Integrated thin film evaporation thermal spreader and planar heat pipe heat sink

Abstract

A heat dissipation device and method provides thermal spreading and cooling for a heat-producing body. A thin film evaporator in thermal communication with the heat-producing body removes heat from the heat-producing body using a working fluid. A heat pipe integrated with the thin film evaporator, and extending from the thin film evaporator, dissipates heat removed by the thin film evaporator to the external environment of the heat dissipation device. A pumping element at least one of: 1) pumps working fluid to the thin film evaporator; and 2) augments transfer of working fluid to the thin film evaporator.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A heat dissipation device to provide thermal spreading and cooling for a heat-producing body, said heat dissipation device comprising:
 a thin film evaporator in thermal communication with the heat-producing body to remove heat from the heat-producing body using a working fluid;   a heat pipe integrated with the thin film evaporator, and extending from the thin film evaporator, to dissipate heat removed by the thin film evaporator to the external environment of the heat dissipation device; and   a pumping element to at least one of: 1) pump working fluid to the thin film evaporator; and 2) augment transfer of working fluid to the thin film evaporator.   
     
     
         2 . The heat dissipation device according to  claim 1 , wherein the pumping element includes an oscillating actuator at least one of: 1) pumping working fluid to the thin film evaporator; and 2) augmenting transfer of working fluid to the thin film evaporator. 
     
     
         3 . The heat dissipation device according to  claim 2 , wherein the oscillating actuator is a piezoelectric oscillator. 
     
     
         4 . The heat dissipation device according to  claim 1 , wherein the pumping element is integrated in a sealed housing with the thin film evaporator and the heat pipe. 
     
     
         5 . The heat dissipation device according to  claim 1 , wherein the pumping element includes a synthetic jet augmenting transfer of working fluid to the thin film evaporator. 
     
     
         6 . The heat dissipation device according to  claim 1 , wherein the heat pipe is at least one of an integrated planar heat pipe or a pulsating heat pipe. 
     
     
         7 . The heat dissipation device according to  claim 1 , wherein the thin film evaporator receives working fluid in liquid phase from a fluid reservoir and transfers the received working fluid in liquid phase to gaseous phase using heat from the heat-producing body, and wherein the heat pipe cools and condenses the working fluid in gaseous phase to working fluid in liquid phase and returns the condensed working fluid in liquid phase to the fluid reservoir. 
     
     
         8 . The heat dissipation device according to  claim 7 , wherein the heat pipe returns the condensed working fluid in liquid phase to the fluid reservoir using a return wick. 
     
     
         9 . The heat dissipation device according to  claim 7 , wherein the thin film evaporator includes an evaporator wick to create a thin film transferring the received working fluid in liquid phase to the gaseous phase. 
     
     
         10 . The heat dissipation device according to  claim 7 , further including:
 a second heat pipe integrated with the thin film evaporator, and extending from the thin film evaporator, to dissipate heat removed by the thin film evaporator to the external environment of the heat dissipation device, wherein the fluid reservoir is central to the heat pipe and the second heat pipe.   
     
     
         11 . The heat dissipation device according to  claim 7 , wherein working fluid in gaseous phase is transferred to the heat pipe using a vapor chamber, the vapor chamber including the thin film evaporator. 
     
     
         12 . The heat dissipation device according to  claim 1 , wherein the heat dissipating device includes:
 a sealed housing including:
 a fluid reservoir for working fluid in liquid phase; and 
 a vapor chamber extending from the thin film evaporator to the heat pipe; 
   wherein the thin film evaporator receives working fluid in liquid phase from the fluid reservoir and vaporizes the received working fluid in liquid phase to working fluid in gaseous phase, the working fluid in gaseous phase transferred to the heat pipe by way of the vapor chamber.   
     
     
         13 . A heat dissipation method to provide thermal spreading and cooling for a heat-producing body, said heat dissipation method comprising:
 by a thin film evaporator in thermal communication with the heat-producing body, removing heat from the heat-producing body using a working fluid;   by a heat pipe integrated with the thin film evaporator and extending from the thin film evaporator, dissipating heat removed by the thin film evaporator to the external environment of the heat dissipation device; and   by a pumping element, at least one of: 1) pumping working fluid to the thin film evaporator; and 2) augmenting transfer of working fluid to the thin film evaporator.   
     
     
         14 . The heat dissipation method according to  claim 13 , further including:
 by an oscillating actuator of the pumping element, at least one of: 1) pumping working fluid to the thin film evaporator; and 2) augmenting transfer of working fluid to the thin film evaporator.   
     
     
         15 . The heat dissipation method according to  claim 13 , further including augmenting transfer of working fluid to the thin film evaporator by a synthetic jet of the pumping element. 
     
     
         16 . The heat dissipation device according to  claim 13 , further including:
 by the thin film evaporator:
 receiving working fluid in liquid phase from a fluid reservoir; and 
 transferring the received working fluid in liquid phase to gaseous phase using heat from the heat-producing body; and 
   by the heat pipe:
 cooling and condensing the working fluid in gaseous phase to working fluid in liquid phase; and 
 returning the condensed working fluid in liquid phase to the fluid reservoir. 
   
     
     
         17 . The heat dissipation method according to  claim 16 , further including:
 by the heat pipe, returning the condensed working fluid in liquid phase to the fluid reservoir using a return wick.   
     
     
         18 . The heat dissipation method according to  claim 16 , further including:
 by the thin film evaporator, creating a thin film transferring the received working fluid in liquid phase to the gaseous phase using an evaporator wick to   
     
     
         19 . The heat dissipation method according to  claim 16 , further including:
 by a second heat pipe integrated with the thin film evaporator and extending from the thin film evaporator, dissipating heat removed by the thin film evaporator to the external environment of the heat dissipation device, wherein the fluid reservoir is central to the heat pipe and the second heat pipe.   
     
     
         20 . A heat dissipation device to provide thermal spreading and cooling for a heat-producing body, said heat dissipation device comprising:
 a sealed housing including a fluid reservoir of working fluid in liquid phase and a vapor chamber, the heat-producing body thermally coupled to an external surface of the sealed housing;   a thin film evaporator within the sealed housing and in thermal communication with an internal surface of the sealed housing adjacent the external surface, the thin film evaporator receiving working fluid in liquid phase from the fluid reservoir and vaporizes the received working fluid to working fluid in gaseous phase using heat from the heat-producing device;   a heat pipe within the sealed housing transferring the working fluid in gaseous phase away from the thin film evaporator, condensing the working fluid in gaseous phase to liquid phase, and returning the condensed working fluid to the fluid reservoir; and   a pumping element to at least one of: 1) pump working fluid to the thin film evaporator; and 2) augment transfer of working fluid to the thin film evaporator.