Parametric Investigation of Closed Loop Pulsating Heat Pipe with Cerium Oxide Nanofluid

Abstract

In this study, a closed-loop pulsating heat pipe experimental investigation was done with 1% wt concentration of cerium oxide/EG-water (60-40) nanofluid. The unsteady state measurement was done to determine the effect of heat input, filling ratio and evacuation pressure on the thermal performance of the closed-loop pulsating heat pipe. The thermal performance is assessed in terms of temperature variation, thermal resistance and effective thermal conductivity of the pulsating heat pipe. The most appropriate behaviour is observed at 0.0799 bar evacuation pressure with 50% FR. The lowermost thermal resistance of 0.116598K/W was observed at 0.0799 bar evacuation pressure and 50% FR. The effective thermal conductivity value was observed as 5078.34 W/mK at 50% FR, 0.0799 bar for 80W heat input which is 12 to 13 times better than pure copper. The pulsation action inside the pulsating heat pipe is verified with the power spectral density analysis. This study supports the better performance of the heat pipe at 50% FR with a lower evacuation pressure of 0.0799 bar.