HEAT PIPES

CONCEPTS and APPLICATIONS

Heat pipe principle of operation

A heat pipe is a hermetically sealed evacuated tube

normally containing a mesh or sintered powder wick and
a working fluid in both the liquid and vapor phase.

When one end of the tube is heated the liquid turns to

vapor absorbing the latent heat of vaporization. The hot
vapor flows to the colder end of the tube where it
condenses and gives out the latent heat. The
recondensed liquid then flows back through the wick to
the hot end of the tube.

Since the latent heat of evaporation is usually very large,

considerable quantities of heat can be transported with a
very small temperature difference from one end to the
other.

The high heat transfer capability

the most important feature of heat pipes
illustrated by an annular sodium heat pipe
(isothermal oven) working at about 850 0C.
 Heat Pipe

Isothermal Way of Working

other important feature of heat pipes

illustrated by a sodium heat pipe and

an empty pipe both having the same
dimensions and extracted from
an electrical oven working
at about 950 0C

Empty Pipe

Click here to watch the whole movie

 A heat pipe is working isothermally
on its entire length
whatever the length is

Working temperature 30.9 0C can be

Seen on the entire length of 11.5 m

Inspected By:
Inspection Date: 3/2/2015 5:23:06 PM Area
Location Compass
Description Weather Conditions:
Indoor Air Temperature Outdoor Air
Temperature
Indoor Relative Humidity: Outdoor Relative
Humidity:
Dew Point (inside): Wind Speed
Problem Repair Priority:
Emissivity: 0.95 Reflected Temperature: 22.0 C
Camera Manufacturer Fluke Camera: TiRx-10110678
Heat Pipe Vessel Material
Typical:
Carbon Steel
Copper
SS304
SS316
Other as determined by below

The longevity and usefulness of a heat pipe will be determined by:

Required container metal and the required welding materials
Working fluid compatibility
Chemical make-up and temperatures of the source and sink energy streams

For the heat pipe design, the container metal, working fluid(s) and the incoming energy stream
chemical make-up must be considered or the performance can be significantly degraded by either
internal pipe material erosion or by a chemical reaction with the working fluid that produces a non-
condensable gas.
 Styles of Heat Pipes
Serrated Fins Heat Pipe

Smooth Heat Pipes

Hybrid w/ compression fit

Spiral Finned w/ Threaded

Connector
What and where are Heat Pipe Heat Exchangers?

Solar Hot Water Tubes

Laptop Computers

HVAC Equipment
Heating / Cooling
Dehumidifying
 Industrial Heat Pipe Heat Exchangers (HPHX)

Gas-to-Gas HPHX-Chemical

Gas-to-Oil HPHX- Steel Furnace Burner

 Heat pipe based
heat exchangers
vs.
Classical heat exchangers
 Gas - to - Gas
Energy Recovery
Gas - to - Liquid
Energy Recovery
Liquid - to - Liquid
Energy Recovery

Heat Recovery System

Different Approaches

Process - to - Process
Waste heat captured from a process exhaust
and utilized in other or the same process
Process - to - Comfort
Waste heat captured from a process exhaust
for preheating winter makeup air.
Recover sensible heat only.
Comfort - to - Comfort
By transferring energy between the ventilation air supply and exhaust
airstreams the heat recovery device lowers the enthalpy of the building
supply air during warm weather and raises it during cold weather.
Sensible heat devices or total heat devices.
 Common Gas - to - Gas
Energy Recovery Technologies

Coil loops Rotary

heat exchangers

Fixed plate Heat Pipe

heat exchangers Heat
Exchangers
 Common Gas - to - Liquid
Energy Recovery Technologies

Shell and tube Heat Pipes

Quinn Solutions Inc.
Concept
 Common Gas - to - Gas Two or more finned-tube coils that are piped
Energy Recovery Technologies together in a closed loop
A small pump circulates the working fluid
Coil Loop through the two coils
Working fluid - a solution of inhibited glycol
and water through the two coils. For higher
Exhaust
gas temperatures fluids available.
An expansion tank in the system
Modulating capacity (three-way mixing
Expansion
valve or a variable-speed drive on the pump)
tank
Preheated
gas
The most flexible - transfer energy between
gas streams that are physically separated
by some distance
Pump Recover energy from multiple gas streams
(using multiple exhaust gas-side coils)
Three way Possible to have multiple coils. This
mixing valve
requires additional coils, more piping and
working fluid, and a larger pump.
 Considerations for recovering heat with
coil loops
Advantages
Transfers heat between gas
streams that are separated by
distance, simplifying retrofits
No cross-leakage between gas
streams is possible
Flexible design/application: coils
can be selected from the optimum
amount of heat transfer
Easily turned of when heat
recovery is not beneficial
Easy to control
Disadvantages
Transfers only sensible heat
May require an expansion tank to
accommodate expansion and
contraction of the heat transfer
fluid
Not suitable with dirty gases
Requires design and field
installation of piping, pump,
expansion tank, and mixing valve
(or variable speed drive)
Require additional energy to
drive the pump and maintenance
of the pump.
 Common Gas - to - Gas
Energy Recovery Technologies

