Heat pipe heat exchanger
Mersen

High heat losses from Press-Pack and IGBT power devices can be spread to large area cooling banks via heatpipes. Typical construction employs copper heatpipes and aluminum or copper "Evaporator" and "Condensor" sections. If electrical insulation is required ceramic insulators can be built into the heatpipes. Working fluids are chosen to suit the application.

Heatpipe assemblies, while cooled by forced air, represent a cooling step between conventional forced air, extruded or fabricated heatsinks and liquid cooled heatsinks.

The heatpipe allows the semiconductor losses to be dissipated over a very large surface area.

Design considerations must include that the heat pipes are oriented vertical or near vertical to maximize the use of gravity; semiconductors being located at the lowest point.

The design of the air delivery system is critical to ensure adequate air velocity over the tightly spaced fins.