SPC has commenced the world-wide launch of a water-filled Heat Pipe that is more environmentally friendly than refrigerant-filled Heat Pipes and significantly more efficient at saving energy and reducing humidity. The water-filled technology was developed during a two-year research programme involving SPC and Brunel University, and a world-wide patent is now pending. SPC foresees these Heat Pipes making inroads in the Middle East and other parts of the world where high temperatures and humidity make extreme demands on air conditioning systems. 

Water is more efficient at transferring heat compared to refrigerant fluids commonly used in Heat Pipes, and does not have the global warming potential of such fluids; it is environmentally neutral. 

 Heat Pipes are the so¬lution of choice for many industries for dehumidifica¬tion and heat recovery. They transfer heat between air streams, or between points in the same air stream, ef¬ficiently. Internal tempera-ture differences within Heat Pipes are practically zero and they are thermal super-con¬ductors. The heat transfer is achieved via a working fluid that boils and condenses at opposite ends, transferring heat from end to end as it does so. When comparing water to refrigerant, the obvious benefit is that water is non-polluting; it is also more efficient at transferring heat because of higher thermal conductivity and latent heat, both of which minimise temperature drops within the Heat Pipe. NASA originally developed Heat Pipes to cool the space shuttle; other applications now include the aerospace, electronics and air-conditioning industries. SPC has been supplying Heat Pipe systems to the HVAC industry for more than 30 years. It is a major supplier to local government and the health, education and commercial sectors. For more information, visit www.spcoils.ae or www.spcoils.co.uk