Fixed plate heat exchangers

Fixed surface plate exchangers have

no moving parts.
Alternate layers of plates, separated
and sealed (I.e. the heat exchanger
core), form the exhaust and supply air
stream passages.
Heat is transferred directly from the
warm airstreams through the
separating plates into the cool
airstreams.
 Considerations for recovering heat with
fixed plate heat exchangers

Advantages
Relative high sensible effectiveness

Disadvantages
Transfers only sensible heat

Requires adjacent air streams

Heavy
High first cost in large applications
Difficult to clean in large applications
 Common Gas - to - Gas
Energy Recovery Technologies

Rotary Gas-to-Gas
heat exchangers
A rotary gas-to-gas heat exchanger, or rotary
enthalpy wheel, has a revolving cylinder filled
with an air-permeable medium having a large
internal surface area.

Adjacent supply and exhaust gas streams each

flow through one-half the exchanger in a
counter flow pattern.

Heat transfer media may be selected to recover

sensible heat only or total heat (sensible heat
plus latent heat).
Rotary gas-to-gas
heat exchangers
Issues of Rotary gas-to-gas heat exchangers
Regenerative heat Transfer: Major disadvantage is that there is always some mixing of the energy
streams, and they can not be completely separated.

Vertical APH Horizontal APH

Not passive: Requires a large motor to rotate the matrix wheel 1-3 rpms leading to operational costs

Seals, gaskets and bearings: If it turns, it burns

Higher pressure drops

Condensate created by continuous hot/cold rotation of the wheel

High metal stress and fatigue: constant heating and cooling that takes place puts a lot of stress on
the components of the heat exchanger, which can cause cracking or breakdown of materials.
Issues of Rotary gas-to-gas heat exchangers continued
Very high leakage rates

Baskets or vanes life span are typically 5-12

years and require constant cleaning:
An unavoidable carryover of a small
fraction of one energy stream into the other
as the carryover is trapped inside the radial
seal and in the matrix. This is especially
significant in coal and chemical industries
where Sodium Bisulfate and Ammonium (bi)
Sulfates form on the matrix.
This illustration of a bi-sector Ljungstrom APH includes seals and leakage paths. Source: ERC
 Gas - to - Gas
Heat pipe heat exchangers Because of its high thermal conductivity
the heat pipe is a prime candidate for
applications involving the conservation
of energy, and has been used to
advantage in heat recovery systems.

A gas-to-gas heat pipe heat exchanger

Partition
Heat pipe based combustion air preheater
consists of a bundle of tubes,
sometimes finned tubes, which are
made up as individual heat pipes
properly placed in a casing. The heat
pipes evaporation-condensation cycle
effects the transfer of heat from the
evaporation zone of the pipes, located in
the duct carrying the counter-current gas
stream from which heat is required to be
recovered, to the condensation zone of
the pipes in the adjacent duct carrying
the gas stream which is to be preheated.
Gas-to-Gas Heat pipe heat exchanger (Exhaust-to-Combustion air)
Gas-to-Gas Heat pipe heat exchanger (Exhaust-to-Combustion air)
Gas-to-Gas Heat pipe heat exchanger (Exhaust-to-Combustion air)
Gas-to-Gas Heat pipe heat exchanger (Exhaust-to-Combustion air)
 Considerations for recovering heat with
gas-to-gas heat pipe heat exchangers

Advantages
No moving parts and no external power requirements, implying
high reliability
Cross-contamination is totally eliminated because of a partition
wall between the hot and cold gas streams
The unit can be easily cleaned even by removing heat pipes
By keeping the surface temperature high, "cold corners" are
eliminated reducing or eliminating corrosion
A wide variety of sizes are available, and the unit is in general
compact and suitable for all
The gas-to-gas heat pipe heat exchanger is fully reversible; heat
can be transferred in either direction
Collection of condensate in the exhaust gases can be arranged
 Current Project

