Patent ID: 6948556

Claim:
A hybrid loop comprising: a. an evaporator component having: i. an exterior surface exposed to a heat source; ii. an interior cavity having a porous wick, one or more liquid arteries encased inside the porous wick, and a vapor space, wherein the porous wick extracts liquid from the liquid arteries by capillary action as needed to sustain the evaporation of the liquid working fluid from the porous wick, and the capillary forces in the porous wick are sufficient to separate the vapor phase working fluid inside the vapor space and the liquid phase working fluid inside the liquid artery; iii. an inlet for admitting the liquid phase working fluid into the liquid arteries; iv. a first outlet for exit of the vapor phase working fluid from the vapor space; and v. a second outlet for exit of excess liquid phase working fluid from the porous wick; b. a condenser component having: i. an exterior surface exposed to a heat sink at a lower temperature than the said heat source; ii. an interior space in which the vapor phase working fluid from the said evaporator component condenses into liquid phase; iii. an inlet for admitting the vapor phase working fluid; and iv. an outlet for exit of the condensed liquid phase working fluid; c. a liquid reservoir having: i. an interior space for storing the liquid phase working fluid; ii. a first inlet for admitting the condensed liquid phase working fluid; iii. a second inlet for admitting the excess liquid phase working fluid; and iv. an outlet for exit of the liquid phase working fluid; d. a liquid pump having: i. an inlet for admitting the liquid phase working fluid; ii. an outlet for discharging the liquid phase working fluid at an elevated pressure; iii. wherein the liquid pump draws liquid phase working fluid from the liquid reservoir into the liquid arteries in the evaporator; iv. wherein the liquid phase working fluid drawn by the liquid pump into the said liquid arteries is in excess of the requirements of evaporation in the evaporator; and v. wherein the excess liquid phase working fluid in the liquid arteries is further driven by the liquid pump into the liquid reservoir; e. a vapor transport line connecting the first outlet of the evaporator and the inlet of the condenser; f. a liquid transport line connecting the outlet of the condenser and the first inlet of the liquid reservoir; g. a first liquid supply line connecting the outlet of the liquid reservoir and the inlet of the liquid pump; h. a second liquid supply line connecting the outlet of the liquid pump and the inlet of the evaporator; i. an excess liquid return line connecting the second outlet of the evaporator and the second inlet of the liquid reservoir.