Composite passive heat sink system and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016209128-A1
Application number	US-201514597703-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 15, 2015
Priority date	Jan 15, 2015
Publication date	Jul 21, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A system including a passive heat sink is depicted. A passive heat sink may include an enclosure housing a nonmetal matrix composite. At least one surface of the enclosure may be in contact and/or close proximity to a heat source. The enclosure may be formed through an additive manufacturing process.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A passive heat sink system comprising:
an enclosure defining an internal cavity; a conductive matrix disposed within the internal cavity, wherein the enclosure is at least partially formed around the conductive matrix via an additive manufacturing process; and a phase change material at least partially collocated with the conductive matrix within the internal cavity.

2 . The passive heat sink system of claim 1 , further comprising a port configured to pass through an external surface of the enclosure to the internal cavity.

3 . The passive heat sink system of claim 2 , wherein the phase change material is added to the internal cavity via the port.

4 . The passive heat sink system of claim 1 , further comprising a heat sink surface disposed on an external surface of the enclosure.

5 . The passive heat sink system of claim 1 , wherein a wetted coupling is formed between an interface between the conductive matrix and a surface of the enclosure in response to the additive manufacturing process occurring.

6 . The passive heat sink system of claim 1 , wherein the additive manufacturing process comprises successive layers of material laid down under computer control to form a component.

7 . The passive heat sink system of claim 1 , wherein the additive manufacturing process comprises at least one of direct metal laser sintering, selective laser melting, or selective laser sintering.

8 . The passive heat sink system of claim 1 , wherein a flow of heat from a heat sink surface to the conductive matrix is direct through the enclosure to the conductive matrix.

9 . The passive heat sink system of claim 1 , wherein the conductive matrix comprises a graphite matrix.

10 . A method comprising:
forming a first portion of a heat sink assembly enclosure; positioning a conductive matrix within an internal cavity of the first portion of the heat sink assembly enclosure; and forming a second portion of the heat sink assembly enclosure, wherein at least one of the first portion of the heat sink assembly enclosure or the second portion of the heat sink assembly enclosure is formed via an additive manufacturing process.

11 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising forming a port configured to pass through at least one of the first portion of the heat sink assembly enclosure or the second portion of the heat sink assembly enclosure to the internal cavity.

12 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising adding a phase change material to the internal cavity via the port.

13 . The method of claim 10 , wherein a heat sink surface is disposed on an external surface of at least one of the first portion of the heat sink assembly enclosure or the second portion of the heat sink assembly enclosure.

14 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising forming a wetted coupling between an interface between the conductive matrix and a surface of at least one of the first portion of the heat sink assembly enclosure or the second portion of the heat sink assembly enclosure in response to the additive manufacturing process occurring.

15 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the additive manufacturing process comprises at least one of direct metal laser sintering, selective laser melting, or selective laser sintering.

Assignees

• Hamilton Sundstrand Space Sys

Inventors

• Stieber Jesse Joseph

Classifications

• H10W40/735

  by melting or evaporation of solids · CPC title

• B22F10/28

  Powder bed fusion, e.g. selective laser melting [SLM] or electron beam melting [EBM] · CPC title

• F28F3/12 Primary

  Elements constructed in the shape of a hollow panel, e.g. with channels {(F28D1/02, F28D1/03 take precedence)} · CPC title

• F28F3/00 Primary

  Plate-like or laminated elements; Assemblies of plate-like or laminated elements (specially adapted for movement F28F5/00) · CPC title

• B23P15/26

  heat exchangers {or the like (making heat exchangers by methods covered by other subclasses B21D53/02)} · CPC title