In this post, we continue our series on thermal management solutions, how they work, and their advantages and disadvantages. This month, we’re focusing on the thermal management solution used in heat pipe turnkey manufacturing: fluid phase change.
Heat pipes are one of the most common choices for thermal management. Consisting of a container, a working fluid, and a wick, heat pipes transfer heat through an evaporator and a condenser in a closed-loop system. As a part generates heat, the liquid inside the nearby heat pipe boils and evaporates. The hot water vapor moves toward the cooler section of the heat pipe and away from the heat-generating part. As the heated water vapor moves toward cooler air, it begins to condense. The wick structure then uses capillary motion to transfer the liquid back to the evaporator.
Heat pipe turnkey manufacturing generally offers greater thermal efficiency than passive or active heat sink manufacturing. Heat pipes are also a very reliable thermal management solution, as they have no moving parts that may break or require maintenance.
Several working fluids are used in aluminum heat pipe design and technology. The ideal fluid depends on the temperature range of the overall system, as the liquid must vaporize at the highest temperatures and condense at the lowest temperatures in the system. Common working fluids for custom heat pipe manufacturers are
Getec Industrial is a leading thermal management solutions company that offers heat pipe heatsink aluminum services. For more information about our custom extruded aluminum manufacturers, contact us online or call us at 888-000-8499.