Heat Pipe Having Displacement Bodies

Abstract

A heat pipe has a closed conduit which is partially filled with a liquid, an evaporator for converting a portion of the liquid in the conduit into vapor and a condenser for condensing vapor in the conduit. A plurality of displacement bodies are displaceably provided in the liquid. The displacement bodies have a higher compressibility than the conduit and a density of the displacement bodies is greater than a density of the liquid.

1 - 14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . A heat pipe, comprising:
 a closed pipeline being partially filled with a liquid;   an evaporator for converting part of the liquid in said closed pipeline to vapor;   a condenser for condensing the vapor in said closed pipeline; and   a plurality of displacement bodies being movably disposed in the liquid, said displacement bodies having a higher compressibility than said closed pipeline and a density of said displacement bodies is higher than a density of the liquid.   
     
     
         16 . The heat pipe according to  claim 15 , wherein said displacement bodies each have a first volumetric region in which a gas is trapped. 
     
     
         17 . The heat pipe according to  claim 16 , wherein said first volumetric region contains a foam-material body, said foam-material body having cells in which the gas is trapped. 
     
     
         18 . The heat pipe according to  claim 17 , wherein said foam-material body is formed from a foamed material which contains a matrix material and particles which are embedded in said matrix material, and wherein said matrix material has a lower density than said particles. 
     
     
         19 . The heat pipe according to  claim 16 , wherein said displacement bodies each have at least one second volumetric region, said second volumetric region having a higher density than said first volumetric region. 
     
     
         20 . The heat pipe according to  claim 19 , wherein said first volumetric region at points or throughout encloses said at least one second volumetric region. 
     
     
         21 . The heat pipe according to  claim 19 , wherein said second volumetric region has at least one material selected from the group consisting of a mineral material, quartz, a non-oxidizing metal, a stainless steel, aluminum, zinc-plated iron, a non-ferrous metal, a non-ferrous heavy metal, a copper alloy, bronze, brass, and lead. 
     
     
         22 . The heat pipe according to  claim 15 , wherein said displacement bodies each have a closed outer sheath which contains an elastic plastics material. 
     
     
         23 . The heat pipe according to  claim 22 , wherein said displacement bodies have particles that have a higher density than said elastic plastics material and said particles are embedded in said elastic plastics material. 
     
     
         24 . The heat pipe according to  claim 15 , wherein a total volume of said displacement bodies is at least 5% of a total volume of the liquid in said closed pipeline. 
     
     
         25 . The heat pipe according to  claim 15 , wherein said closed pipeline is self-contained. 
     
     
         26 . The heat pipe according to  claim 15 , wherein a maximum dimension of each of said displacement bodies is smaller than or equal to 0.75 times a minimum internal cross-sectional dimension of said closed pipeline. 
     
     
         27 . The heat pipe according to  claim 15 , further comprising a liquid-permeable retention element and by means of said liquid-permeable retention element said displacement bodies are trapped in a sub-portion of said closed pipeline. 
     
     
         28 . The heat pipe according to  claim 15 , wherein the liquid is water or a liquid based on water.