One or more heat pipes are connected between a component on a circuit card and the frame of a circuit card assembly for transfer of heat to the frame of the circuit card assembly. Circuit cards are typically held in place in channels in a chassis by an expansion type retention device. The circuit cards also include a heat frame for collecting the heat produced by the card components and channeling the heat from the card through the heat frame to the chassis. The retention device presses the heat frame in to thermal contact with one side of the channel. Heat collector can be attached to the heat generating components of a circuit card between the heat pipe and the component to provide improved thermal transfer. A number of heat collectors with pairs of heat pipes extending in opposite directions from the collector to the frame can be used to allow the heat pipes to effectively dissipate heat form the circuit card assembly regardless of the orientation of the circuit card assembly.