US-12625050-B2 - Expandable plug and pressure tool for use in metallic wick pore size testing

Abstract

Disclosed is a device for performing pore size testing on a mesh wick. The device includes a housing and a tube positioned through the housing. The housing includes an internal surface. The tube includes an exterior surface. The exterior surface of the tube and the internal surface of the housing cooperatively define an internal cavity therebetween. The device further includes an inlet pipe extending from the housing. The inlet pipe connects to the internal cavity to allow a fluid to enter the internal cavity through the inlet pipe. The device further includes an expandable bladder positioned around a portion of the housing. The expandable bladder includes a first end and a second end. The portion of the housing is to allow the fluid to exit the internal cavity through the housing into the expandable bladder which causes the expandable bladder to expand.

Inventors

• Christopher M. NESTOR

Assignees

• WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC COMPANY LLC

Dates

Publication Date

20260512

Application Date

20231101

Claims (15)

1. 1 . A device for performing pore size testing on a mesh wick, the device comprising: a housing comprising an internal surface; a tube positioned through the housing, wherein the tube comprises an exterior surface, wherein the housing is sealed around the exterior surface of the tube where the tube enters and exits the housing, and wherein the exterior surface of the tube and the internal surface of the housing cooperatively define an internal cavity therebetween; an inlet pipe extending from the housing, wherein the inlet pipe connects to the internal cavity to allow a fluid to enter the internal cavity through the inlet pipe; and an expandable bladder positioned around a portion of the housing, the expandable bladder comprising a first end and a second end, wherein the first end and the second end are both attached and sealed to the exterior of the housing, and wherein the portion of the housing is configured to allow the fluid to exit the internal cavity through the housing into the expandable bladder which causes the expandable bladder to expand.
2. 2 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the housing is sealed to the tube through welding.
3. 3 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the first end is sealed to the tube with a polymer and hardener.
4. 4 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the second end is sealed to the tube with a circumferential tensioning device.
5. 5 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the expandable bladder is sized to permit the first end of the expandable bladder to be inserted into an open end of the mesh wick in an unexpanded configuration, and wherein the fluid inserted into the inlet pipe causes the expandable bladder to expand and seal the open end of the mesh wick in an expanded configuration.
6. 6 . The device of claim 5 , wherein the expandable bladder is pressurized to greater than or equal to a first threshold and less than or equal to a second threshold, in the expanded configuration.
7. 7 . The device of claim 5 , wherein an input to the inlet pipe is coupled to a relief valve, and wherein the expandable bladder can be collapsed by way of the relief valve to the unexpanded configuration.
8. 8 . The device of claim 5 , wherein a first end of the tube is coupled to a supply of a second fluid and a second end of the tube is inserted into the open end of the mesh wick.
9. 9 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the housing defines a hole positioned in the portion of the housing, and wherein the fluid exits the internal cavity through the hole.
10. 10 . A device for performing pore size testing on a mesh wick, the device comprising: a first tube comprising a first end and a second end; a second tube inserted through the first tube, wherein the first end and the second end are both attached and sealed to an exterior surface of the second tube, and wherein the exterior surface of the second tube and an internal surface of the first tube cooperatively define an internal cavity therebetween; an inlet tube extending from the first tube, wherein the inlet tube connects to the internal cavity to allow a fluid to enter the internal cavity through the inlet tube; and an expandable bladder positioned around a portion of the first tube, the expandable bladder comprising a third end and a fourth end, wherein the third end and fourth end are both attached and sealed to an exterior surface of the first tube, and wherein the portion of the first tube is configured to allow the fluid to exit the internal cavity through the exterior surface of the first tube into the expandable bladder causing the expandable bladder to expand.
11. 11 . The device of claim 10 , wherein the first tube further comprises a first diameter, wherein the second tube comprises a second diameter, and wherein the second diameter is larger than the first diameter.
12. 12 . The device of claim 10 , wherein the first tube defines a hole positioned in the portion of the first tube, and wherein the fluid exits the internal cavity through the hole.
13. 13 . The device of claim 10 , wherein the fourth end is sealed to the first tube with a polymer and hardener.
14. 14 . The device of claim 10 , wherein the third end is sealed to the first tube with a circumferential tensioning device.
15. 15 . The device of claim 10 , wherein the fourth end of the expandable bladder in an unexpanded configuration is inserted into an open end of the mesh wick, wherein the fluid inserted into the inlet tube causes the expandable bladder to expand to an expanded configuration to seal the open end of the mesh wick.

