Organic/Inorganic Composite Wicks for Capillary Pumped Loops by Sol-GelProcessing

摘要

This invention is to provide an improved evaporator for a capillary pumped loop,where this evaporator has an improved wick, the wick having small pores, the size of the pores being controllable, high porosity, high thermal stability, low thermal conductivity, low density, good plasticity and machinability, and compatibility with the working fluid of the capillary pumped loop. These and additional objects of the invention are accomplished by the structures and processes hereinafter described. The present invention is an evaporator for a capillary pumped loop, having: (a) a tubular wick for containing a coolant liquid flow centrally therein, the body of the wick being saturated with the coolant liquid; (b) a tubular heat exchanger for receiving the wick; and (c) one or more vapor channels between the wick and the heat exchanger, for transporting a vapor of the coolant out of the evaporator; where this tubular wick comprises a porous organic/inorganic composite.