Heat transfer,flow regime and instability of a nano- and micro-porous structure evaporator in a two-phase thermosyphon loop

Two-phase flow instabilities which may occur at low and high heat loads were studied for a thermosyphon loop with R134a as refrigerant. The heat transfer surface of the evaporator was enhanced with a copper nano- and micro-porous structure. The heat transfer of the enhanced evaporator was compared to a smooth surface evaporator. Finally, the influence of the liquid level and the inside diameter of the riser on the instability of the system have been investigated.It was found that the enhanced structure surface decreased the oscillations at the entire range of heat fluxes and enhanced the heat transfer coefficient. Three flow regimes were observed: Bubbly flow with nucleate boiling heat transfer mechanism, confined bubbly/churn flow with backflow and finally churn flow at high heat fluxes.     

Flow boiling heat transfer in the evaporator of a loop thermosyphon operating with CuO based aqueous nanofluid

An experimental study was carried out to understand the flow boiling heat transfer of water based CuO nanofluids in the evaporator of a thermosyphon loop under steady sub-atmospheric pressures. Experimental results show that both the heat transfer coefficient (HTC) and the critical heat flux (CHF) of flow boiling in the evaporator of the thermosyphon loop could be enhanced by substituting nanofluids for water. The operating pressure has apparent impact on the HTC enhancement of nanofluids. However, the operating pressure has negligible effect on the CHF enhancement. There exists an optimal mass concentration of nanoparticles corresponding to the best enhancement effect. Experimental results show that the CHF enhancement results mainly from the existing of the coating layer on the heated surface formed by the sediment of nanoparticles. However, the HTC enhancement results from the effects of both the existing of the coating layer and the change of thermophysical properties of the working fluid.     

Instability phenomena in a two-phase microchannel thermosyphon

The behavior of a two-phase thermosyphon, consisting of a microchannel evaporator plate and a condenser, is investigated to gain insight into the system limiting instability. A microchannel plate has been fabricated with 56 square channels that have a 1 × 1 mm cross section and a length of 115 mm. Experiments have been conducted for various condenser heights with the heat flux as the control variable. A step increase in heat flux is used to quantify the response of the system, including variations in mass flow rate, temperature, and pressure drop. Results show that small fluctuations about the steady state give rise to the instability for situations with a uniform heat load. A predictive model based on the momentum equation is introduced to estimate the onset of instability, and the threshold heat flux is predicted to within ±10% uncertainty.     

Experimental study of closed‐loop thermosyphon with a different evaporator geometry

In this study, the effect of evaporator geometry on the loop thermosyphon's heat transfer coefficient is experimentally verified by using water as a working fluid with three filling ratios (50%, 70%, 90%), constant heat input (185 W), and condenser cooling water flow rate remaining constant at 2 Lpm. Three evaporator pipes are used (I: straight; II: helical coil evaporator with a diameter of 100‐mm coil and two turns; III: helical coil evaporator with a diameter of 50‐mm coil and four turns). From the experimental results, it can be observed that the performance of evaporator III is higher than the two other forms. A greater heat transfer coefficient value is found in case of type III evaporator and is equivalent to 2456 W/m²·°C. The maximum thermal resistance reduction occurs in the type III evaporator (37.32%), and the highest effective thermal conductivity for the same type is 6.123e + 05 W/m·°C. The experimental results demonstrate good agreement with the empirical equations.     

Simulation study of flow and heat transfer in a thermosyphon

By establishing a mathematical model in the thermosyphon system, the numerical simulation method is used for the temperature field, flow field distribution in heat pipe simulated calculation in recent years. In this article, we combine the thermosyphon engineering actuality, build up the Nusselt model, write the visual program with the VB code, and make use of the computer to carry on imitating the calculation. Meanwhile, the calculation predicted temperature profile in the thermosyphon was compared with experimental measurements and a good agreement was observed. Through the research, it can provide theoretical basis for the optimization of heat pipe model in the future.     

