Non-Uniform Three-Dimensional Pulsating Heat Pipe for Anti-Gravity High-Flux Applications

This study proposes a novel high-flux pulsating heat pipe that can lift the major constraint of the conventional pulsating heat pipe (PHP) which is unable to function properly upon anti-gravity operations. The proposed PHP introduces additional unbalance force via uneven tube diameter/geometry in th...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Chih-Yung Tseng, Kai-Shing Yang, Chi-Chuan Wang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2020-06-01
Series:Energies
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/13/12/3068
Description
Summary:This study proposes a novel high-flux pulsating heat pipe that can lift the major constraint of the conventional pulsating heat pipe (PHP) which is unable to function properly upon anti-gravity operations. The proposed PHP introduces additional unbalance force via uneven tube diameter/geometry in the adiabatic sections to tailor the problem in anti-gravity operation. The design contains a three-dimensional configuration circuitry with compact arrangement tubes on the evaporator and condenser. Through this design, the non-uniform three-dimensional pulsating heat pipe (3D-PHP) manipulates the uneven inner diameters of the adiabatic sections to form uneven vapor/liquid distributions in the adiabatic sections to yield a unitary flow pattern that is able to withstand a much higher input power. The present PHP uses methanol as working fluid, with 38% volumetric filling ratio, and has a high-flux of 22.9 W/cm<sup>2</sup> and a low the thermal resistance ratio (<i>R</i><sub>anti-gravity</sub>/<i>R</i><sub>gravity-assisted</sub>) of 1.05 when the input power is 800 W. Both the heat flux and thermal resistance ratio for the proposed design are far better than the existing literature.
ISSN:1996-1073