Effect of wick structure geometry on the performance of a heat pipe

Abstract EN

A mathematical model was set up to find the heat transfer coefficient in a heat pipe with a grooved wick structure having axial capillaries of different cross sections through producing a considerable capillary pressure forced and hydraulic drag.

From this viewpoint a model is developed and solved analytically to estimate the heat pipe performance.

A different geometry groove shapes in the inside surface of a heat pipe are designed.

From the proposed model, numerical optimization is performed to enhance the thermal performance of the heat pipe for measuring the maximum heat transport rate.

The exact pressure drop and the temperature drop calculations were performed using finite element modeling by Ansys program.

Also, in the present study comparison between various geometry groove shapes with same depth (circular, trapezoidal and rectangular) at constant wall heat flux condition is made including the effect of the groove shapes on the heat transfer characteristics in a turbulent tube flow ( Reynolds number range 5000–15000).

The analytical result for the maximum heat transport rate was obtained when the geometry is circular while the rectangular grooved pipe is decreased by (20) % in comparison with the circular grooved pipes.