Supporting column having porous structure

Abstract

A supporting column having a porous structure is installed in a chamber filled with working fluid. The chamber includes an evaporation side for evaporating the working fluid to the gaseous phase, and a condensation side opposite the evaporation side for condensing the gaseous phase to the liquid phase. The supporting column includes a supporting body and the porous structure formed on the supporting body. Two ends of the supporting body are connected to the evaporation side and the condensation side respectively. The porous structure is supported by the supporting body and configured to convey the working fluid. Accordingly, heat dissipation is achieved by phase cycling of the working fluid.

1 . A supporting column having a porous structure and disposed in a chamber filled with working fluid, the chamber having an evaporation side and a condensation side opposite the evaporation side, the evaporating side allowing the working fluid to evaporate into gas, the condensation side allowing the gas to condense into liquid, the supporting column comprising:
 a supporting body having two ends connected to the evaporation side and the condensation side respectively; and   a porous structure disposed on and thereby supported by the supporting body, such that the porous structure conveys the working fluid and allows heat dissipation to occur in the chamber by phase cycling of the working fluid.   
   
   
       2 . The supporting column of  claim 1 , wherein the supporting body is one of a solid column and a hollow column. 
   
   
       3 . The supporting column of  claim 1 , wherein the porous structure is fabricated by powder sintering. 
   
   
       4 . The supporting column of  claim 1 , wherein the supporting body further comprises a plurality of grooves. 
   
   
       5 . The supporting column of  claim 4 , wherein at least one of the grooves has a cross section selected from the group consisting of a triangle and a rectangle. 
   
   
       6 . The supporting column of  claim 1 , wherein the porous structure comprises metal wire netting. 
   
   
       7 . The supporting column of  claim 1 , wherein the porous structure comprises a plurality of metal wires disposed around the supporting body and secured in position on the supporting body by a fastening element running spirally. 
   
   
       8 . The supporting column of  claim 7 , wherein the supporting body comprises a plurality of circumferentially disposed grooves for holding the metal wires respectively. 
   
   
       9 . The supporting column of  claim 8 , wherein at least one of the grooves has a cross section selected from the group consisting of a triangle and a rectangle. 
   
   
       10 . The supporting column of  claim 1 , wherein the chamber is disposed in a cooler and provided with the condensation side having a cooling fin and the evaporation side in contact with a heat generating element.