How does a Heatpipe Work?

[TheBluePill]

Pretty much every Heat Sink uses them.. But exactly how are they made and how do they work?

I assume they are filled with some kind of fluid? But they are also mounted vertically and horizontally...

Without tearing apart one of my heatsinks, can someone give me the lowdown on how a heatpipe works?

 

[German Muscle]

Hows a rainbow made? whys the sky blue? how does a posi track rear end on a plymouth work? It just does.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heat_pipe

 

[Nenu]

Pretty much every Heat Sink uses them.. But exactly how are they made and how do they work?

I assume they are filled with some kind of fluid? But they are also mounted vertically and horizontally...

Without tearing apart one of my heatsinks, can someone give me the lowdown on how a heatpipe works?

They arent filled, there will be some coolant liquid and empty space and probably lower pressure to promote boiling of the liquid.
The boiling liquid rises against gravity to where the fins are which cool it to a liquid again.
The cool liquid drops to the heatsink base again ready for round 2.
They are efficient because a liquid boiling draws extra heat energy and returning to a liquid state again gives out the extra energy.

 

[RAMBO29]

its basically transfering and spreading heat.

 

[aethelwulf]

its basically transfering and spreading heat.

ORLY?

The boiling liquid rises against gravity to where the fins are which cool it to a liquid again.

While I suppose this is sort of true, it offends my scientific sensibilities. Rather, the gaseous coolant diffuses through the heatpipe where is condenses on the sides of the heatpipe cooled by the fins. Also, remember that heatsinks are generally positioned horizontally, so I would guess that gravity plays less of a role than capillary action to transport the condensed liquid.

 

[thebeephaha]

its basically transfering and spreading heat.

YAY CAPTAIN OBVIOUS!

MY HERO!

Heatpipes use different types of fluids, I've heard of like liquid helium and other stuff. The whole idea of gravity wouldn't work too well with how the heatpipes are situated in most computers so theres gotta be more too it. But in theory it evaporates and re-liquefies to cool it down.

 

[BrainEater]

A heatpipe uses evaporation and condensation to provide a 'heatpumping' action.It's strictly to move heat from a to b.

The fluid is usually an organic solvent type material.

They typically operate with an internal pressure lower than atmospheric.

While the most basic heatpipes are designed to function in a vertical position , Modern heatpipes use a 'wicking' material to return fluid to the hot end.This can vary from copper wool , to 'sintered in place' metal or ceramic , allowing operation in any position.

For a good primer on the operation of these devices , and how to even build them , I suggest : Benchtest's heatpipe one

 

[TheBluePill]

Cool Info, I didnt realize how High tech, yet simple they are.

 

[Mr_Scary]

And here I thought they were Cherry Bomb, Glass Packs on my ford 460, LOL

How weird, Hope it never leaks out on my PC I've got 6 heatpipes.

 

[bgd73]

the wikipedia heatpipe and an open ended pc heatpipe pipe is different.
there is no darn liquid. there is of course a different atmosphere in the pipes, only reacting to where the thermal direction is hot to cool. Upside down open heatpipe heatsink, has openings at the bottom, makes no difference if the open end is up, or horizontal. What defines direction is the ability for thermal dissipation...and guiding it with the actual pipe, not whats inside. slower is cooler, heat makes its way to this (hence the thin fins to not lose this reaction but to hang onto it and gently disperse)
Liquid coolers on the other hand manipulate with fuids. A liquid heat pipe is a prehistoric radiator.
The xp 90 for example is simply open pipes from a hot base to the cool fins. No returns, ups and downs, lefts or rights to think about. Wherever you put a fan, or lack of, or whatever, (use common sense)an easy does it one way dispersal across very very thin, very very reactive fins..They are highly reactive for a little cpu. The "direction" is wherever it be at, the way it is mounted. Hence liquid cooling seems a bit bizarre, but so are overclockers

 

[aethelwulf]

the wikipedia heatpipe and an open ended pc heatpipe pipe is different.
there is no darn liquid. there is of course a different atmosphere in the pipes, only reacting to where the thermal direction is hot to cool. Upside down open heatpipe heatsink, has openings at the bottom, makes no difference if the open end is up, or horizontal. What defines direction is the ability for thermal dissipation...and guiding it with the actual pipe, not whats inside. slower is cooler, heat makes its way to this (hence the thin fins to not lose this reaction but to hang onto it and gently disperse)
Liquid coolers on the other hand manipulate with fuids. A liquid heat pipe is a prehistoric radiator.
The xp 90 for example is simply open pipes from a hot base to the cool fins. No returns, ups and downs, lefts or rights to think about. Wherever you put a fan, or lack of, or whatever, (use common sense)an easy does it one way dispersal across very very thin, very very reactive fins..They are highly reactive for a little cpu. The "direction" is wherever it be at, the way it is mounted. Hence liquid cooling seems a bit bizarre, but so are overclockers

Sorry, but you're wrong. If one end of the heatpipe was open, then any sort of "different atmosphere" would escape from the heatpipe and be negated immediately. If there wasn't any liquid in the heatpipe, then there would be nothing to transport the thermal enegy through the heatpipe besides the inherent thermal conductivity of the metal. This would defeat the purpose of the heatpipe in the first place. Even with simple metal going from the base to the fins there would be heat flow, but at a MUCH slower rate. Heatpipes allow for FAST, EFFICIENT transfer of heat that would not be possible otherwise. As for the rest of your post, it was pretty much incoherent. Please try to express yourself logically and use proper English to do so.