Deformed Mesh Thermal Ground Plane

Abstract

Some embodiments include a thermal ground plane comprising a first casing layer and a second casing layer where the outer periphery of the first casing layer and the outer periphery of the second casing layer are bonded to each other. The thermal ground plane including a working fluid disposed within the first casing layer and the second casing layer. The thermal ground plane may also include a permeable wick disposed between the first casing layer and the second casing layer; and a deformed mesh disposed between the first casing layer and the permeable wick, the deformed mesh comprising a mesh with deformed mesh portions that form vapor channels and nondeformed mesh portions that form liquid channels.

1 . A thermal ground plane comprising:
 a first casing layer   a second casing layer, wherein an outer periphery of the first casing layer and an outer periphery of the second casing layer are bonded to each other;   a working fluid disposed within the first casing layer and the second casing layer;   a permeable wick disposed between the first casing layer and the second casing layer; and   a deformed mesh disposed between the first casing layer and the permeable wick, the deformed mesh comprising a mesh with a first plurality of mesh portions that form vapor channels and a second plurality of mesh portions that form liquid channels.   
     
     
         2 . The thermal ground plane according to  claim 1 , wherein deformed mesh comprises a plurality of fibers woven together. 
     
     
         3 . The thermal ground plane according to  claim 1 , wherein the deformed mesh comprises a plurality of mesh layers. 
     
     
         4 . The thermal ground plane according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the mesh portions of the first plurality of mesh portions and/or each of the mesh portions of the second plurality of mesh portions are mesh portions that have been compressed. 
     
     
         5 . The thermal ground plane according to  claim 1 , wherein the deformed mesh comprises an array of nondeformed mesh portions. 
     
     
         6 . The thermal ground plane according to  claim 1 , wherein the deformed mesh further comprises a substantially flat mesh portion that extends between either or both of each of the mesh portions of the first plurality of mesh portions and/or each of the mesh portions of the second plurality of mesh portions. 
     
     
         7 . The thermal ground plane according to  claim 1 , wherein the first plurality of mesh portions comprise a plurality of ridges and/or pillars formed in the deformed mesh and wherein the second plurality of mesh portions comprise a plurality of ridges and/or pillars formed in the deformed mesh. 
     
     
         8 . The thermal ground plane according to  claim 6 , wherein the deformed mesh is disposed between the first casing and the second casing layer, and the second plurality of mesh portions extend toward the permeable wick. 
     
     
         9 . The thermal ground plane according to  claim 1 , further comprising a planar mesh disposed between the deformed mesh and the permeable wick. 
     
     
         10 . The thermal ground plane according to  claim 1 , wherein the portions of the deformed mesh between the first plurality of mesh portions are compressed to create the first plurality of mesh portions. 
     
     
         11 . The thermal ground plane according to  claim 1 , wherein the deformed mesh includes an internal artery. 
     
     
         12 . The thermal ground plane according to  claim 1 , wherein the deformed mesh includes a first mesh layer with a first pore size and a second mesh layer with a second pore size that is different than the first pore size. 
     
     
         13 . The thermal ground plane according to  claim 1 , wherein the deformed mesh comprises a metallic polymer, metal coated polymer, ceramic coated polymer, ALD coated polymer, copper coated steel, copper coated stainless steel. 
     
     
         14 . The thermal ground plane according to  claim 1 , wherein the permeable wick comprises permeable structures selected from the list consisting of a woven mesh, a nonwoven mesh, a plurality of pillars, a plurality of particles, one or meshes, a plurality of channels, a plurality of micropillars, and a plurality of microchannels. 
     
     
         15 . A thermal ground plane comprising:
 a first casing layer   a second casing layer the outer periphery of the first casing layer and the outer periphery of the second casing layer are bonded to each other;   a working fluid disposed within the first casing layer and the second casing layer; and   a plurality of structures disposed within the first casing layer and the second casing layer, each of the plurality of structures comprising:
 a wick structure; 
 an internal artery disposed within the wick structure. 
   
     
     
         16 . The thermal ground plane according to  claim 15 , wherein the wick structure comprises a plurality of mesh layers. 
     
     
         17 . The thermal ground plane according to  claim 15 , wherein the internal artery extends from the first casing to the second casing. 
     
     
         18 . The thermal ground plane according to  claim 15 , wherein the internal artery is surrounded by the wick structure. 
     
     
         19 . The thermal ground plane according to  claim 15 , wherein each internal artery extends along an entire length of each respective wick structure. 
     
     
         20 . The thermal ground plane according to  claim 15 , wherein the internal artery comprises a plurality of internal arteries disposed within each wick structure. 
     
     
         21 . The thermal ground plane according to  claim 15 , wherein the wick structure comprises a first wick structure, a second wick structure, and a third wick structure, wherein the second wick structure comprises a wick having a higher permeability than the first wick structure and/or the third wick structure. 
     
     
         22 . A thermal ground plane comprising:
 a first casing layer;   a second casing layer, wherein an outer periphery of the first casing layer and an outer periphery of the second casing layer are bonded to each other;   a deformed mesh disposed between the first casing layer and the second casing layer, the deformed mesh comprising a substantially flat mesh portion, a first plurality of mesh portions, and a second plurality of mesh portions that extend from the substantially flat mesh portion toward the second casing layer; and   a gap between the deformed mesh and the first casing layer.   
     
     
         23 . The thermal ground plane according to  claim 22 , further comprising an array of pillars disposed within the gap. 
     
     
         24 . The thermal ground plane according to  claim 22 , further comprising a second deformed mesh comprising a second substantially flat mesh portion disposed relative to the flat mesh portion, a third plurality of mesh portions, and a fourth plurality of mesh portions that extend from the flat mesh portion toward the first casing layer in the gap. 
     
     
         25 . The thermal ground plane according to  claim 22 , wherein the deformed mesh comprises a third plurality of mesh portions that extend toward the first casing layer in the gap. 
     
     
         26 . The thermal ground plane according to  claim 22 , further comprising a permeable wick layer disposed relative to the substantially flat mesh portion. 
     
     
         27 . The thermal ground plane according to  claim 22 , wherein the deformed mesh comprises a plurality of vapor flow channels and a plurality of liquid channels, wherein the plurality of vapor flow channels run parallel to the plurality of liquid channels. 
     
     
         28 . The thermal ground plane according to  claim 1 , wherein the deformed mesh comprises a plurality of vapor flow channels and a plurality of liquid channels, wherein the plurality of vapor flow channels run parallel to the plurality of liquid channels.