phx,
More like a single pipe steam heating system, but don't tell the patent examiners.
Caution- only competent adults beyond this point!
If you want to make one, get a 3 or 4 foot length of 3/8 inch diameter copper refrigeration tubing- solder one end closed and install a refrigerant Schrader valve on the other. Have your local refrigeration shop pressure check it, then pull a vacuum, and inject about one half to three quarters fluid ounce of whatever automotive Freon they have available (R-12 if they have any). Incline the charged tube up and down to be certain that the tube is not filled and the liquid has plenty of volume to slosh around in. The liquid phase should only occupy the bottom foot or so of the internal volume, with saturated vapor above. You now have a Heat Pipe, or isothermal tube.
Submerge about 6-inches of the far end in boiling water and hold upright by the opposite end. In a matter of seconds the tube will be too hot to hold, while a solid rod of copper or even silver of the same dimensions would not even be warm. Naturally, one would not experiment with hot, high pressure devices and boiling water without taking endless precautions, wearing protective gear, not pointing an end at your head (in case the soldering or brazing was not professional grade), etc.
I had one of these tubes around for years, and people were amazed at the performance.
Dynasoar
More like a single pipe steam heating system, but don't tell the patent examiners.
Caution- only competent adults beyond this point!
If you want to make one, get a 3 or 4 foot length of 3/8 inch diameter copper refrigeration tubing- solder one end closed and install a refrigerant Schrader valve on the other. Have your local refrigeration shop pressure check it, then pull a vacuum, and inject about one half to three quarters fluid ounce of whatever automotive Freon they have available (R-12 if they have any). Incline the charged tube up and down to be certain that the tube is not filled and the liquid has plenty of volume to slosh around in. The liquid phase should only occupy the bottom foot or so of the internal volume, with saturated vapor above. You now have a Heat Pipe, or isothermal tube.
Submerge about 6-inches of the far end in boiling water and hold upright by the opposite end. In a matter of seconds the tube will be too hot to hold, while a solid rod of copper or even silver of the same dimensions would not even be warm. Naturally, one would not experiment with hot, high pressure devices and boiling water without taking endless precautions, wearing protective gear, not pointing an end at your head (in case the soldering or brazing was not professional grade), etc.
I had one of these tubes around for years, and people were amazed at the performance.
Dynasoar