The 3D-printed Heat Pipe Array functions as a heat transformer, it takes a very intense heat flux over a small area and transforms it to a more manageable heat flux over a large internal area that is in contact with cooling channels to transfer the heat away. This transformation is achieved using an array of heat pipes. These are sealed containers filled with a working fluid that is part in the liquid and part in the vapour phase. An internal wick structure draws in the liquid phase and keeps the walls wet, and as long as the walls are wet the heat pipes are effectively thermal superconductors.
Additive manufacturing is what enables us to actually produce this device, and optimization allows us to achieve cooling performance beyond anything available on the market. At the same time, the device consists only of a single component with an in and outlet for the coolant, requiring no additional effort for installation and operation compared to conventional cooling systems.