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Originally Posted by AngryAlpaca
The purpose of a vacuum is to reduce the boiling temperature. If you are using alcohol, and 40C (minimum temperature of whatever you're cooling) is fine, then go ahead. The purpose of a wick is to return the recondensed liquid to the base, but if your heatpipes cold end is higher (the higher it is, the better it is) than the hot end, then you will not need a wick.
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thats right. as i understand it, a heatpipe takes a liquid that boils at a low temp, lets it boil, then when it hits the top of the pipe in gas form, it cools, becomes liquid, and falls again. the phase change both ways first absorbs the heat and then releases it. its best to have a vaccum because as was demonstrated to me, in a low enough pressure, alcohol can boil from the heat of your hand. the demonstation was with a glass container that had alcohol in a very low pressure atmosphere. if you put it in your hand, it boiled crazily. you want to apply this principle as well as condensation to heat removal. ive seen heatpipes that stick out from the top of the case and basically become a radiator at the top, to make cooling quick. if i had the facilites, time, and equipment, id definitly try one out. good luck, and PICS!
