Kuumakäytävät

Kuumakäytävät, also known as heat pipes, are passive two-phase heat transfer devices that have gained significant attention for their efficiency and reliability. They operate on the principle of evaporation and condensation of a working fluid, allowing for rapid heat transfer with minimal temperature difference. A typical heat pipe consists of a sealed tube containing a small amount of working fluid and a wick structure.

When one end of the heat pipe, the evaporator, is heated, the working fluid absorbs the thermal energy and vaporizes. This vapor then travels along the hollow core of the pipe to the cooler end, the condenser. Here, the vapor releases its latent heat and condenses back into a liquid. The wick structure, which lines the inner wall of the pipe, then draws the condensed liquid back to the evaporator through capillary action, completing the cycle.

The primary advantage of heat pipes lies in their extremely high thermal conductivity, which can be orders of magnitude greater than that of solid conductors like copper or aluminum. This makes them ideal for applications requiring efficient heat dissipation or transport, such as in electronics cooling, aerospace, and renewable energy systems. Their passive nature, meaning they require no external power source to operate, further enhances their appeal for certain applications. The materials used for the pipe and working fluid are chosen based on the operating temperature range and the specific thermal management requirements of the application.