Numerical simulation of flow and heat transfer characteristics of small compact heat pipe heat exchangers for communication cabinets

Abstract

In response to the current high demand for communication, additional communication base stations are being constructed, leading to more stringent heat dissipation requirements. In the past, the use of air conditioning or direct ventilation using fans to solve the heat dissipation was very effective. However, the former incurred higher input and operating costs. The latter was cost-effective but posed risks such as moisture and dust intrusion, short circuits, and thermal control issues inside the cabinet. This paper presents a scheme of small compact heat pipe heat exchanger (SCHPHE) for cabinet heat dissipation. The heat transfer and flow characteristics of annular fin and plate fin SCHPHEs under the same conditions are numerically simulated. The numerical simulation results are summarized and analyzed after making modifications to the design parameters. The advantages and disadvantages of the SCHPHE with annular fin and the SCHPHE with plate fin are analyzed under various parameters (fin height, fin thickness, and fin spacing) changes. Furthermore, the paper provides a prediction equation for the heat transfer capacity of the SCHPHE with variations in its specifications.