Coal Fired Utility Company

Replacing Legacy Heat Pipes with New Heat Pipes
Recent Installation
 Considerations for recovering heat with
fixed plate heat exchangers

Advantages
Relative high sensible effectiveness

Disadvantages
Transfers only sensible heat

Requires adjacent air streams

Heavy
High first cost in large applications
Difficult to clean in large
applications
 Common
Gas - to - Liquid

Shell and tube

The shell & tube heat
exchanger consists of a
number of small
diameter tubes (the
bundle) enclosed inside
a larger tube (the shell).

One fluid flows through

the small tubes, the
other flows around the
outside of them.

Connections are
provided at each end to
connect the fluid inlets
and outlets.
 Heat Pipes
Cooled exhaust
Preheated water return Gas-to-Liquid
to boiler Water from Heat Pipe
installation
Heat
Exchangers
Separation plate
Water tight system

Hot exhaust

Exposed area in water

Inspection plate
Exposed area in hot exhaust

A gas-to-water heat pipe heat exchanger consists of a bundle

of tubes, which are made up as individual heat pipes properly
placed with the evaporation part in the exhaust gases from
which the heat is to be recovered and with the condensation
part in the water which is to be heated. The heat pipes
evaporation-condensation cycle effects the transfer of heat
Inspection
Heat Pipes
plate from the exhaust to the water.
Gas-to-Liquid Heat Pipe Heat Exchangers

Heat Pipe oil preheater used in an ORC system

Gas-to-Liquid Heat Pipe Heat Exchangers

Heat Pipe water preheater

Gas-to-Liquid Heat Pipe Heat Exchangers

Heat Pipe water preheater ready for delivery

Limitations of Heat Pipe Heat Exchangers
Mass produced designs
Not cost effective to build small units unless numbers of are required
CostsFirst Cost vs. Life Cycle Costs

New Discoveries
Sodium Heat Pipes
Sodium Heat Pipes for Stirling Engines
Heat Pipes for cooling LEDs
Flat heat pipes for cooling solar cells
Power generation through geothermal
CO2 HVAC

Anyone can build a Heat Pipe

Not anyone can manufacture a Heat Pipe that is both efficient and cost effective
 Some Heat Pipe Basics

Temperature difference

Heat pipe performance

as a function of temperature difference

Design equations as a result of experimental

research

Heat pipe working temperature

Heat pipe limitations (Entrainment; Burn Out)

 Temperature Difference

t"2 t'2 t'2

t"2

t"1

t'1 t"1 t'1

 Maximum Temperature Difference
t'2

t"2
Minimum Temperature Difference

t"1

Every row of heat pipes works

t'1 at its own temperature difference

Average Temperature Difference

 as a result of experimental research

Every type of heat pipe heat exchanger designed

according to particular experimental research

The experimental set up designed to meet

Thermal similitude
Geometrical similitude
Aerodynamical/hydrodynamical similitude
with the parameters of the envisaged application

The results obtained after testing the model are laid

down in the Q=(t) equation which is the basis of the
entire design

Experimental rigs Samples

 Heat pipe working temperature

The heat pipe is a self adjusting device

concerning the working temperature
When heat inlet exceeds the heat outlet the
working temperature increases until heat balance
achieved
When heat outlet exceeds the heat inlet the
working temperature decreases until heat balance
achieved

When vaporization and condensation sections have the

same geometry and are exposed to identical heat transfer
parameters:
 Working fluid vapor velocity

Click here for listening the sound when the

entrainment limit is reached
Burn Out

Burn Out of a sodium heat pipe

Heat Pipe Heat Exchangers
Effectiveness
For two given fluid streams, there is
a maximum amount of heat that can
be transferred. For example, it is
impossible for the hot fluid to be
cooled to a temperature colder than
the inlet temperature of the cold fluid.
This is shown in the adjacent
diagram.

