Vaporization Heat Transfer in a Small Diameter Closed Two-Phase Thermosyphon

Abstract

This paper deals with vaporization heat transfer in a small diameter closed two-phase thermosyphon with a long evaporator and a short condenser, filled with water as operating fluid. The internal diameter of the evaporator is equal to 6.4 mm and the length-to-diameter ratio at the evaporator is equal to 166. A similar geometry is commonly used in vacuumed tube solar collectors. In the present investigation, the input power to the evaporator is provided by means of an electrical resistance wire wrapped around the external wall of the tube, while a water jacket is built at the condenser to reject the heat. The performance of the thermosyphon is described by using the wall temperature and the overall thermal resistance for different operating conditions: input power at the evaporator, cooling water temperature at the condenser, and inclination of the thermosyphon (30 deg, 60 deg, and 90 deg tilt angle to the horizontal plane). The present experimental data cover a range of heat flux between 1700 and 8000 W/m2 and saturation temperature between 28 °C and 72 °C. The vaporization heat transfer coefficients are compared with some correlations for closed two-phase thermosyphons displaying large disagreement. A new correlation is presented, which accurately predicts the present experimental values and other data by independent labs taken in closed two-phase thermosyphons, varying geometry and operating fluid (water, R134a, and ethanol).