Research Progress on Thermal Management of Electronic Devices Based on Flat Heat Pipe Technology

With the continued miniaturization and high integration of electronic devices, the challenge of heat dissipation caused by the excessive power consumption of electronic devices needs to be resolved urgently. An effective thermal management solution is proposed for heat dissipation in high-power electronic devices using flat heat pipes with excellent temperature uniformity and high heat dissipation efficiency. However, with the increasingly diverse heat dissipation requirements, the creation of an efficient flat heat pipe to suit the heat dissipation demands of emerging electronic equipment remains an important research topic. Therefore, based on expounding the working principle and structural characteristics of the flat heat pipes, the heat transfer performance of the flat heat pipe, the factors that affect the heat transfer performance (capillary wick structure, cavity thickness, working medium, liquid filling rate, inclination angle, and heat source), the measures to strengthen the heat transfer performance of the flat heat pipe (different wettability surfaces and support column structure, etc.), and its application in miniature electronic equipment (IGBT, LED and battery pack) are systematically reviewed. By evaluating the internal flow and heat transfer characteristics of flat heat pipes under different capillary wick structures and cavity thicknesses, the mechanism and comprehensive optimization method of heat dissipation performance, and the design of a flat heat pipe with strong space adaptability and high heat dissipation performance compatible to different electronic device heat management requirements are still key technologies to be further developed. A valuable reference is provided for further research and optimization of flat heat pipes in cooling electronic devices.