Westinghouse Electric Company LLC

Matthew M Swartz

William A Byers

John Lojek, Iii

David M Gross

Gregory A Kustra

John Lojek Iii

A forming assembly for forming a wick is disclosed. The forming assembly includes a tube inflatable to an inflated configuration. A wick mesh is configured to be wrapped about the tube. The forming assembly further includes a sheath positionable about the tube and the wick mesh. The tube and the sheath are configured to compress the wick mesh and form the wick based on the tube inflating towards the inflated configuration.

Internal hydroforming method for manufacturing heat pipe wicks utilizing a hollow mandrel and sheath

A forming assembly configured to form a wick is disclosed. The forming assembly includes an expandable tube and a forming shell assembly. The expandable tube is hydraulically expandable to an expanded configuration. A wick mesh is configured to be wrapped about the expandable tube. The forming shell assembly includes a first forming shell comprising a first recess defined therein and a second forming shell comprising a second recess defined therein. The first recess and the second recess cooperate to define an outer diameter of the wick. The expandable tube and the wick mesh are positionable between the first recess and the second recess. The expandable tube and the forming shell assembly are configured to deform the wick mesh and form the wick based on the expandable tube hydraulically expanding towards the expanded configuration.

Internal hydroforming method for manufacturing heat pipe wicks

A heat pipe is disclosed includes a container, a container lid including a groove defined therein, a wick, and an end plug operably coupled to the wick. The end plug includes a pin extending therefrom. The groove of the container lid is configured to receive the pin.

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Claridge, PA, United States of America

Matthew M Swartz