The effectiveness () of a heat

exchanger is the ratio of the actual
heat transferred to this maximum
possible amount, and is calculated
as follows:
Let us assume a real case of a heat pipe heat exchanger made of 626 heat pipes. Lv=1200 mm;
Lc=1000 mm; Lt=2200 mm; Carbon steel tube 28x2.5 mm.
 Heat pipe based
heat exchangers
for oil field applications
Concept 1 Independent Heat Pipe
Concept 2 Multi Tubular Heat Pipe
2.1 Vertical Concept
2.2 Horizontal Concept
Concept 3 New Concept for lagoon oil treatment

1. Independent Heat Pipe Preheater
The independent heat pipe preheater for crude oil in
tanks is made of a bundle of heat pipes placed in two
separate jackets. The bundle of heat pipes is
separated in two sections by special plates in which
the heat pipes are fitted using different methods. One
section is in the heating fluid which passes between a
jacket and the heat pipes releasing the required heat
rate. The other section is also placed in a jacket but
this one is opened at one end. The oil enters the space
between the bundle of heat pipes and leaves the
jacket at the desired temperature. The independent
heat pipe preheater is a radical new approach to
heating oil stored in tanks in that the heat pipes are
used to effect the heat transfer from heating fluid to
oil.
This culminates in several distinct advantages.
It is no need to preheat the entire tank. Only the
amount of oil that passes through the heat pipes is
preheated at the desired temperature, the rest of the
tank remaining at the ambient temperature.
The cross contamination is totally eliminated. The
heating fluid and the oil are completely separated and
impossible to mix each other in the case of heat pipes
corrosion.
Every heat pipe acts as an independent heat
exchanger and the unit is not dramatically affected
when one heat pipe or more are damaged as a result
of corrosion.
The length and the number of heat pipes can be varied
so that the design of the unit could have an infinite
variability to suit all the specific needs.
 Main features

Heat pipes: 12 pieces; carbon steel 51x3.5

mm; Vaporization length (in steam): 1,340
mm; Condensation length (in oil): 4,730 mm

Jacket for steam circulation: carbon steel

pipe 324x8 mm; length: 1,310 mm

Jacket for oil circulation: carbon steel pipe

324x8 mm; length: 3,500 mm

Heating fluid: saturated steam, 6 bar G

Oil outlet temperature: 55 75 C

Heat exchanger duty: 115 175 Kw

Independent heat pipe preheater

for a 350 m3 oil tank
 Main features

Heat pipes: 32 pieces; carbon steel 51x3.5

mm; Vaporization length (in hot water):
2,450 mm; Condensation length (in crude
oil): 5,700 mm

Jacket for hot water circulation: carbon steel

pipe 510x8 mm; length: 2,500 mm

Jacket for oil circulation: carbon steel pipe

510x8 mm; length: 5,000 mm

Heating fluid: hot water 95 115 C

Oil outlet temperature: 40 60 C

Heat exchanger duty: 370 450 Kw

Independent heat pipe preheater

for a 20m3 crude oil tank
Independent heat pipe preheater for a 20m3 crude oil tank
The bundle of heat pipes before installing into jackets
Independent heat pipe preheater for a 20m3 crude oil tank
Two units ready to be delivered

2. Multi Tubular Heat Pipe Preheater
Vertical Concept
The Multi Tubular Heat Pipe - Vertical Concept is
made mainly of two bundles of tubes. One bundle is
placed on the heat releasing fluid side (usually steam)
that passes between the jacket and the tubes
releasing the required heat rate. The other bundle is
placed also in a jacket on the heat absorbing fluid side
(usually oil) that passes between the jacket and the
tubes absorbing the required heat rate.
When the vaporization section of the Multi Tubular
Heat Pipe is heated the working fluid turns to vapor
absorbing the latent heat from the heat releasing fluid.
The hot vapor flows up through the central tube and
down through the bundle of tubes where it condenses
and gives out the latent heat. The condensate then
flows back through the external special tube to the
vaporization section. Since the latent heat of
evaporation is usually very large, considerable
quantities of heat can be transported with a very small
temperature difference from the heat releasing fluid to
the heat absorbing fluid.
The Multi Tubular Heat Pipe is a completely passive
device as well as the conventional heat pipe. It is not
restricted to a fixed operating temperature but adjusts
its working temperature according to the heat load
and the sink condition.
The Multi Tubular Heat Pipe - Vertical Concept is
designed mainly for process applications in crude oil
industry or for final heating of the heavy fuel oil at
burners in power stations.
 Main features

Heavy fuel oil properties. Mass

rate: 25,000 Kg/h. Inlet
temperature: 60 C. Outlet
temperature: 60 C. Pressure: 40
barG.

Heating fluid properties.

Superheated steam. Mass rate:
2,800 Kg/h. Pressure: 16 barG.
Temperature: 300 C.

Vaporization section specs.

