5. Design and sizing

In steady-state operation, the principle of calculating a heat pipe within a thermal device consists in determining its temperature and the heat flow it is to convey, then ensuring that this point (temperature, flow) is well within the operating range shown in figure 11 .

To do this, the characteristics of the heat pipe or thermosyphon (heat flow, axial and parietal flow densities, length, capillary network, etc.) must be determined:

• calculate the flux limits that the heat pipe or thermosiphon can transport as a function of temperature and, in particular for a heat pipe, calculate the capillary limit which depends on the capillary network chosen;...