About Heat Pipe Technology

Today, Heat Pipe Technology is the innovation leader in energy recovery and dehumidification systems for commercial applications around the globe. HPT designs and supplies the core systems to the world’s leading commercial air handling equipment manufacturers.

Heat Pipe Technology was founded in 1983 with a grant from the Department of Energy for a project to begin research on new uses for heat pipe technology. By applying the principle of heat pipes to air conditioning systems, efficiency was greatly enhanced in both dehumidification performance and energy utilization, with moisture removal increased by 30 to 50%.

This task was performed by HPT under a contract with NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. The outcome was a new generation of heat pipe technology, costing one third the price of the existing aerospace heat pipes, while still offering the same level of performance.

Heat Pipe Technology Product Line

Products for Building Owners

As an owner or manager of any type of building, you need to maintain a comfortable, safe, and efficient indoor environment.

Heat pipes in the air conditioning system provide the most economical means available to maintain superior indoor air quality. Not only they dehumidify the conditioned air for health and comfort, but they also provide tremendous energy savings over active dehumidification methods, and a payback on the entire cost of installation in less than 3 years.

Because heat pipes are passive, with no moving parts, they are virtually maintenance-free.

Using Heat Pipes to Improve Dehumidification

Heat pipes may have two sections: Precool and Reheat.

The first section is located in the incoming air stream. When warm air passes over the heat pipes, the refrigerant vaporizes, carrying heat to the second section of heat pipes placed downstream. Because some heat has been removed from the air before encountering the evaporator coil, the incoming air stream section is called the precool heat pipe.

Air passing through the evaporator coil is assisted to a lower temperature, resulting in greater condensate removal. The “overcooled” air is then reheated to a desirable temperature by the reheat heat pipe section, using the heat transferred from the precool heat pipe. This entire process of precooling and reheating is accomplished with no additional energy use.

The result is an air conditioning system with the ability to remove 50 to 100% more moisture than regular systems.

Benefits of Dehumidifier Heat Pipes:

  • Less operational costs/ quick payback on investment
  • Dehumidification and superior indoor air quality
  • Comfort greatly enhanced
  • Helps prevent costly damage to interiors by moisture/saves remodeling costs
  • Helps prevent odors caused by moisture (mold growth)
  • Optional controllable heat pipes for variable reheat requirements

Using Heat Pipes to Recover Energy from Exhaust Air to Supply Air

State of the art heat exchangers based on the Heat Loop designed by HPT now allow for either equal calls for cool and heat recovery or optimizing thermal recovery in the season that matters most.

Compact design, low pressure drop, high optimized season effectiveness and trouble-free operation with no moving parts, makes this product ideal for design engineers and owners alike.

Moreover, to reduce the likelihood of any cross-contamination, a foam-filled separation of up to 8″.

Benefits of Heat Recovery Heat Pipes:

  • Energy savings
  • No cross-contamination of air streams
  • No “tilt” mechanism to break down or maintain
  • Ventilation in all seasons
  • Efficient and effective

Products for Engineers

Heat pipes have been used successfully over the past 35 years for passive dehumidification ranging from fan coils to large commercial applications. HPT manufactures dehumidifier wrap- around heat pipes, dehumidifier controllable heat pipes, and heat recovery systems that offer you several advantages:

  • Free precool and reheat
  • Allows entire system to work more efficiently
  • Increases latent capacity without additional energy consumption
  • Dehumidifies air entering the ductwork
  • No moving parts to break down or wear out
  • Often allows downsizing of entire HVAC systems
  • Helps prevent IAQ problems associated with high humidity
  • Helps meet ASHRAE Standard 90.1

To learn more about Heat Pipe Technology and its products, contact us.