US 11,800,684 B2
Heat pipe with multiple stages of cooling
Nicholas W. Pinto, Shelby Township, MI (US); Chih-hung Yen, Bloomfield Hills, MI (US); Nathan Thompson, Sterling Heights, MI (US); and Anne M. Dailly, West Bloomfield, MI (US)
Assigned to GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC, Detroit, MI (US)
Filed by GM Global Technology Operations LLC, Detroit, MI (US)
Filed on Jan. 19, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/152,178.
Prior Publication US 2022/0232735 A1, Jul. 21, 2022
Int. Cl. H05K 7/20 (2006.01); F28D 15/04 (2006.01); G08B 21/18 (2006.01)
CPC H05K 7/20336 (2013.01) [F28D 15/04 (2013.01); F28D 15/046 (2013.01); G08B 21/182 (2013.01); H05K 7/20136 (2013.01); H05K 7/20381 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A heat pipe for an electronics cooling system having an electronic component, the heat pipe comprising:
a tube having an inner diameter surface defining a bore, with the tube having first and second ends along the bore;
a sorbent material coated onto the inner diameter surface of the tube;
a first liquid contained within the bore of the tube and having a first boiling temperature; and
a second liquid adsorbed by the sorbent material and having a second boiling temperature that is higher than the first boiling temperature of the first liquid;
wherein the first liquid vaporizes into a first vapor in response to the tube receiving heat from the electronic component and the first liquid reaching the first boiling temperature, and the first vapor moves toward the second end where the first vapor dissipates heat through the tube and condenses into the first liquid;
wherein the second liquid is desorbed from the sorbent material in response to the second liquid and the sorbent material reaching a predetermined desorption temperature that is less than the second boiling temperature, the sorbent material is configured to desorb at least a portion of the second liquid into the bore before all of the first liquid vaporizes into the first vapor, and the second liquid vaporizes into a second vapor in response to the second liquid reaching the second boiling temperature.