Home made heat pipe to thaw a fresh water pipe 2

[BjornM]

Hello everyone. I have a fresh water pipe that comes out of the ground and runs a short section on the outside of my house. That section sometimes freezes in the winter, even though I have insulated it with mineral wool.

Perhaps if I mount a heat pipe along the length of the fresh water pipe I can prevent it from freezing. It would take heat from the inside of my house and transfer it to the outside section. Off the shelf heat pipes are easy to find, they are used to cool computer CPUs, and the working medium is distilled water. But they are designed for a different temperature range. I want the working fluid to evaporate/condensate at around 10 C. So I'm thinking of modifying an off the shelf heat pipe to use methanol instead of distilled water. But I'm not sure how to practically pull it off. I need the correct amount of fluid, plus have the correct level of vacuum inside.

Anyone tried something similar and can offer some suggestions?

There are of course other ways to solve this, for example using electrical heating wires.

 

[EdStainless]

Use electric tape that is self-limiting. These work well.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
P.E. Metallurgy, consulting work welcomed

 

[TugboatEng]

If you're paying to heat the air in the house you're not going to save anything using that energy to thaw the pipe. Just do it directly.

 

[BjornM]

EdStainless and TugboatEng: Thanks for the replies. My home is heated with fire wood, which I have plenty of. Electricity I don't have much of in the winter because I'm off grid.

 

[LittleInch]

Reroute the pipe underground.

For short lengths the electrify required for trace heating is very low with good insulation.

Don't mess with methanol. Horrible toxic dangerous stuff. You'll burn your house down.

Remember - More details = better answers
Also: If you get a response it's polite to respond to it.

 

[pierreick]

Hi,
Take a look at these websites and product:

https://thermon.com/products/heat-t...racing-cables/self-regulating-heating-cables/

https://www.chromalox.com/en/catalog/heat-trace

Drop them an email.

Pierre

 

[MintJulep]

Your physical gradient is wrong for a heat pipe.

Whatever fluid you use (not methanol please) will all pool at the cold, low end.

Heat pipes must be hot down, cold up.

Maybe just a total loss stream trace from your fire would do the job.

 

[LittleInch]

A recirculating hot water tubing (1/4") heated from your fire or whatever hot water system you have spiralled around the pipe plus 100mm insulation will work.

Remember - More details = better answers
Also: If you get a response it's polite to respond to it.

 

[pierreick]

Hi,
Ok if you are looking for plumbing. Little to do with an engineering forum.
My view
Pierre