Cooling Fins for a Heat Pipe

Abstract

According to one embodiment, a cooling apparatus has a number of cooling fins that are coupled to a heat pipe. The heat pipe has a hollow cavity that is at least partially filled with a refrigerant. Each of the cooling fins has a hollow cavity that is fluidly coupled to the hollow cavity of heat pipe such that the refrigerant may flow between the hollow cavity of the heat pipe and hollow cavities of the cooling fins.

1 . A cooling apparatus comprising:
 a heat pipe having a first hollow cavity that is at least partially filled with a refrigerant; and   a plurality of cooling fins coupled to the heat pipe, each of the plurality of cooling fins having a second hollow cavity that is in fluid communication with the first hollow cavity such that the refrigerant may flow between the first hollow cavity and the second hollow cavity.   
   
   
       2 . The cooling apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the each of the plurality of cooling fins has a generally planar shape that is parallel to an axis of the heat pipe. 
   
   
       3 . The cooling apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the each of the plurality of cooling fins has a generally planar shape that is perpendicular to an axis of the heat pipe. 
   
   
       4 . The cooling apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the each of the plurality of cooling fins has a generally planar shape that is parallel to a flow of a fluid stream. 
   
   
       5 . The cooling apparatus of  claim 4 , further comprising one or more cowlings, the one or more cowlings guiding the flow of the fluid stream towards the plurality of cooling fins. 
   
   
       6 . The cooling apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the heat pipe has a top end and a bottom end;   the each of the plurality of cooling fins has a top surface and a bottom surface, the top surface being oriented in the direction of the top end, and the bottom surface being oriented in the direction of the bottom end; and   the bottom surface is sloped towards the heat pipe such that refrigerant in a liquid form drains towards the bottom end.   
   
   
       7 . The cooling apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the refrigerant:
 vaporizes in the first hollow cavity,   travels as a vapor to the second hollow cavity,   condensates in the second hollow cavity, and   travels as a liquid back to the first hollow cavity.   
   
   
       8 . The cooling apparatus of  claim 1 , the heat pipe having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, the plurality of cooling fins being located at the first end. 
   
   
       9 . The cooling apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the each of the plurality of cooling fins have a radial distance of two feet or greater, as measured from an axis of the heat pipe. 
   
   
       10 . The cooling apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the each of the plurality of cooling fins have a first end and a second end opposite the first end,   the each of the plurality of cooling fins are attached to the heat pipe and the first end,   the first end has a first thickness corresponding to the thickness of the cooling fin at the first end,   the second end has a second thickness corresponding to the thickness of the cooling fin at the second end, and   the second thickness is smaller than the first thickness.   
   
   
       11 . The cooling apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the each of the plurality of the cooling fins have a tapered fin body with a fin thickness that decreases from the first end to the second end. 
   
   
       12 . The cooling apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a computing rack coupled to one end of the heat pipe and the plurality of cooling fins coupled an opposing end of the heat pipe, the computing rack comprising one or more components of a computing system, the heat pipe operable to move heat from the one or more components to the plurality of cooling fins. 
   
   
       13 . A method for cooling an apparatus, comprising:
 attaching a heat pipe to an apparatus, the heat pipe having a first hollow cavity that is at least partially filled with a refrigerant; and   coupling a plurality of cooling fins to the heat pipe, each of the plurality of cooling fins having a second hollow cavity that is in fluid communication with the first hollow cavity such that the refrigerant may flow between the first hollow cavity and the second hollow cavity.   
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the each of the plurality of cooling fins has a generally planar shape that is parallel to an axis of the heat pipe. 
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the each of the plurality of cooling fins has a generally planar shape that is perpendicular to an axis of the heat pipe. 
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the each of the plurality of cooling fins has a generally planar shape that is parallel to a flow of a fluid stream. 
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising providing one or more cowlings, the one or more cowlings guiding the flow of the fluid stream towards the plurality of cooling fins. 
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein:
 the heat pipe has a top end and a bottom end;   the each of the plurality of cooling fins has a top surface and a bottom surface, the top surface being oriented in the direction of the top end, and the bottom surface being oriented in the direction of the bottom end; and   the bottom surface is sloped towards the heat pipe such that refrigerant in a liquid form drains towards the bottom end.   
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the refrigerant:
 vaporizes in the first hollow cavity,   travels as a vapor to the second hollow cavity,   condensates in the second hollow cavity, and   travels as a liquid back to the first hollow cavity.   
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 13 , the heat pipe having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, the plurality of cooling fins being located at the first end. 
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the each of the plurality of cooling fins have a radial distance of two feet or greater, as measured from an axis of the heat pipe. 
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein:
 the each of the plurality of cooling fins have a first end and a second end opposite the first end,   the each of the plurality of cooling fins are attached to the heat pipe and the first end,   the first end has a first thickness corresponding to the thickness of the cooling fin at the first end,   the second end has a second thickness corresponding to the thickness of the cooling fin at the second end, and   the second thickness is smaller than the first thickness.   
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the each of the plurality of the cooling fins have a tapered fin body with a fin thickness that decreases from the first end to the second end. 
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the apparatus is a computing rack, the computing rack being coupled to one end of the heat pipe and the plurality of cooling fins coupled an opposing end of the heat pipe, the computing rack comprising one or more components of a computing system, the heat pipe operable to move heat from the one or more components to the plurality of cooling fins.