Experimental investigation on the thermal performance of a closed oscillating heat pipe in thermal management

Abstract

To investigate the thermal performance of the closed oscillating heat pipe (OHP) as a passive heat transfer device in thermal management system, the gravitation force, surface tension, cooling section position and inclination angle were discussed with applied heating power ranging from 5 to 65 W. The deionized water was chosen as the working fluid and liquid-filling ratio was 50 ± 5%. The operation of the OHP mainly depends on the phase change of the working fluid. The working fluid within the OHP was constantly evaporated and cooled. The results show that the movement of the working fluid was similar to the forced damped mechanical vibration, it has to overcome the capillary resistance force and the stable oscillation should be that the OHP could successful startup. The oscillation frequency slowed and oscillation amplitude decreased when the inclination angle of the OHP increased. However, the thermal resistance increased. With the increment of the heating power, the average temperature of the evaporation and condensation section would be close. If the heating power was further increased, dry-out phenomenon within the OHP would appeared. With the decrement of the L, the start-up heating power also decreased and stable oscillation would be formed.