Heat Pipes »
Thermacore Europe has several applications solutions using our advanced Heat Pipe solutions including: |
What is a Heat Pipe? |
 A heat pipe is a two-phase heat transfer device with an extremely high effective thermal conductivity. It can be cylindrical or planar, and the inner surface is lined with a capillary wicking material. The heat pipe is evacuated and backfilled with a small quantity of a working fluid such as water, acetone, nitrogen, methanol, ammonia, or sodium. |
Heat is absorbed in the evaporator region by vaporising the working fluid. The vapour transports heat to the condenser region where the vapour condenses, releasing heat to a cooling medium such as air. The condensed working fluid is returned to the evaporator by gravity, or if working against gravity, by capillary action created by a “wick structure.” Heat pipes have a lower total thermal resistance than solid conductors, enabling them to transfer heat more efficiently and evenly. |
An important element of the heat pipe is the “wick structure.” While Thermacore designs and manufacturers heat pipes with various wick structures, we specialise in a “sintered powder metal” wick structure that allows the heat pipe to provide the highest heat flux capability, greatest degree of gravitational orientation insensitivity, and freeze/thaw tolerance. For nearly 40 years, Thermacore has been a pioneer in developing “sintered powder wick technology” and is considered the technology leader in the industry. |
Heat pipes are completely passive heat transfer systems, having no moving parts to wear out and requiring no energy to operate. Heat pipes offer the design engineer low-cost packaging flexibility because they can be manufactured in a variety of shapes and sizes. Their light weight and compact size also make them the ideal choice for space constrained applications. Heat pipes can be manufactured to survive freeze-thaw conditions. |