micro heat transport device including: a lower plate having a
reservoir for storing operating fluid at its upper surface, an evaporating part
spaced apart from the reservoir to evaporate the operating fluid, and a
condensing part for condensing vapor evaporated from the evaporating part;
an intermediate plate engaged with an upper surface of the lower plate and
formed at a position corresponding to the evaporating part and the condensing
part, and including a vapor space having a vapor line through which the vapor
evaporated from the evaporating part is transported to the condensing part; and
an upper plate engaged with an upper surface of the intermediate plate, and
having a micro channel for dispersing liquid condensed on the plate, wherein
the operating fluid is circulated through the reservoir, the evaporating part, and
the condensing part.
Preferably, a liquid line may be formed at a lower surface of the upper plate or
the intermediate plate so that the operating fluid is circulated through the
reservoir, the evaporating part, and the condensing part.
Preferably, the liquid line may be formed at an upper surface of the lower
plate so that the operating fluid is circulated through the reservoir, the
evaporating part, and the condensing part.
Preferably, the liquid line may be formed in a "C" shape so that a pair of lines
is formed at both sides of the vapor line.
Preferably, the liquid line may be formed in an "L" shape so that a single line
is formed at one side of the vapor line.
Preferably, the upper and lower plates may be formed of one selected from the
group consisting of silicon, glass, copper, polymer, and aluminum.
Preferably, the evaporating part and the condensing part may have a multi¬
channel capillary structure.
Preferably, the condensing part may be formed of a serpentine channel
Preferably, the evaporating part and the condensing part may have a multi¬
channel capillary structure with at least one step.
Preferably, separate liquid reservoirs may be installed adjacent to both sides of
the evaporating part, i.e. the liquid line
[Advantageous Effects]
The loop type micro heat transport device in accordance with the present
invention is capable of preventing pressure drop due to friction at an interface
between gas and liquid, improving cooling performance, and enabling long¬
distance heat transport, by separately forming vapor and liquid transport lines.
In addition, it is possible to obtain higher productivity since its simple
structure helps to make the manufacture simple.
In addition, since the two-stage multi-channel capillary structure of the lower
plate in accordance with the present invention can prevent a counterflow of the
vapor, there is no necessity to manufacture a separate structure for preventing
the counterflow.
Further, the present invention has various advantages capable of adaptably
adjusting the thickness and length of the plates according to the heat density of
the electronic device, freely changing positions of the evaporating part, the
condensing part, the liquid path, and the vapor path, and mounting various
types of plates in an inner package structure of the mobile electronic device.
[Description of Drawings]
The above and other features of the present invention will be described in
reference to certain exemplary embodiments thereof with reference to the
attached drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a loop type micro heat transport
device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is an assembled perspective view of a loop type micro heat transport
device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A' of FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is a partial perspective view of a loop type micro heat transport device
in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention; and
FIGS. 5 to 7 are exploded perspective views of a loop type micro heat
transport device in accordance with another embodiment of the present
invention.
[Mode for Invention]
The present invention will now be described more fully hereinafter with
reference to the accompanying drawings, in which preferred embodiments of
the invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in
different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set
forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure
will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the
invention to those skilled in the art.
FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a loop type micro heat transport
device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is
an assembled perspective view of a loop type micro heat transport device in
accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a
cross-sectional view taken along line A-A' of FIG. 2.
Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, the loop type micro heat transport device in
accordance with an embodiment of the present invention has a hermetically
sealed structure that an upper plate 100 and a lower plate are engaged with
each other. An operating fluid is injected into the hermetically sealed structure
of the loop type micro heat transport device to perform heat exchange with the
exterior through phase change thermal transfer.
In this process, a pair of vapor spaces 110 are formed at a lower surface of the
upper plate 100 corresponding to an evaporating part 220 and a condensing
part 230 which are formed at an upper part of the lower plate 200.
A vapor line 115 is formed between the pair of vapor spaces 110 to transport
the vapor evaporated from the evaporating part 220 to the condensing part 230.
