Performance improvement of wire-bonded mesh screen flat heat pipe using water-based nanofluid

Abstract

An experimental study was conducted to investigate the thermal performances of a new type of wire-bonded mesh screen flat heat pipe using water and nanofluid as working fluid to find better structure and the working fluid based on the present flat heat pipes. The influences of the kind of working fluid, mass concentration of nanofluid and operating pressure on the thermal performance of the heat pipe were investigated under the three steady operating pressures. It is found from the results that the thermal performance of wire-bonded mesh screen heat pipe are superior to that of wire-bonded flat heat pipe either using water or using nanofluid as working fluid; the thermal resistance of the former reduces distinctly and the maximum power increases obviously. Moreover, using nanofluid can significantly enhance the thermal performance of this heat pipe; enhanced ratios of the both heat transfer coefficient and maximum heat flux gradually increase with increasing the nanoparticle mass concentration in the nanofluid at the same operating pressure, peaking at the 1.0 wt%. Then, they will gradually reduce with further increase of mass concentration of nanofluid.