lämpöputkea

Lämpöputki, known in English as a heat pipe, is a passive heat transfer device that leverages the phase transition of a working fluid to transfer heat. It consists of a sealed tube, typically made of copper, containing a small amount of working fluid and a wick structure lining the inner walls. The tube is usually evacuated to a vacuum to allow the fluid to boil at a low temperature.

The operation of a heat pipe is based on a continuous evaporation-condensation cycle. Heat applied to one end of the pipe, the evaporator section, causes the working fluid to vaporize. This vapor then travels rapidly along the hollow core of the pipe to the cooler end, the condenser section. At the condenser, the vapor releases its latent heat of vaporization and condenses back into a liquid. The liquid then returns to the evaporator section via capillary action through the wick structure, completing the cycle.

This process allows for very high thermal conductivity, far exceeding that of solid conductors of the same size. Heat pipes are highly efficient and can transfer large amounts of heat with minimal temperature difference between the evaporator and condenser. They are often used in applications where efficient and silent heat dissipation is required, such as in cooling electronic components, solar thermal collectors, and spacecraft. The choice of working fluid and wick material depends on the operating temperature range and heat transfer requirements of the specific application.