Thermal performance of thin loop-type vapor chamber

Abstract

This experimental study examines the thermal performances of a newly devised thin loop-type vapor chamber (VC) of 0.5mm interior height at the controlled evaporator heat fluxes (q̇) and condenser thermal resistances (Rth,con) with vertical and horizontal orientations. The capillary layer over the entire heated VC endwall is constructed by the 0.05mm deep parallel/staggered square grooves with a copper woven wire mesh sintered above the staggered grooves on the evaporator endwall. The vapor–liquid flow images and their responsive overall thermal resistances (Rth) and effective spreading thermal conductivities (keff) are simultaneously detected with the objective to study the effects of q̇, Rth,con and VC orientation on the vapor–liquid two-phase flow phenomena and the associated heat transfer performances. At various test conditions, the responsive Rth and keff results to the interfacial flow structures, the comparative Rth and keff properties as well as the relative thermal performance improvements from the copper plate for the test VC are examined.