Evaporator Assembly

Abstract

An evaporator apparatus comprising a liquid distribution chamber and a vapor production chamber. The vapor production chamber comprises a media wick that absorbs heat from a source external to the vapor production chamber. The vapor production chamber is configured to receive liquid coolant from the liquid distribution chamber and to direct the received liquid coolant onto a surface of the media wick. The media wick distributes the received liquid coolant from the surface of the media wick throughout a body of the media wick. The heat absorbed by the media wick vaporizes the liquid coolant distributed throughout the body of the media wick. The coolant vapor flows from the media wick into the vapor production chamber.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An evaporator apparatus comprising:
 a liquid distribution chamber; and   a vapor production chamber comprising a media wick that absorbs heat from a source external to the vapor production chamber, wherein the vapor production chamber is configured to receive liquid coolant from the liquid distribution chamber and to direct the received liquid coolant onto a surface of the media wick.   
     
     
         2 . The evaporator apparatus as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the media wick distributes the received liquid coolant from the surface of the media wick throughout a body of the media wick. 
     
     
         3 . The evaporator apparatus as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein the heat absorbed by the media wick vaporizes the liquid coolant distributed throughout the body of the media wick and wherein the coolant vapor flows from the media wick back into the vapor production chamber. 
     
     
         4 . The evaporator apparatus as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the media wick is fused to an exterior wall of the vapor production chamber. 
     
     
         5 . The evaporator apparatus as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the media wick comprises sintered copper microballs. 
     
     
         6 . The evaporator apparatus as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the media wick comprises a porous material that uses capillary action to distribute the received liquid coolant from the surface of the media wick throughout a body of the media wick. 
     
     
         7 . The evaporator apparatus as set forth in  claim 6 , wherein the heat absorbed by the media wick vaporizes the liquid coolant distributed throughout the body of the media wick and wherein the coolant vapor flows from the media wick into the vapor production chamber. 
     
     
         8 . The evaporator apparatus as set forth in  claim 6 , wherein the media wick is fused to an exterior wall of the vapor production chamber. 
     
     
         9 . The evaporator apparatus as set forth in  claim 6 , wherein the media wick comprises sintered copper microballs. 
     
     
         10 . The evaporator apparatus as set forth in  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of nozzles disposed in a common wall separating the liquid distribution chamber and the vapor production chamber, wherein the plurality of nozzles are configured to transport the liquid coolant from the liquid distribution chamber into the vapor production chamber and to direct the liquid coolant onto the surface of the media wick. 
     
     
         11 . The evaporator apparatus as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the liquid distribution chamber receives the liquid coolant from an external supply and is configured to maintain a pressure of the liquid coolant above the saturation pressure of the liquid coolant at the highest temperature at which the evaporator apparatus is expected to operate.