United States of America as Represented by the Secretary of the Air Force

Brian G Hager

John F Leonard

A method for making an anisotropic or predominantly unidirectional wick primarily for use in heat pipes is disclosed unidirectional heat pipe wicks is made by supporting magnetically susceptible particles on a wire screen and moving the screen inside a magnetic field until the characteristic cone or point shapes assumed by the particles are aligned in a laid down orientation. The particles are then heat treated to yield a sintered wick. An example of a wick made with nickel powder demonstrates improved wicking in the direction pointed to by the laid down points. A wick is also made by the spinning pipe-slurry method for making heat pipe wicks. Magnetically susceptible powder is mixed into a viscous binder to make a slurry, then injected inside a rotating cylindrical heat pipe container. A magnetic field is created around the spinning container and varied to align the particles in a desired structure. The slurry is dried while still spinning to retain the desired structure and then heat treated to yield a sintered wick.

Method for making an anisotropic heat pipe and wick

A predominantly unidirectional wick primarily for use in unidirectional heat pipe wicks is disclosed. The wick is made by supporting magnetically susceptible particles on a wire screen and moving the screen inside a magnetic field until the characteristic cone or point shapes assumed by the particles are aligned in a laid down orientation. The particles are then heat treated to yield a sintered wick. An example of the disclosed wick made with nickel powder demonstrates improved wicking in the direction pointed to by the laid down points. The invention also includes a combination with the spinning pipe-slurry method for making heat pipe wicks. Magnetically susceptible powder is mixed into a viscous binder to make a slurry, then injected inside a rotating cylindrical heat pipe container. A magnetic field is created around the spinning container and varied to align the particles in a desired structure. The slurry is dried while still spinning to retain the desired structure and then heat treated to yield a sintered wick.

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Kettering, OH, United States of America

Brian G Hager