Switchable heat pipe assembly
The heat pipe assembly is formed into an H-shape or a Y-shape. The H-shaped configuration comprises two heat pipes, each having condenser and evaporator sections with wicking therein coupled by a tube with wick at their evaporator sections. The Y-shaped configuration utilizes a common evaporator section in place of the two evaporator sections of the H-shaped configuration. In both configurations, the connection between the vapor spaces of the two heat pipes equalizes vapor pressure within the heat pipes. Although both heat pipes have wicks, they have sufficient fluid only to saturate a single pipe. If heat is applied to the condenser section of one of the pipes, this heat pipe becomes inoperative since all the fluid is transferred to the second pipe which can operate with a lower thermal load.
- Assignee:
- Hughes Aircraft Co.
- Patent Number(s):
- US 4007777
- OSTI ID:
- 7310238
- Resource Relation:
- Patent File Date: Filed date 2 Jul 1975
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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