Heat Pipe Performance: cylindrical
Heat pipe performance data — cylindrical, vapor chamber, loop, micro, and thermosyphon types with various working fluids and wick structures
| heat pipe type | sk | application | diameter mm max | diameter mm min | effective conductivity WmK max (W/mK) | effective conductivity WmK min (W/mK) | length mm typical | max heat flux Wcm2 (W/cm2) | max heat transport Wm (Wm) | notes | operating temp high C (C) | operating temp low C (C) | orientation effect | thermal resistance CW max (C/W) | thermal resistance CW min (C/W) | wick type | working fluid |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| cylindrical | acetone#sintered#4-10mm | ambient to 100C electronics, industrial instruments | 10 | 4 | 7,000 | 1,800 | 200 | 15 | 60 | Acetone has good properties near 0-80C; compatible with copper; lower merit number than methanol at elevated temperatures; useful bridging fluid between water and methanol ranges | 120 | 0 | low_sensitivity | 0.28 | 0.12 | sintered | acetone |
| cylindrical | ammonia#axial_groove#8-25mm | satellite bus thermal management, cryogenic systems | 25 | 8 | 12,000 | 2,500 | 1,000 | 15 | 800 | Most common space heat pipe configuration; Al-ammonia extruded groove; lightweight; large spacecraft use multiple parallel pipes; orientation-sensitive — designed for fixed spacecraft orientation | 100 | -60 | high_sensitivity | 0.12 | 0.04 | axial_groove | ammonia |
| cylindrical | ammonia#sintered#6-25mm | spacecraft thermal control, cryogenic electronics, military | 25 | 6 | 15,000 | 3,000 | 600 | 20 | 500 | Ammonia dominant fluid for space heat pipes; stainless steel or aluminum envelope; operates reliably from -60C to 100C; high latent heat at low temperatures; ITAR considerations for space use | 100 | -60 | low_sensitivity | 0.15 | 0.05 | sintered | ammonia |
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