MICROSCALE HEAT PIPES

DOI: 10.1615/AnnualRevHeatTransfer.v14.190
pages 313-333

Junwoo Suh
University of Cincinnati, Department of Mechanical, Industrial & Nuclear Engineering, University & Campus Drive - 598 Rhodes Hall P.O. Box 210072, Cincinnati, OH 45221-0072, USA

Frank M. Gerner
Microscale Heat Transfer Laboratory, 692 Rhodes, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio 45221, USA

Abstract

The present work reviews microscale heat pipes that utilize the latent heat of a working fluid to dissipate high heat fluxes using a passive system with a low mass. Microscale heat pipes, which have arrays etched on a silicon wafer, are used to dissipate high heat fluxes from microelectronic components. To overcome the force of gravity and for space applications, capillary-pumped loops and loop heat pipes, which are thermal control and heat transport devices developed in the Soviet Union and United State, respectively, are often employed. Pulsating heat pipes transfer thermal energy from the heat source to the heat sink using a pulsating exchange of sensible heat inside a capillary tube.