Effects of Centrifugal Force on Performance of Heat Pipe

Abstract

The effects of rotation (centrifugal force) and inclination on the performance of a 6.0-mm-diameter heat pipe are experimentally examined. Both static and dynamic tests are performed. The capillary structure is sintered copper powder, and the fluid is deionized water. The static test ranges from 1.0 to [Formula: see text], and the thermal resistance and maximum heat transfer rate are affected by the inclination angle. The dynamic test spans from 1.75 to [Formula: see text]. The maximum value of gravity is provided by the centrifugal force generated by a rotating platform. The test results indicate no appreciable difference amid static and dynamic tests when the centrifugal force is below [Formula: see text]. The departure starts to increase for a further increase of centrifugal force. For static operation, the existing correlation can reasonably predict the maximum heat transfer rate of the heat pipe under various inclination angles. Still, they cannot provide a good prediction when the maximum value of gravity of the dynamic test exceeds [Formula: see text]. By considering the second-order effect of the Darcy equation and combining with the accurate measurement of permeability of the pre-Darcy flow of the sintered structure. The prediction after correcting the modified correlation can predict the dynamic test results well.