Patent ID: 7650931

Claim:
A heat transfer device, comprising: at least one chamber containing a condensable fluid, the chamber including: an evaporation region configured to be coupled to a heat source for vaporizing the condensable fluid, and a condensation region comprising condensation surfaces configured to permit the vaporized condensable fluid to collect as condensate, wherein the at least one chamber is configured to cause the condensate to flow through increasingly less area in the vicinity of the evaporation region, giving rise to a converging flow condition as the condensate approaches the evaporation region; and a multi-wick structure comprising a plurality of hydraulically interconnected wick structures extending from the evaporation region into the condensation region for facilitating flow of the condensate toward the evaporation region, wherein a wicking power of the multi-wick structure increases with decreasing flow distance to the evaporation region to facilitate an increased flow rate of the condensate as the condensate approaches the evaporation region, and wherein the multi-wick structure includes at least one wick structure bridge interconnecting portions of the multi-wick structure to facilitate flow of the condensate between the portions of the multi-wick structure.