Flexible graphite thermal management devices

Abstract

The invention provides to thermal management devices constructed from flexible graphite. In one embodiment, the thermal management device includes a wick structure inside a shell. In certain preferred embodiments, the wick structure is composed of a mass of expanded graphite. In a another embodiment, the shell of the-device includes flexible graphite and an optional wick structure. In certain preferred embodiments, the flexible graphite shell is fluid impermeable. The invention further includes methods of making the aforementioned thermal management devices.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A thermal management device comprising: 
 a. a substantially fluid impermeable shell;    b. a wick structure inside said shell, said wick structure comprising a mass of expanded graphite; and    c. a working fluid circulating inside said shell.    
     
     
         2 . The thermal management device according to  claim 1 , wherein said wick structure further comprises a metal wire incorporated into at least a segment of said wick structure.  
     
     
         3 . The thermal management device according to  claim 1  wherein said graphite comprises resin impregnated graphite.  
     
     
         4 . The thermal management device according to  claim 1 , wherein said mass of expanded graphite comprises one or more sheets of flexible graphite and at least one of said sheets has a density of no more than about 1.5 g/cc.  
     
     
         5 . The thermal management device according to  claim 1 , wherein a material of construction of said shell comprises flexible graphite.  
     
     
         6 . The thermal management device according to  claim 5  wherein said shell further comprises an outer surface, at least a portion of said outer surface having a plurality of fins extending from said outer surface.  
     
     
         7 . The thermal management device according to  claim 1 , wherein said working fluid comprises at least one of an alcohol, water, and fluorocarbon.  
     
     
         8 . The thermal management device according to  claim 1 , wherein said wick structure further comprises a plurality of channels.  
     
     
         9 . The thermal management device according to  claim 8 , wherein said plurality of channels comprises a first portion of said channels sized to facilitate vapor flow and a second portion sized to facilitate liquid flow.  
     
     
         10 . A method of making a thermal management device comprising: 
 a. forming a mass of expanded graphite into a wick structure; and    b. inserting said wick structure into an interior of a shell of said thermal management device.    
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 10 , further comprising forming said mass of expanded graphite into one or more sheets of flexible graphite.  
     
     
         12 . A thermal management device comprising: 
 a. a substantially fluid impermeable shell, wherein a material of construction of said shell comprises flexible graphite; and    b. a working fluid circulating inside said shell.    
     
     
         13 . The thermal management device according to  claim 12 , further comprising a wick structure inside said shell.  
     
     
         14 . The thermal management device according to  claim 12 , wherein said shell comprises a substantially vacuum tight enclosure.  
     
     
         15 . The thermal management device according to  claim 12 , wherein a density of said flexible graphite of said shell comprises at least about 1.6 g/cc.  
     
     
         16 . The thermal management device according to  claim 12 , wherein said shell comprises a plurality of layers of flexible graphite.  
     
     
         17 . The thermal management device according to  claim 12 , wherein said flexible graphite of said shell further comprises a resin.  
     
     
         18 . The thermal management device according to  claim 12 , wherein said shell further comprises an outer surface, at least a portion of said outer surface having a plurality of fins extending from said outer surface.  
     
     
         19 . The thermal management device according to  claim 12 , wherein said shell having an internal surface comprising a plurality of channel.  
     
     
         20 . The thermal management device according to  claim 12  further comprising a plurality of internal track pattern elements inside said shell.