Are Heat Pipe Assemblies Right for All Applications?

One of the biggest reasons why modern heat exchangers have become popular in nearly every industry is because they can be customized in a variety of ways to meet a wide range of thermal management needs. However, while today’s heat exchangers can be designed in a variety of ways, those based on customizable heat pipe designs are among the most common and effective iterations. Pipe heat exchangers are not only highly effective and efficient at transferring electrical waste heat; they’re also among the most easily adaptable forms of heat exchangers today.

Transferring heat through customized heat pipes

Like all heat exchangers, heat pipes are designed to transfer electrical waste heat rather than try to overcome it with chilled air. This means they utilize an eco-friendly cooling fluid that has a high latent heat of vaporization, such as water. The fluid can be easily transferred through the pipes to remove the heat from within an electrical enclosure, and the pipes can be designed to fit into tight spaces within the most advanced applications. By transferring and dissipating heat in a continuous loop, heat pipes make electrical thermal management much safer, more efficient, and more manageable than most conventional electrical cooling solutions.

Why pipe heat exchangers have become so popular

The fact that heat pipes can be adapted to meet a wide range of applications is one reason why they’ve grown so popular. However, that popularity is only possible because heat pipe heat exchangers are also highly efficient at electrical cooling. The continuous loop that the fluid transfers heat through can be contained within pipes designed to bend, curve, and fit any plane necessary, according to a given application’s unique design. Because the fluid is looped, heat pipes don’t require as much maintenance or constant refilling of fluids, making them even more beneficial to a company’s overall productivity.

Designing heat exchangers for other applications

Their unique capabilities and high adaptability make heat pipes a popular form of heat exchanger, and they’ve continued to help companies improve productivity and energy efficiency in several important areas. However, heat pipes aren’t always the most appropriate heat exchanger design. For some applications, custom cold plates or other custom thermal solutions may provide more reliable results, or thermal needs may require specialized heat exchangers (such as thermal pins for machine tool cooling). For more information about what types of applications heat pipes are most appropriate for, call Noren Thermal Solutions in Taylor, TX, at 866-936-6736.