Heat Pipe election档.docVIP

Heat Pipe Selection Revision 12/04/2001 Heat pipes are being used very often in particular applications when conventional cooling methods are not suitable. Once the need for heat pipe arises, the most appropriate heat pipe needs to be selected. Often this is not an easy task, and the following needs to be considered. How to select a heat pipe? 1) Investigate and determine the following operational parameters: a. Heat load and geometry of the heat source. b. Possible heat sink location, the distance and orientation relative to the heat source. c. Temperature profile of heat source, heat sink and ambient d. Environmental condition (such as existence of corrosive gas) 2) Select the pipe material, wick structure, and working fluid. (consult with an Enertron engineer or original heat pipe manufacturer to select the most appropriate heat pipe) a. Determine the working fluid appropriate for your application b. Select pipe material compatible to the working fluid c. Select wick structure for the operating orientation d. Decide on the protective coating. 3) Determine the length, size, and shape of the heat pipe (consult with Enertron engineer) Fig 1 gives the performance of heat pipes with diameter from 3 to 22.23mm.Fig 1. Performance of copper water groove heat pipe at vertical orientation (gravity assist) What materials can be used to construct a heat pipe? A particular working fluid can only be functional at certain temperature ranges. Also, the particular working fluid needs a compatible vessel material to prevent corrosion or chemical reaction between the fluid and the vessel. Corrosion will damage the vessel and chemical reaction can produce a non-condensable gas. Refer to Table 1. For example, the liquid ammonia heat pipe has a temperature range from –70 to +60 o C and is compatible with aluminum, nickel and stainless steel. 10 100 1000 10000 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 Heat Pipe Operational Temp (Deg. C) Maximum Heat Transport (Watts) 3.0 mm 6.35 m