CFD modeling of flow and heat transfer in a thermosyphon

In the present study a gas/liquid two-phase flow and the simultaneous evaporation and condensation phenomena in a thermosyphon was modeled. The volume of fluid (VOF) technique was used to model the interaction between these phases. Experiments in a thermosyphon were carried out at different operating conditions. The CFD predicted temperature profile in the thermosyphon was compared with experimental measurements and a good agreement was observed. It was concluded that CFD is a useful tool to model and explain the complex flow and heat transfer in a thermosyphon.     

两相闭式热虹吸管混沌特性及其传热性能研究

探究两相闭式热虹吸管的传热混沌,以及操作参数对其混沌性和传热性能的影响,建立混沌特征参数与传热性能间的联系。通过搭建实验台测量两相闭式热虹吸管稳定运行过程中不同工况下的管壁温度信号,基于非线性分析的混沌理论研究处理测量的温度脉动信号,绘制吸引子轨迹图,建立最大Lyapunov指数与传热特征参数的联系,揭示传热性能与混沌特性的关系。结果表明：两相闭式热虹吸管具有确定性混沌行为,操作参数对混沌性和传热性能具有显著影响,混沌性与传热性能呈正相关关系。     

Thermal characteristics of a resurfaced condenser and evaporator closed two-phase thermosyphon

This paper reports a study on the effect of the condenser and evaporator resurfacing on overall performance of a 1 m height closed two-phase thermosyphon. Water was used as working fluid with a fill ratio and operating pressure was 0.75 and 160 mbar, respectively. The thermosyphon performances for plain and modified thermosyphon were studied at 44 power inputs from 43 W to 668 W. The results show that by making the evaporator more hydrophilic and the condenser more hydrophobic, it will be possible to increase the average thermal performance by15.27% and decrease the thermal resistance by 2.35 times compared with the plain one.     

LHP圆盘式蒸发器三维传热与流动分析

通过补充相变蒸发界面传热传质热力学关系式,构建了回路热管(loop heat pipe,LHP)圆盘式蒸发器的流动与传热多区域耦合分析三维数学物理模型,并基于FLUENT软件对某种甲醇-不锈钢平板型蒸发器内的流动与传热情况进行了数值求解。数值分析结果表明,蒸发器内的传热与流动受几何结构影响明显,表现出较强的方向差异;不同热负荷条件下,补偿腔内流体的流动与传热特性呈现出较大差别,受到回流液速度和温度、毛细芯界面蒸发质量流量、毛细芯反向导热和侧壁漏热等多种因素共同影响。计算方法和研究结果,可以为平板型蒸发器内流动与传热特性的定量分析提供依据。     

Comparative heat transfer characteristics of a flat two-phase closed thermosyphon (FTPCT) and a conventional two-phase closed thermosyphon (CTPCT)

This study investigated the effects of cross-sectional geometries, filling ratio and aspect ratio on thermal performance of thermosyphon at different rates of heat input. Two cross-sectional geometries of thermosyphon (circular and flat) were used. Each cross-sectional geometry was charged with distilled water with different filling ratios, aspect ratios and heat input. The results indicated that the FTPCT had a higher average wall temperature in the evaporator section than that of the CTPCT. The maximum heat input had a significant influence on the heat fluxes for each filling ratio and evaporator length. Heat fluxes were increased with an increase of aspect ratio and heat input and decreased slightly at the maximum aspect ratios.     

Condensation heat transfer characteristics and concept of sub-flooding limit in a two-phase closed thermosyphon

A condensation model is developed for a two-phase closed thermosyphon by considering the interfacial shear due to mass transfer and interfacial velocity. The model predictions differ substantially from Nusselt's solutions, showing the significance of the interfacial shear on the condensation inside the thermosyphon. It is found that the condensation heat transfer is greatly affected by two controlling parameters—the relative velocity ratio B and the momentum transfer factor U. The sub-flooding limit, which is different from the conventional flooding limit, is proposed to capture the interaction between the condensation and evaporation in the thermosyphon, based on which the critical aspect ratio (radius/length) can be determined to prevent the thermosyphon from heat transfer deterioration.     

