Copper Heat Pipe Vacuum Degassing Machine
Product Description
A copper heat pipe vacuum degassing machine is automated production equipment that removes non-condensable gas (NCG) from heat pipes, injects a precisely metered working fluid, and seals the pipe — all within a single 60–120 second cycle. thermalmachinery’s vacuum degassing & fluid injection station is engineered for heat pipe and vapor chamber manufacturers who require consistent thermal performance, zero hermeticity failures, and stable throughput of 100–300 pcs per hour on round (Ø4–Ø10 mm) and flat copper pipes.
Why Choose Our Vacuum Degassing Machine
1.Complete Degassing in One Automated Cycle
The machine removes non-condensable gas (NCG) through three integrated mechanisms: vacuum evacuation to 10⁻³ torr, controlled heating (50–80°C for water pipes, 40–60°C for acetone/methanol), and working fluid injection that creates vapor pressure to expel remaining NCG. The entire cycle — evacuation, heating, fluid injection, and sealing — completes in 60–120 seconds per heat pipe. No manual intervention required.
2.Precision Fluid Injection Across All Working Fluid Types
Injection accuracy reaches ±0.05mL, maintaining consistent fill ratio that directly controls heat pipe thermal performance. The machine supports water, acetone, methanol, and other refrigerant-class fluids with automatic density compensation. Switching between fluid types requires only software selection — no hardware reconfiguration. Fill volume is programmable on the screen interface for different pipe sizes and designs.
3.Multiple Sealing Methods for Different Reliability Requirements
After degassing and fluid injection, the vent end is sealed using one of three methods: mechanical crimping (fast, cost-effective), TIG/spot welding (aerospace-grade reliability), or pinch-off and braze sealing (maximum hermeticity). Operator selects the sealing method based on customer specification and application criticality. All sealing happens automatically within the same station.
4.100% First-Pass Success Rate with Real-Time Quality Detection
Vacuum sensors continuously monitor evacuation progress. If target vacuum cannot be reached (indicating a pipe leak or obstruction), the machine triggers an alarm and rejects the pipe before wasting fluid or sealing a defective unit. Temperature sensors maintain heating setpoint ±2°C, ensuring consistent gas release without overheating. Pressure and flow monitoring verify injection accuracy in real time.
5.Lower Total Cost of Ownership for Production-Scale Manufacturers
By integrating evacuation, heating, fluid injection and sealing into a single station, our vacuum degassing machine reduces line footprint by roughly 40% compared with separate-station configurations, cuts operator headcount per shift, and eliminates the inter-station transfer that is the most common cause of NCG contamination. For manufacturers running 200,000+ heat pipes per month, the typical payback period is 12–18 months on equipment investment.
Technical Specifications
| Specification | Details |
| Voltage | 380V / 220V / 415V (configurable) |
| Motor Power | 3 – 5 kW |
| Pipe Diameter | Ø4 – Ø10 mm (round tubes) |
| Pipe Length | 70 – 500 mm (servo adjustable) |
| Wall Thickness | 0.1 – 0.5 mm |
| Vacuum Level | 10⁻³ torr (0.13 Pa) before injection |
| Heating Temperature | 50–80 °C (water), 40–60 °C (acetone / methanol), ±2 °C control |
| Working Fluid Types | Water, acetone, methanol, R-series refrigerants (auto-compensated) |
| Injection Accuracy | ±0.05 mL (typical pipe charge 0.3–1.5 mL) |
| Sealing Methods | Crimping / TIG-spot welding / Pinch-off & braze (user-selectable) |
| Cycle Time | 60 – 120 sec per pipe (evacuation + heating + injection + sealing) |
| Production Capacity | 100 – 200 pcs/hr standard, up to 300 pcs/hr (optimized) |
| Stations | 4 (degassing tank, vacuum pipeline, control system, clamping fixture) |
| Vacuum System Components | Rotary vane pump, humidity trap, vacuum gauges, control valves (pumps and gauges typically supplied separately) |
| Operation Mode | Semi-automatic / Fully automatic (configurable) |
