Experimental study of partially flattened axial grooved heat pipes

Abstract

This article made experimental study on mini-axial grooved heat pipes (AGHP) with 11 flattening forms. It analyzed how the flattening form, flattening thickness and working temperature affect axial temperature distribution, thermal resistance, heat transfer limit and the phase-change heat transfer coefficients in evaporator and condenser sections. The result indicates that all forms of AGHPs can maintain good isothermal performance under normal operating condition. The geometric shape of AGHP has obvious impact on heat transfer limit. With respect to an AGHP with 2 mm-thick evaporator section, when the thickness of its condenser section increases from 2 to 3 mm, its heat transfer limit increases by 81%; with respect to an AGHP with 3 mm-thick evaporator section, when the thickness of its condenser section increases from 2 to 3 mm, its heat transfer limit increases by 134%; with respect to an AGHP with 4 mm-thick condenser section, when the thickness of its evaporator section increases from 2 to 3 mm, its heat transfer limit increases by 26%. When the thickness of the evaporator section increases by 1 mm, the heat transfer limit will increase by 9%–26%, while when the thickness of the condenser section increases by 1 mm, the heat transfer limit will increase by 20%–86%. The thickness of the condenser section has greater impact on heat transfer performance of an AGHP than the thickness of the evaporator section does. The study content of this article will help understand the heat transfer performance of AGHP, and electronic thermal design process.