Shell-and-tube evaporator model performance with different two-phase flow heat transfer correlations. Experimental analysis using R134a and R1234yf

This work presents a model of a shell-and-tube evaporator using R1234yf and R134a as working fluids. The model uses the effectiveness-NTU method to predict the evaporation pressure and the refrigerant and secondary fluid temperatures at the evaporator outlet, using as inputs the geometry of the evaporator, the refrigerant mass flow rate and evaporator inlet enthalpy, and the secondary fluid volumetric flow rate and evaporator inlet temperature. The model performance is evaluated using different two-phase flow heat transfer correlations through model outputs, comparing predicted and experimental data. The output parameter with maximum deviations between the predicted and experimental data is the evaporating pressure, being the deviations in outlet temperatures less than 3%. The evaporator model using Kandlikar's correlation obtains the highest precision and the lowest absolute mean error, with 4.87% in the evaporating pressure, 0.45% in the refrigerant outlet temperature and 0.03% in the secondary fluid outlet temperature.     

Optimization of a two-phase flow evaporator by varying the channel cross section

Evaporation heat transfer coefficients depend on the mass flux and quality. When a non-azeotropic mixture is used as a working fluid, this dependence is significant due to the suppression of nucleate boiling. It is possible to improve the heat transfer performance if the channel cross-sectional area is enlarged at the latter part of the evaporator, namely, the mass flux is reduced in the high-quality region where the pressure drop is large. This work involves an analytical investigation on the enhancement effect by varying the channel cross section. It was assumed that the working fluid was a mixture of refrigerants R123 and R134a, and that the tubes used were smooth or spirally grooved. As a result, the heat transfer area and the channel volume were reduced by more than 20% with a permissible pressure drop. © 1998 Scripta Technica, Heat Trans Jpn Res, 26(3): 143–158, 1997.     

3D heat transfer analysis in a loop heat pipe evaporator with a fully saturated wick

A practical quasi three-dimensional numerical model is developed to investigate the heat and mass transfer in a square flat evaporator of a loop heat pipe with a fully saturated wicking structure. The conjugate heat transfer problem is coupled with a detailed mass transfer in the wick structure, and incorporated with the phase change occurring at the liquid–vapor interface. The three-dimensional governing equations for the heat and mass transfer (continuity, Darcy and energy) are developed, with specific attention given to the wick region. By comparing the results of the numerical simulations and the experimental tests, the local heat transfer mechanisms are revealed, through the obtained temperature distribution and the further derived evaporation rates along the liquid–vapor interface. The results indicate that the model developed herein can provide an insight in understanding the thermal characteristics of loop heat pipes during steady-state operation, especially at low heat loads.     

Numerical simulation of transient heat and mass transfer in a cylindrical evaporator of a loop heat pipe

The paper investigates the transient processes of heat and mass transfer in a cylindrical evaporator of a loop heat pipe (LHP) during the device start-up. One of the most “arduous” prestart situations, which is characterized by the absence of a liquid in the evaporator central core and filled vapor removal channels, has been considered. With such liquid distribution a successful start-up of an LHP becomes possible only after formation of the vapor phase in the vapor removal channels and their liberation from the liquid. The aim of the investigations is to determine conditions that ensure the boiling-up of a working fluid in vapor removal channels. The problem was solved by a numerical method. Simulation of start-up regimes has been performed for different heat loads and different structural materials of the evaporator. Copper, titanium and nickel wick have been examined. Calculations have been made for three different working fluids; water, ammonia and acetone. Account has been taken of the conditions of heat exchange between the compensation chamber and surrounding medium.     