At this time, the vapor line 115 is preferably formed to have a single line
shape at a center part of the upper plate 100.
In addition, a liquid line 120 is formed at the lower surface of the upper plate
100 so that the operating fluid stored in a reservoir 210 of the lower plate 200
is circulated through the evaporating part 220 and the condensing part 230.
The liquid line 120 is preferably formed to have a "C" shape so that a pair of
lines are formed at both sides of the vapor line 115, but not limited thereto,
may have a "L" shape so that a single line is formed at a lower side of the
upper plate 100, i.e., one side of the vapor line 115 to circulate the operating
fluid stored in the reservoir 210 of the lower plate 200 through the evaporating
part 220 and the condensing part 230. In addition, the liquid line 120 may have
a loop shape.
The reservoir 210 having a hole 215 for injecting a predetermined operating
fluid is formed at one side of the upper surface of the lower plate 200 to store
the operating fluid injected from the exterior.
In addition, the evaporating part 220 and the condensing part 230 are formed
at the upper surface of the lower plate 200 corresponding to the pair of vapor
spaces 110, respectively.
The evaporating part 220 is spaced apart from the reservoir 210 and
evaporates the operating fluid transported through the liquid line 120 from the
reservoir 210. Preferably, the evaporating part 220 is formed to have a multi¬
channel capillary structure and at least one step. The multi-channel capillary
structure can reduce capillary force applied to each channel, thereby
improving thermal conduction performance.
The multi-channel structure of the evaporating part 220 applied to the
embodiment of the present invention is formed of two stages consisting of an
upper part 220a and a lower part 220b. The upper part 220a overlaps and
contacts the liquid line 120 of the upper plate 100.
Specifically, liquid returned to the evaporating part 220 through the liquid line
120 is moved to the lower part 220b along grooves of the multi-channel,
thereby filling the entire area of the evaporating part 220. Since the two-stage
multi-channel capillary structure can prevent a counterflow of the vapor, there
is no necessity to manufacture a separate structure for preventing the
counterflow.
The condensing part 230 condenses vapor evaporated from the evaporating
part 220 transported through the vapor line 115 formed at the upper plate 100.
The condensing part 230 also has the same multi-channel capillary structure as
the evaporating part 220.
Preferably, the multi-channel capillary structure formed at the condensing part
230 has at least one step. The multi-channel capillary structure can reduce
capillary force applied to each channel, thereby improving thermal conduction
performance.
Meanwhile, the multi-channel capillary structure of the evaporating part 230
applied to the embodiment of the present invention may be formed at its edge
part only, not formed in its central part.
In addition, a sintered structure may be separately inserted into the evaporating
part 220 and the condensing part 230 applied to the embodiment of the present
invention in order to more improve the capillary force.
After vacuuming the interior of the loop type micro heat transport device, the
operating fluid is filled into the device through the operating fluid injection
hole 215. Heat transferred to the evaporating part 220 from a predetermined
heat source (not shown) evaporates the operating fluid to be changed into a
latent heat state. The vapor is transported to the condensing part 230 through
the vapor line 115 by a pressure difference, and then the condensing part 230
dissipates and condenses the heat.
The condensed liquid is transported to the evaporating part 220 through the
separate liquid line 120, different from the conventional heat pipe that the
liquid is transported through the same line as the vapor line 115. At this time,
since the vapor and the liquid are transported through the vapor line 115 and
the liquid line 120, respectively, there is no pressure drop due to friction at an
interface between gas and liquid, thereby obtaining relatively excellent heat
transport performance in comparison with the conventional heat pipe.
As described above, the heat entered into the evaporating part 220 is
transported to the condensing part 230 as vapor in the latent heat state,
condensed in the condensing part 230, and then returned to the evaporating
part 220 in the liquid state. The looped circulation process is repeated.
FIG. 4 is a partial perspective view of a loop type micro heat transport device
in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention.
Referring to FIG. 4, the loop type micro heat transport device in accordance
with another embodiment of the present invention has a hermetically sealed
structure that an upper plate 100 and a lower plate 200 are engaged with each
other, similar to the embodiment of the present invention.
