Fabrication, Filling, Sealing and Testing of Micro Heat Pipes

Abstract

Micro heat pipes are small and passive heat transfer devices. Research is going on in its applications ranging from using them in high powered electronic devices to using them during brain surgeries. A combination of silicon with many different liquids as working fluids is being investigated. This thesis investigates the fabrication of micro heat pipes arrays and the possibility of using mercury as one of the working fluids. Water was also tried on some of them. A new sealing technique was used to seal the micro heat pipes filled with mercury. Tests were carried out on these charged devices and silicon dummies under an infra red camera. The results of the charged devices were compared with silicon dummy to check their working feasibility. The micro fabrication, charging, sealing and testing procedures are discussed in the following work. The results obtained from the tests conducted are also presented.