Designers Use Copper Heatpipes for Superior Performance

Heatpipes offer highly effective thermal conductivity and energy efficiency. Other positive characteristics are the low cost, light weight, and flexibility that provides many different shape and size options. Heatpipes offer a heat transfer system that is simple and reliable to operate. The system has no moving parts, transports heat over a long distance, and is a quiet, vibration-free operation.

Heatpipes are filled with small quantities of working fluid such as sodium, ammonia, methanol, nitrogen, acetone, or water. The working fluid is vaporized as heat is absorbed. The vapor transports the heat to a condenser region. The heat is released to a cooling medium by condensed vapor. Capillary action is created as the condensed working fluid returns to the evaporator by the heatpipe’s wick structure or gravity. Planar and cylindrical heatpipes have an inner surface that is lined with wicking material capillaries.

Military and commercial designers turn to copper heatpipes for superior power density, regardless of orientation or gravity. Copper heatpipes are designed specifically for applications where gravity or high heat loads present thermal challenges. Long life and reliability are critical. The copper heatpipe operates flawlessly against gravity and is rugged enough to withstand temperatures that range from 55ᵒ below zero to 180ᵒ C, and numerous freeze-thaw cycles.

Copper heatpipes use water as the working fluid. It smoothly moves heat from the source to an area where it can be managed effectively through liquid or air dissipation or radiation to space. These heatpipes are integrated into customized metallic cold plates or heat sinks. The integration improves the efficiency and conductivity. It allows the thermal designer to improve the performance of the overall system. The heatpipes can be integrated into extended surfaces, cold plates, and heat sinks through mechanical interference, solder, or epoxy.

For further details about heatpipes and copper heat pipes please visit the website.

Uses for LED and Copper Heatsinks

LEDs are a solid-state lighting form. Typical LED lights are made of small semiconductors; optical lenses, integrated to shape the radiation pattern; and LED heatsinks to keep a low operating temperature for the semiconductor and dissipate heat.

The life expectancy and performance of LED lights are directly linked to operating temperatures. The lower the operating temperature is, the longer the operating life and the better it performs. Thermal management is critical in a LED light design aspect. Thermal management increases the lighting quality and durability. LED lights are cooled by LED heatsinks using natural convection.

Honeycomb LED heatsinks have a LED chip located in the center of the heatsinks. Air passes through the hexagon-shaped holes and is carried away from the chip. The cooling performance of the heatsinks is affected by the rib-space ratio, the honeycomb aspect ratio, and the number of cells that surround the heat source.

Each new generation of devices having semiconductors has shrinking packages and a rise in the levels of power dissipation. Because of this trend, copper heatsinks are being used more often in a variety of applications.

A common technology available in copper heatsinks is the pin fin technology. Copper’s superior thermal properties satisfy challenging cooling requirements. When comparing aluminum and copper heatsinks  types of cooling scenarios and the value of copper, copper was recommended.

To understand the impact of copper heatsinks the thermal conductivity of aluminum versus copper must be considered. Applications demanding thermal stability are best served by copper heatsinks. Heatsinks having significant thermal mass are needed when power dissipation has a wide fluctuation, but a constant temperature is needed. In such a situation, copper with its 40 percent higher thermal mass is a better choice than aluminum.

For further details about heatpipes and copper heat pipes please visit the website.