How does a Noren heat pipe work?

By Ray Peacock

Heat pipes are transport mechanisms that can carry heat fluxes ranging from 10 W/cm2 to 20 KW/cm2 at a very fast speed. Essentially, they can be considered as heat super conductors. Heat pipes can be used either as a means to transport heat from one location to another, or as a means to isothermalize the temperature distribution.

A heat pipe consists of a sealed aluminum or copper container whose inner surfaces have a capillary wicking material. Inside the container is a liquid (usually alcohol) under its own pressure, and enters the pores of the capillary material, wetting all internal surfaces.

Applying heat at any point along the surface of the heat pipe causes the liquid at that point to boil and enter a vapor state. When that happens, the gas picks up the latent heat of the vaporization.

The gas, which then has a higher pressure, moves inside the sealed container to a colder location where it condenses.

Thus, the gas gives up the latent heat of vaporization and moves heat from the input to the output of the heat pipe.

This process takes place at great speed, reaching over 500 MP, one thousand times more conductive than copper of the same weight, heat pipes conduct large volumes of thermal energy away from the heat source.

The heat pipe design is so simple and efficient that it’s cooling is advantageous for maintenance retrofit as well as the production applications.

Noren Products uses this heat pipe technology to manufacture heat exchangers for Cabinet Coolers.

The heat pipes are sealed from all outside air, we can seal around the middle of the heat pipe and use one side exposed to the outside ambient air and use the other end inside a sealed cabinet.

The end inside the cabinet absorbs heat and transfers it to the top, outside the cabinet and then dissipates the heat to the outside.

We use fins and fans to absorb/dissipate heat into or out of the surrounding air.

Using multiple individual heat pipes for maximum capacity and reliability, the compact cabinet cooler continuously removes heat from a sealed cabinet.

With 38 years of heat pipe engineering, Noren Products produces the highest capacity and the most compact air to air heat exchangers.

The life of a Noren Products Compact Cabinet Cooler can be over 30 years. Heat pipes are a passive system requiring no power with no performance degradation the fans are only moving parts and may need to be changed approximately every five years.

For over 45 years, Noren has designed innovative, eco-friendly thermal solutions that proactively regulate temperature and protect sensitive technology from harmful conditions.