Effect of Nanoparticle Layer Coating on Heat Transfer Performance of Heat Pipe

Abstract

In order to enhance the heat transfer performance, the screen mesh wick and the inside wall of the container of a heat pipe were pre-coated with a silica nanoparticle layer. When the screen mesh was coated, the thermal resistance decreased by 47% on average. This would be attributed to enhanced wicking performance of screen mesh by the nanoparticle layer. When the container inside wall was coated, reduction of the thermal resistance was less significant but the heat pipe worked well even when the wire mesh was eliminated. This demonstrates that the nanoparticle layer on the wall acted as a very thin wick. It is expected that nanoparticle coating on the screen mesh contributes to the improvement of heat transfer performance of the heat pipe and that on the container inner wall contributes to the downsizing.