Help making a heat pipe (for class)

[Froggymaster4]

Idk if this is the right forum, but anyone knowledgeable about heat pipes would be appreciated:
I have a chem project about making heat pipes, and we've made many, but none seem to work properly. We are using them vertically (no wick) and had made them with copper pipes. We tried water as the working fluid, and are now testing ethanol. We have tried using different methods for creating the vacuum, but none seem to work. We tried keeping our thumb over the pipe but it got too hot. We tried waiting to see vapor come out of the pipe, but that didn't work either. Someone please help!

 

[ARICH5]

its a long standing tradition with the experts at tomshardware do we in no way help students with any type of homework or class projects. the school is there for you to learn. ask a teacher or other classmates in your school.
sorry.

 

[Froggymaster4]

Oh okay, thanks!