Metal-foil reed valve in conventional slab-wick heat pipe limits heat flow to one direction only. With sink warmer than source, reed is forced closed and fluid returns to source side through annular transfer wick. When this occurs, wick slab on sink side of valve dries out and heat pipe ceases to conduct heat.
Heat Pipe Blocks Return Flow
NASA Tech Briefs ; 6 , 1
1982-09-01
Miscellaneous
No indication
English
Orifice Blocks Heat Pipe in Reverse Mode
NTRS | 1982
|A heat pipe with the separated liquid return passage
AIAA | 1980
|