| Quality Detection | Real-time vacuum sensors, temperature monitors, pressure / flow verification (optional post-process leak test) |
| Machine Dimensions | 1,400 × 800 × 1,700 mm |
| Weight | 480 kg |
Where the Vacuum Degassing Machine Fits in Your Heat Pipe Production Line
The vacuum degassing machine is the critical junction between internal capillary structure preparation and final sealing. It comes after tube shrinking and powder filling, and before welding or post-processing steps. In a typical heat pipe production line, the process flow looks like this:
Tube Cutting → Powder Filling / Mesh Insertion → Tube Shrinking → Vacuum Degassing & Fluid Injection → Sealing & Welding → Flattening / Bending → Thermal Performance Testing
The degassing machine sits at Step 4, directly after tube shrinking. Its performance determines whether downstream sealing and welding steps succeed. If NCG remains inside the sealed pipe, the heat pipe is thermally dead. If fluid charge is inaccurate, thermal performance falls short of specification. We supply equipment for every step in this production line — the degassing machine can be ordered standalone or integrated with our tube shrinking, powder filling, welding, and testing equipment as a complete production system.
How the Vacuum Degassing Machine Works
Vacuum
Heating
Fluid Injection
Sealing
After fluid injection, the vent end of the pipe is sealed using the selected method: crimping, welding, or brazing. The seal is completed in the same station without removing the pipe from the work chamber. Sealing happens automatically — no manual handling required. Post-sealing, the pipe undergoes final inspection and moves to downstream testing.
FAQ
What does 'non-condensable gas' (NCG) mean and why is it a problem?
NCG is air, nitrogen, or other gases trapped inside the heat pipe that do not condense at the operating temperature. NCG blocks vapor flow and acts as an insulator — a heat pipe with significant NCG shows 50-70% thermal performance loss compared to a clean pipe. Removing NCG before sealing is the only way to prevent this. Post-sealing, NCG cannot be removed and the pipe is scrap.
How does the machine remove NCG from copper heat pipes?
The machine uses three mechanisms: (1) Vacuum evacuation to 10⁻³ torr pulls gas out of the pipe, (2) Controlled heating of the pipe weakens the gas molecules, encouraging them to escape, (3) Working fluid injection creates vapor pressure that pushes remaining NCG out the vent. The combination achieves >99.9% NCG removal.
What vacuum level does the machine achieve?
Standard vacuum level is 10⁻³ torr (approximately 0.13 Pa). This is the industry standard for heat pipe production. Higher vacuum (10⁻⁴ or 10⁻⁵ torr) is available for specialty aerospace/cryogenic applications but is rarely needed for standard heat pipes.
What size copper heat pipes does this machine handle?
Standard configuration supports pipes from Ø4mm to Ø10mm diameter and 100-500mm length. Custom fixtures accommodate larger diameters (Ø15-20mm) or non-standard geometries. Flat vapor chambers can also be processed with appropriate clamping fixtures.
Can the machine inject different working fluids (water, acetone, methanol)?
Yes. The machine has adjustable fluid injection volume calibrated for different fluid types. Water (density 1.0 g/mL), acetone (0.79 g/mL), and methanol (0.79 g/mL) each require slightly different metering. Operator selects fluid type in software; injection volume adjusts automatically. Switching fluids requires no hardware change.
Can the vacuum degassing machine be integrated with other equipment in our production line?
Yes. The machine is designed with standard PLC interfaces (Profinet / Modbus TCP optional) and can be integrated upstream with tube shrinking, powder filling and capillary structure insertion equipment, and downstream with welding, leak testing and bending stations. thermalmachinery supplies turnkey production lines as well as single-station equipment — let our engineers review your existing line and recommend the integration approach.