Description

GOVERNMENT CONTRACT This invention was made with government support under DE-NE0009050 awarded by the U.S. Department of Energy. The government has certain rights in the invention. BACKGROUND The present disclosure relates to testing metallic wicks that are used in heat pipes. Heat pipes can be used to cool a variety of devices and systems that are under a variety of different conditions. To ensure that the heat pipe will function properly, the size of the pores of the metallic wick inside of the heat pipe need tested. SUMMARY In one general aspect, the present disclosure provides a device for performing pore size testing on a mesh wick. The device includes a housing including an internal surface. The device further includes a tube positioned through the housing. The tube includes an exterior surface. The housing is sealed around the exterior surface of the tube where the tube enters and exits the housing. The exterior surface of the tube and the internal surface of the housing cooperatively define an internal cavity therebetween. The device further includes an inlet pipe extending from the housing, wherein the inlet pipe connects to the internal cavity to allow a fluid to enter the internal cavity through the inlet pipe. The device further includes an expandable bladder positioned around a portion of the housing. The expandable bladder includes a first end and a second end. The first end and the second end are both attached and sealed to the exterior of the housing. The portion of the housing is configured to allow the fluid to exit the internal cavity through the housing into the expandable bladder which causes the expandable bladder to expand. In at least one aspect, the housing is sealed to the tube through welding. In at least one aspect, the first end is sealed to the tube with a polymer and hardener. In at least one aspect, the second end is sealed to the tube with a circumferential tensioning device. In at least one aspect, the expandable bladder is sized to permit the first end of the expandable bladder to be inserted into an open end of the mesh wick in an unexpanded configuration, and the fluid inserted into the inlet pipe causes the expandable bladder to expand and seal the open end of the mesh wick in an expanded configuration. In at least one aspect, the expandable bladder is pressurized to greater than or equal to a first threshold and less than or equal to a second threshold, in the expanded configuration. In at least one aspect, an input to the inlet pipe is coupled to a relief valve, and wherein the expandable bladder can be collapsed by way of the relief valve to the unexpanded configuration. In at least one aspect, a first end of the tube is coupled to a supply of a second fluid and a second end of the tube is inserted into the open end of the mesh wick. In at least one aspect, the housing defines a hole positioned in the portion of the housing, and the fluid exits the internal cavity through the hole. In another general aspect, the present disclosure provides a device for performing pore size testing on a mesh wick. The device includes a first tube includes a first end and a second end. The device further includes a second tube inserted through the first tube. The first end and the second end are both attached and sealed to an exterior surface of the second tube. The exterior surface of the second tube and an internal surface of the first tube cooperatively define an internal cavity therebetween. The device further includes an inlet tube extending from the first tube. The inlet tube connects to the internal cavity to allow a fluid to enter the internal cavity through the inlet tube. The device further includes an expandable bladder positioned around a portion of the first tube. The expandable bladder includes a third end and a fourth end. The third end and fourth end are both attached and sealed to an exterior surface of the first tube. The portion of the first tube is configured to allow the fluid to exit the internal cavity through the exterior surface of the first tube into the expandable bladder causing the expandable bladder to expand. In at least one aspect, the first tube further includes a first diameter, wherein the second tube includes a second diameter, and wherein the second diameter is larger than the first diameter. In at least one aspect, the first tube defines a hole positioned in the portion of the first tube, and wherein the fluid exits the internal cavity through the hole. In at least one aspect, the fourth end is sealed to the tube with a polymer and hardener. In at least one aspect, the third end is sealed to the tube with a circumferential tensioning device. In at least one aspect, the fourth end of the expandable bladder in an unexpanded configuration is inserted into an open end of the mesh wick, wherein the fluid inserted into the inlet tube causes the expandable bladder to expand to an expanded configuration to seal the open end of the mesh wick. In yet another