Heat pipe and manufacturing method for the same

Abstract

A heat pipe containing a sintered powder wick and a corresponding manufacturing method improves the capillarity action of the heat pipe. Through sintering copper powder onto the surface of a copper wick, an evenly sintered result can be obtained. Then, the wick with sintered surface is placed into a hollow copper pipe to provide sufficient capillary force to a working fluid.

1 . A method for manufacturing a heat pipe containing a sintered powder wick, comprising: 
 sintering copper powder to cover a surface of a wick utilizing a sintering process, the wick being rotated during the sintering process;    placing the wick covered with the sintered copper powder in a metallic pipe; and    sealing the two ends of the metallic pipe.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising vacuating the metallic pipe containing the wick.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising adding a working fluid into the metallic pipe.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein sintering the copper powder comprises: 
 placing the wick in a container filled with copper powder; and    sintering the copper powder to cover an outside surface of the wick.    
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising changing the shape of the metallic pipe after sealing the two ends of the metallic pipe.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the step of changing the shape of the metallic pipe is selected from a group consisting of pressing and extruding the metallic pipe.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 5  wherein changing the shape of the metallic pipe comprises folding the metallic pipe.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 5  further comprising changing the shape of the metallic pipe to form a drop height of the shape of the metallic pipe.