Patent ID: 6209625
Filing Date: 2001-04-03
Classification: F28D

Abstract:
A heat pipe device which reduces the amount of non-condensable hydrogen gas within its interior, the device comprising:a tubular enclosure formed from a lower region, an upper region, an upper end and a lower opened end, a tubular wall extending in between the upper and lower ends, the wall being formed from a ferrous metal alloy selected from the class of ferrous metal alloys including carbon steel, stainless steel and iron nickel;a first end cap welded to the lower opened end of the enclosure, a communication port positioned within the first end of the cap and in communication with the interior of the tubular enclosure, a second end cap welded to the upper opened end of the enclosure;a volume of water positioned within the lower region of the tubular enclosure, the upper region being evacuated;an active agent container formed from a porous tube having a closed lower end and an opened upper end, a current-collecting bar formed from copper interconnecting an interior portion of the container and the second end of the cap, the active agent being 96 percent by weight of PbO.sub.x and 4 percent by weight PbSO.sub.4, wherein x varies between 1.85 and 2.05; andthe active agent functioning such that when non-condensable hydrogen gas is formed within the upper region of the heat pipe, it comes into contact with the active agent through the porous tube such that the hydrogen gas reacts with the active agent to form water and PbO.