Bundle of carbon steel tubes
38x3.5 mm. Number of tubes:
113. Length of tubes: 1,100 mm.
Jacket: 840x20 mm

Condensation section specs.

Bundle of carbon steel tubes
38x3.5 mm. Central tube:
218x7 mm. Number of tubes:
108. Length of tubes: 2,500 mm.
Multi Tubular Heat Pipe Preheater - Vertical Concept Jacket: 840x20 mm
Heavy Fuel Oil Preheater for a Power Station
Heat exchanger duty: 1,125 Kw
2. Multi Tubular Heat Pipe Preheater
Horizontal Concept
 Current Project

Cooperation with Goodtech Recovery Technology

- Cooling the exhaust off-gas from aluminum reduction cells (GOC concept)
- Cooling of electrolytic cells walls (GEC concept)
- Thermal oil heat integration in feed water train for coal-fired power
plant

Click here to watch a movie as an introduction

Goodtech Recovery Technology have developed a concept for cooling
of electrolytic cells of aluminum plants. The Heat Recovery System
(HRS) technology applies heat pipes for heat transfer from the cells to
the cooling fluid. Thermal oil is used as a coolant. The cooling system
consists of two interconnected cooling circuits. The first cooling circuit,
GOC, cools off-gas from the electrolytic cells. The GOC inlet and
outlet temperatures are 60 0C and 85 0C respectively.

The second cooling circuit, GEC, cools the side walls of the
electrolytic cells. This process is controlled to keep an optimal ledge
thickness in the cells. Part of the thermal oil from the GOC is used in
the GEC. The oil outlet temperature is 250-300 C.

The thermal oil cooling cycle is integrated with a coal-fired power

plant. The evaluation is for a full-scale application of a cooling system
for 300 electrolytic cells. Two case studies have been defined, and
consider (1) preheating of combustion air and (2) preheating of feed
water.
The evaluation gives a rough estimate on the heat recovery potential
and technical concepts.
Off-gas cooling heat pipe unit (GOC) prototype installed on experimental set up
GOC inlet/outlet oil temperature: 60 C / 85 C
GOC oil flow rate: 5,000 kg/h
Off-gas cooling heat pipe unit (GOC) prototype installed on site
Off-gas cooling heat pipe
unit (GOC)
Concept for cooling with
ambient air
View of one heat pipe based GEC for oil cooling the side walls of the electrolytic cells
GEC inlet/outlet oil temperature: 85 C / 300 C; GEC oil flow rate: 2,000 kg/h
Conventional coal-fired power plants are built as a regenerative cycles, meaning the condensate/feedwater
from the steam turbine condenser is preheated in a series of heat exchangers before entering the boiler.
The heat is provided by several steam turbine bleed ports. The figure above illustrates the basic principle of
the feed water heater (FWH). Although this process configuration gives an net increase to the overall plant
efficiency, steam extraction from the turbine results in a reduced steam turbine power output.

Alternative 1 evaluates the possibility to adding heat to the condensate from the thermal oil instead of steam
from the turbine. The target is increasing steam turbine power output by reducing the steam extraction from
the turbine. The condenser temperature is at 40 C. Therefore, the full temperature range of the thermal oil
cooling system can be utilized.
 Conventional Coal-fired Power Plant Scheme
Feed water heater train: The condensate/feed water from the condenser is preheated
in a series of heat exchangers before entering the boiler. Heat is added by extracting
steam from the steam turbine
 For the new power plant
with HRS Integration, the
steam cycle process is
approximately the same
as for the conventional
plant, described above.
The only difference being
that thermal oil is used
to heat the condensate
in the first feed water
heaters. In this way less
steam is extracted from
the steam turbine,
hence, increasing the
power output and plant
efficiency

300 cells

New Coal-fired Power Plant Scheme with HRS Integration

 Summary
By applying HRS integration, the fuel consumption of a 511 MW coal-fired power plant
can be reduced by approximately 6 %. This corresponds to an overall efficiency increase of
2,7 %.

157 MW of heat can be added from the HRS. This corresponds to 100% of the heat
contained in the thermal oil.

The new power plant requires fewer steam bleed ports, hence, reducing steam
turbine costs.

Due to the high inlet oil temperature in FWH2, FWH3 and FWH4 the overall heat
transfer surface area can be reduced.

The condenser cooling requirement increases by approximately 10 % due to a higher

steam flow at the steam turbine outlet.
QUESTIONS AND
CLARIFICATION