A pair of vapor spaces 110 are formed at a lower surface of the upper plate
100 corresponding to an evaporating part 220 and a condensing part 230
formed at an upper part of the lower plate 200.
A vapor line 115 is formed between the pair of vapor spaces 110 to transport
vapor evaporated from the evaporating part 220 to the condensing part 230.
A reservoir 210 (see FIG. 1) having a hole 215 (see FIG. 1) for injecting a
predetermined operating fluid is formed at one side of the upper surface of the
lower plate 200 to store the operating fluid injected from the exterior, similar
to the embodiment of the present invention, while not shown in FIG. 4.
In addition, the evaporating part 220 and the condensing part 230 are formed
at an upper surface of the lower plate 200 corresponding to the pair of vapor
spaces 110 formed at the upper plate 100. The evaporating part 220 and the
condensing part 230 have the same structure as the embodiment of the present
invention, so their descriptions will be omitted.
Differently from the embodiment of the present invention, a liquid line 120 is
formed at the upper surface of the lower plate 200 applied to another
embodiment of the present invention to circulate the operating fluid injected
from the exterior through the reservoir 210, the evaporating part 220, and the
condensing part 230.
Similarly to the embodiment of the present invention, the liquid line 120 is
preferably formed to have a "C" shape when the upper plate 100 and the lower
plate 200 are engaged with each other so that a pair of lines are formed at both
sides of the vapor line 115, but not limited thereto, may have a "L" shape so
that a single line is formed at a lower side of the upper plate 100, i.e., one side
of the vapor line 115 to circulate the operating fluid stored in the reservoir 210
of the lower plate 200 through the evaporating part 220 and the condensing
part 230. In addition, the liquid line may have a loop shape.
FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of a loop type micro heat transport
device in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention. The
embodiment shown in FIG. 5 has a basic operational theory and structure
similar to that of the loop type heat transport device shown in FIG. 1 , except
that the structure in FIG. 1 is composed of upper and lower plates and the
structure in FIG. 5 is composed of lower, intermediate and upper plates 200,
300 and 400. While the lower plate of FIG. 5 has the same structure as FIG. 1,
the liquid line 120 and the vapor spaces 110 formed at the upper plate of FIG.
1 are formed at the intermediate plate 300 in the structure of FIG. 5. Micro
channels 410 are formed at a lower surface of the upper plate 400 of FIG. 5 to
disperse the condensed liquid.
FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of a loop type micro heat transport
device in accordance with yet another embodiment of the present invention.
The device shown in FIG. 6 is similar to the device in FIG. 5 in that the device
in FIG. 6 is composed of three plates and different from the device in FIG. 5 in
that a condensing part 235 has a serpentine structure.
FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of a loop type micro heat transport
device in accordance with still another embodiment of the present invention.
The device shown in FIG. 7 is also similar to the device in FIG. 5 in that the
device in FIG. 7 is composed of three plates and different from the device in
FIG. 5 in that separate liquid reservoirs 240 are installed adjacent to both sides
of an evaporating part, i.e. a liquid line.
As can be seen from the foregoing, the loop type micro heat transport device
in accordance with the present invention is capable of preventing pressure
drop due to friction at an interface between gas and liquid, improving cooling
performance, and enabling long-distance heat transport, by separately forming
vapor and liquid transport lines. In addition, it is possible to obtain higher
productivity since its simple structure helps to make the manufacture simple.
In addition, since the two-stage multi-channel capillary structure of the lower
plate in accordance with the present invention can prevent a counterflow of the
vapor, there is no necessity to manufacture a separate structure for preventing
the counterflow.
Further, the present invention has various advantages capable of adaptably
adjusting the thickness and length of the plates according to the heat density of
the electronic device, freely changing positions of the evaporating part, the
condensing part, the liquid path, and the vapor path, and mounting various
types of plates in an inner package structure of the mobile electronic device.
Although the present invention has been described with reference to certain
exemplary embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the
art that a variety of modifications and variations may be made to the present
invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention
defined in the appended claims, and their equivalents.