Heat pipeHeat pipe is a very efficient way to transfer thermal energy from one end to another. It works on the principles of thermal conductivity and phase transfer. The High thermal conductivity enables a it to transfer and dissipate heat to the desired location through a “capillary action”. This effect is similar to placing a paper tissue in a fluid and observes the fluid rise up the paper towel.
Heat pipes were invented by Los Alamos National Laboratory in 1963 by George Grover to supply heat to and remove waste heat from energy conversion system.

Actual working of heat pipe:
A heat pipe is a copper tube with an internal wick structure that is sealed on both the ends with a small amount of water or ammonia liquid inside. The wick is used to transport the liquid from one end to other. As heat is applied to the hotter side of a pipe, the water will boil and turn to a gas which then travels with the thermal energy to the colder end of the pipe where it condenses back to a liquid. This process is known as capillary action. This cycle is repeated continuously to remove heat from a system.
Modern heat pipes are able to transfer heat several hundred times faster than a solid copper rod. Based on material used to design and area of application there are various types of heat pipes are available in the market.

Types of Heat Pipes:
•    Vapour chamber or flat heat pipes
•    Variable conductance heat pipes
•    Diode heat pipes
•    Thermosyphones
•    Loop heat pipes

Applications of Heat Pipes:   
Today, Heat pipes are used in a variety of applications from space to handheld devices that fit in your packet. Some applications are listed below
•    Spacecraft
•    Computer systems
•    Solar thermal
•    Permafrost cooling
•    Cooking appliances
•    Ventilations and heat recovery nuclear power conversation


Benefits:
•    High conductivity effective thermal
       Transfers heat over long distance with minimal temperature drop.
•    Passive operation
        No energy input is required to operate the heat pipe. There are no moving parts.
•    Long life with minimum maintenance
        There is nothing in heat pipes that wear out heat pipes are passive. Since there are no moving parts the only maintenance recommended is periodic cleaning
•    Cost efficient
        By lowering the operating temperature, these devices can increase the Mean Time between Failures for electronic assemblies. In turn this lowers the
        maintenance and replacement costs.
•    Flexible size
        Heat recovery heat pipes can adjusted in less space than other heat recovery systems. They can be manufactured in custom sizes to fit in user requirements.

Thanks,
Rajesh Kharche
+91 - 20 - 24 321 770