Ferrofluid piston pump for use with heat pipes or the like

摘要

A long life, very low friction pump for use in a heat pipe pump or the like is disclosed. A first pump uses magnetically confined ferrofluid rings as both sealer and lubricant for a sliding pump piston in a two sided piston pump that minimizes the seal pressures on both sides of the ferrofluid seals. A second pump uses a magnetically confined ferrofluid slug as a self-sealing and self-repairing pump piston.