Link to website: http://www.thercon.ru
Year of inclusion in the portfolio: 2013
Investment Status: Early stage
Economic Sector: Electronics
Direction of modernization: Strategic computer technologies and software
City: Yekaterinburg
More details on
thercon.ru, теркон.рф, www.loopheatpipes.com
The company's products
Advantages of Thercon-LHP loop heat pipes over conventional cooling systems:
- miniaturization, reduced weight;
- lower operating noise of the fans;
- improved system reliability;
- reduced energy consumption;
- possibility of cooling the devices delivering more than 200 watts of heat per 1 sq. cm (which may not be achieved through most conventional systems due to their physical limits).
Primarily, the LHP’s arouse interest as equipment that may be used in temperature-control systems: lasers, data centres, radio technology, aircraft electronics, power supply units, central processor units, graphics cards and solar panels.
Cooling systems using LHP: do not require routine maintenance; have low material-output ratio and thermal resistance (from 0.02 to 0.2 °C / W) and great opportunities for various structural embodiments which tackes the issue of confined space; have a wide operating temperature range (from -50 ° C to + 200 ° C).
Technologies
Compared to alternative solutions (standard heat pipes and water systems), heat removal system furnished with LHP don't require extra energy for the heat transfer, moreover, they are capable to provide thermal conditions for the heat sources of high heat load (100 W / cm 2 and more ), can operate effectively in any position in space, adaptable for placement in confined areas, have high reliability and work life (over 15 years).
The loop heat pipe is a highly effective two-phase heat transfer device operating in a closed vapor-condensing cycle using capillary pressure for the pumping of thermal fluids. Since 1994, the LHP’s have been used in thermal control systems of Russian spacecraft and since 2001, in the same systems aboard foreign spaceships.
The LHP consists of the following principal elements: an evaporator equipped with a special capillary structure (a wick) and a capacitor, which are connected between each other through smooth-walled pipes of a relatively small diameter. The device has also a tank (a compensation space) which is generally placed in the same housing with the evaporator. The evaporator may be of a cylindrical, disk-like, rectangular or flat-oval shape. The cylindrical evaporator diameter may vary from 5 to 50 mm, depending on its purpose of use. The capacitor may be of various shapes and sizes, depending on the cooling conditions. The diameter of pipes connecting the evaporator and capacitor depends on the length and capacity of LHP and usually varies within 2-10 mm. Stainless steel, copper, aluminium alloys, nickel and titanium are the most frequently used construction materials. The most efficient heat-transfer fluids for LHP are water and ammonia. Other fluids, chemically compatible with the construction materials may be used as well. The LHP length may range from several centimetres to several tens of meters, and the amount of the transmitted heat flow may vary from a few watts up to several kilowatts.
| Parameters compared | Heat Pipes (HP) | Loop Heat Pipes (LHP) |
|---|---|---|
| Max. heat load | 350 W (in the most favourable installation position of the cooler – heating from the bottom) |
600 W (for any installation position) |
| Heat load density in the heating area |
22.2 W/cm2 (per four HPs) or 5.55 W/cm2 (for each HP) |
58.6 W/cm2 |
| Longitudinal (axial) heat flow density |
175.4 W/cm2 (per one HP) |
1071 W/cm2 |
| Design features |
4 copper-water HPs, diameter: 8 mm |
1 cooper-water LHP, diameter: 6 mm |
| Spreader / thermal interface contact area dimensions |
45 mm х 35 mm = 15.75 cm2 |
32х32 mm = 10.2 cm2 |
| Cooler weight |
835 g |
380 g |