Fujitsu has been granted a patent for a loop heat pipe design. The pipe includes outermost metal layers, an intermediate metal layer with walls and a porous body, and a vapor and liquid pipe forming a loop-shaped passage. The design aims to improve heat transfer efficiency by creating a gap between the intermediate layer and the outermost metal layer. The patent also includes specific features such as cavities and bottomed holes to enhance performance. GlobalData’s report on Fujitsu gives a 360-degree view of the company including its patenting strategy. Buy the report here.
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According to GlobalData’s company profile on Fujitsu, M2M communication interfaces was a key innovation area identified from patents. Fujitsu's grant share as of September 2023 was 27%. Grant share is based on the ratio of number of grants to total number of patents.
A loop heat pipe with improved heat transfer efficiency
A recently granted patent (Publication Number: US11774182B2) describes a loop heat pipe design that includes a pair of outermost metal layers and an intermediate metal layer. The loop heat pipe consists of an evaporator, a condenser, a liquid pipe, and a vapor pipe. The intermediate metal layer is composed of a pair of walls and a porous body placed between them. The intermediate metal layer also has a first surface opposing one of the outermost metal layers, a second surface opposing the other outermost metal layer, and a plurality of first cavities with a first projection between them. The intermediate metal layer further includes a first bottomed hole and a second bottomed hole that do not reach the opposite surface of the intermediate metal layer, as well as a pore that partially communicates with both bottomed holes. A first gap is formed between the first projection and one of the outermost metal layers, and each first cavity has a shallower depth than the first bottomed hole.
The patent also claims that the intermediate metal layer includes a plurality of second cavities with a second projection between them, formed at the second surface between the pair of walls. A second gap is formed between the second projection and the other outermost metal layer. Each second cavity has a depth shallower than the second bottomed hole. The intermediate metal layer can be made from a single metal sheet.
The porous body mentioned in the claims can be provided inside the liquid pipe, inside the evaporator, or inside both. It can consist of a pair of porous bodies integrated with the walls, with the working fluid flowing into the space between them. Alternatively, the porous body can be positioned separately from the walls inside the liquid pipe, with the working fluid flowing into the spaces between the walls and the porous body.
The working fluid in the loop heat pipe flows three-dimensionally inside the porous body. The bottomed holes in the intermediate metal layer have a concave shape formed by a curved surface in a cross-section perpendicular to the direction of fluid or vapor flow and the surfaces of the intermediate metal layer.
Overall, this patent describes a loop heat pipe design with an intermediate metal layer that includes walls and a porous body. The design allows for efficient heat transfer and fluid flow within the loop heat pipe.
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GlobalData, the leading provider of industry intelligence, provided the underlying data, research, and analysis used to produce this article.
GlobalData Patent Analytics tracks bibliographic data, legal events data, point in time patent ownerships, and backward and forward citations from global patenting offices. Textual analysis and official patent classifications are used to group patents into key thematic areas and link them to specific companies across the world’s largest industries.
