Method and apparatus for making heat dissipation device having vacuum chamber and working fluid therein

Abstract

A method and an apparatus ( 20 ) for removing non-condensable air from, and filling a predetermined amount of working fluid into, a heat dissipation device ( 10 ) are disclosed. The method includes the following steps: pumping the non-condensable air out of the heat dissipation device through an opening ( 12 ) thereof; measuring a vacuum degree of an interior of the heat dissipation device; filling a predetermined amount of working fluid into the heat dissipation device through the opening when the interior of the heat dissipation device reaches a predetermined vacuum degree; and sealing the opening of the heat dissipation device. The apparatus includes a vacuum pump ( 22 ), a vacuum gauge ( 26 ) and a fluid-storage tank ( 24 ) for executing the above pumping, measuring and filling steps, respectively.

1 . A method for removing non-condensable air from a heat dissipation device, comprising the steps of: 
 pumping the non-condensable air out of the heat dissipation device through an opening thereof;    measuring a vacuum degree of an interior of the heat dissipation device;    filling a predetermined amount of working fluid into the heat dissipation device through the opening when the interior of the heat dissipation device reaches a predetermined vacuum degree; and    sealing the opening of the heat dissipation device.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the pumping step comprises pumping the non-condensable air out of the heat dissipation device by a vacuum pump fluidically connected with the opening of the heat dissipation device.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the measuring step comprises measuring the vacuum degree by a vacuum gauge fluidically connected with the opening of the heat dissipation device.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the working fluid is sucked into the heat dissipation device from a fluid-storage tank fluidically connected with the opening of the heat dissipation device.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the vacuum pump, the fluid-storage tank and the vacuum gauge are commonly connected to the opening of the heat dissipation device via a connection pipe with multiple branches.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the connection pipe has at least three branches, and the vacuum pump, the fluid-storage tank and the vacuum gauge are respectively connected to the three branches.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the heat dissipation device is one of a heat pipe, a vapor chamber-based heat spreader, a liquid cooling system and a refrigeration system.  
   
   
       8 . An apparatus for removing non-condensable air from, and filling a predetermined amount of working fluid into a heat dissipation device, the apparatus comprising: 
 a vacuum pump for pumping the non-condensable air originally in the heat dissipation device out of the heat dissipation device;    a vacuum gauge for detecting a vacuum degree formed inside the heat dissipation device by the vacuum pump; and    a fluid-storage tank containing therein the predetermined amount of working fluid, the fluid-storage tank being adapted for filling the predetermined quantity of working fluid into the heat dissipation device after the detected vacuum degree inside the heat dissipation device reaches a predetermined value.    
   
   
       9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , further comprising a connection pipe adapted for connecting with an opening of the heat dissipation device, the connecting pipe having at least three branches, the vacuum pump, the vacuum gauge and the fluid-storage tank being connected to the three branches, respectively.  
   
   
       10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the vacuum pump, the vacuum gauge and the fluid-storage tank are each selectively maintained in fluid communication with the connection pipe by a valve.  
   
   
       11 . A method for removing air from a heat dissipation device, comprising the following steps: 
 preparing a connection pipe with first, second and third branches;    connecting a vacuum gauge, a vacuum pump and a fluid-storage tank with the first, second and third branches via first, second and third valves, respectively;    connecting the connection pipe with an opening of the heat dissipation device through a fourth valve;    opening the first, second and fourth valves while closing the third valve;    activating the vacuum pump to drawing the air from the heat dissipation device until the vacuum gauge detects that a vacuum in the heat dissipation device reaches a predetermined level;    closing the first and second valves and opening the third valve until a working fluid received in the fluid-storage tank is sucked into the heat dissipation device; and    sealing the opening of the heat dissipation device.    
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the heat dissipation device is one of heat pipe, vapor chamber-based heat spreader, liquid cooling system and refrigeration system.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the working fluid is water when the heat dissipation device is one of heat pipe, vapor chamber-based heat spreader and liquid cooling system, and is refrigerant when the heat dissipation device is refrigeration system.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the refrigerant is Freon-12.