Flexible Heat Pipes include bellows between the evaporator and condenser to allow dynamic movement between regions of heat intake and output sections of the heat pipe. The flexibility of the heat pipe increases range of motion between the ends of the heat pipe, durability of your assembly, and mean time between failures (MTBF).
By combining Flexible Heat Pipes with other thermal management technologies engineers create innovative cooling systems for challenging applications. A common configuration would include an evaporator plate attached to a heat source on one end of a Flexible Heat Pipe, with a heat sink to dissipate waste heat on the condenser end for a complete Flexible Heat Pipe Assembly.
Flexible Heat Pipes by Boyd Corporation enable engineers to place heat-generating components in optimal locations to maximize serviceability and reliability while still overcoming harsh thermal and environmental conditions. Designers have the freedom to specify components like moving actuators and remote terminals in locations that optimize the overall system without sacrificing thermals. The added flexibility also helps streamline installation and maintenance in tight spaces. This makes Flexible Heat Pipe Assemblies an effective solution in military, aerospace, and avionics designs where space is at a premium.
Flexible Heat Pipes are made from a wide range of metal materials and use a variety of working fluids depending on the application. Boyd's Flexible Heat Pipes can be installed in either gravity-aiding or against-gravity orientations because our proprietary flexible wick structures return working fluid to the evaporator section of the heat pipe. These specialized wick structures also increase the overall lifespan and reliability of Flexible Heat Pipe Assemblies without sacrificing performance. Boyd Flexible Heat Pipes have been successfully thermal cycled from -55° C to +65° C and flex fatigue tested to more than 5 million cycles with no sign of failure. Some of Boyd’s customized Flexible Heat Pipe Assemblies can also accommodate shock, vibration, and acoustic requirements, freeze/thaw cycled between -60° C and 135° C, and withstand test procedures for extreme aircraft equipment such as F-18 aircraft.