Thermal performance of a closed advanced two-phase thermosyphon loop for cooling of radio base stations at different operating conditions

In this investigation an advanced thermosyphon loop with extended evaporator and condenser surfaces has been tested at high heat fluxes. The thermosyphon investigated is designed for the cooling of three parallel high heat flux electronic components. The tested evaporators were made from small blocks of copper in which five vertical channels with a diameter of 1.5 mm and length of 14.6 mm were drilled. The riser and downcomer connected the evaporators to the condenser, which is an air-cooled roll-bond type with a total surface area of 1.5 m² on the airside. Tests were done with Isobutane (R600a) at heat loads in the range of 10–90 W/cm² to each of the components with forced convection condenser cooling and with natural convection with heat loads of 10–70 W.     

Correlations to predict heat transfer characteristics of an inclined closed two-phase thermosyphon at normal operating conditions

This paper describes the effect of dimensionless parameters on heat transfer characteristics of an inclined thermosyphon. The parameters studied in this paper are: Bond numbers, Froude numbers, Weber numbers and Kutateladze numbers, and experiments are conducted to find out their effects on the heat transfer rate and on the total thermal resistance. Copper thermosyphons with an ID of 7.5, 11.1 and 25.4 mm are employed with R22, R123, R134a, ethanol, and water as the working fluids. The selected filling ratios are 50, 80, and 100% and the selected aspect ratios are 5, 10, 20, 30 and 40 respectively. Experiments are conducted by varying the inclination angle from the horizontal axis by 5, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80 and 90°, and the controlled vapor temperature ranged from 0 to 30°C. It is found from the experiments that, the filling ratio has no effect on the ratio of heat transfer characteristics at any angle to that of the vertical position (Q/Q₉₀), but the properties of the working fluid affected Q/Q₉₀. Results show that the lower the latent heat of vaporization, the higher the Q/Q₉₀. It is also shown that the modified Kutateladze number can be employed to predict the maximum Q/Q₉₀, or Q_m/Q₉₀. Another modified Kutateladze number can also be used to predict the ratio of minimum total thermal resistance to that at vertical position, or R_m/R₉₀.     

Analysis of flow and heat transfer in evaporator porous wicking structure of a flat heat pipe

With a specified pressure distribution, an analytical investigation was conducted to explore the flow and heat transfer characteristics in an evaporator porous wicking structure of a flat heat pipe. The boundary effect on the flow rate is more significant than the inertia, and both the boundary and inertia effects exert very little influence on fluid layer thickness and velocity distribution. The bottom of the porous layer is at a quite uniform temperature, and the heat flux is almost normal to the solid boundary. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Heat Trans Asian Res; Published online in Wiley InterScience ( www.interscience.wiley.com ). DOI 10.1002/htj.20237     

Flow boiling heat transfer in two-phase micro-channel heat sinks--II. Annular two-phase flow model

This paper is Part II of a two-part study devoted to measurement and prediction of the saturated flow boiling heat transfer coefficient in water-cooled micro-channel heat sinks. Part I discussed the experimental findings from the study, and identified unique aspects of flow boiling in micro-channels such as abrupt transition to the annular flow regime near the point of zero thermodynamic equilibrium quality, and the decrease in heat transfer coefficient with increasing quality. The operating conditions of water-cooled micro-channels fell outside the recommended range for most prior empirical correlations. In this paper, an annular flow model is developed to predict the saturated flow boiling heat transfer coefficient. Features unique to two-phase micro-channel flow, such as laminar liquid and vapor flow, smooth interface, and strong droplet entrainment and deposition effects, are identified and incorporated into the model. The model correctly captures the unique overall trend of decreasing heat transfer coefficient with increasing vapor quality in the low vapor quality region of micro-channels. Good agreement is achieved between the model predictions and heat transfer coefficient data over broad ranges of flow rate and heat flux.