Experimental and Numerical Analysis of Thermal Performance in Heat Pipes

Abstract

Heat pipes come handy now-a-days as they operate with highest heat conductance compared to any other mode of heat transfer and available over wide range of parameters. In the present study de-ionized water flow in the plain thermo-syphon, Sintered Copper wick and Helical grooved heat pipes with simultaneous evaporation, adiabatic and condensation phenomenon are studied using Heat pipe test equipment. In this equipment a heat pipe subjected to a predetermine heat load by a resistance heater at its evaporator end and water jacket with controlled flow of water is employed to dissipate the heat energy at the condenser end. All the temperatures are measured and the required calculations are carried out to get percentage efficiencies at varying flow rates and heat inputs. The performance of heat pipes and comparison between their efficiencies is done. The sintered copper wick structure pipe have been found efficient when compared to other two with heat inputs starting from 50 to 200 watts because of predominating Capillarity property. Even the helical grooved heat pipe can also be used efficiently at the lower flow rates for power input ranging from 100 to 200W. Whereas, the plain thermo-syphon has lower efficiency and also the relative difference between the evaporator and condenser temperature is also very high which makes it in-effective. The variations of evaporator and condenser surface temperatures are plotted for changing heat inputs and flow rate changes at condenser water jacket. ANSYS 15.0 software is used for computational analysis and the experimental results are in good agreement with the analysis.