Wick parameters (particle size, porosity and contact angle) and performances of a U-shaped heat pipe: experimental, analytical and numerical

ABSTRACT

In the current investigation, wick parameters of the sintered copper powder in a U-shaped heat pipe, such as particle size, porosity, and contact angle were analysed. The investigations were conducted by cutting the U-shaped heat pipe in axial and radial directions. Then the wick parameters characterisations were conducted that consist of Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FE-SEM), Energy Dispersive X-Ray (EDX), and 3D optical microscope. The values of particle size, porosity, and contact angle were then used as parameters in the analytical model to calculate the heat pipe performances. Numerical models were developed to analyse the temperature distribution on the U-shaped heat pipes and validated using the experiments. Based on the analyses, the wick parameters used in the U-shaped heat pipe were obtained: average particles of 70 µm, porosity of 0.16, and contact angle of 20° (day 1). The numerical model shows a good agreement with the experiments. The experimental results suggested that the lowest thermal resistances were 0.21°C/W (natural convection) and 0.11°C/W (forced convection).

KEYWORDS:

• Sintered copper powder
• wick structure
• particle size
• porosity
• contact angle. u-shaped heat pipe

Acknowledgment

The authors would like to thank the Research Center for Advanced Materials-National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) for the facilities used in this research.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Achmad M. S. Sebayang

Achmad M. S. Sebayang is a lecturer at the Universitas Pamulang, Banten, Indonesia. He earned his Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering from Institut Teknologi Indonesia (ITI). He obtained his Master’s degree in Material Physics from the University of Sumatera Utara, Medan, Indonesia. His research interests include renewable energy technology and cooling system.

Anggito P. Tetuko

Anggito P. Tetuko is a researcher at the Research Center for Advanced Materials National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Indonesia. He received his Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the National Institute of Science and Technology (ISTN), Jakarta, Indonesia. He obtained his Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from The University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, Australia. He graduated from RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia, to earn a Ph.D in Mechanical Engineering. His research interests include heat transfer and fluid dynamics in experimental and simulation.

Lukman F. Nurdiyansah

Lukman F. Nurdiyansah is an engineer at the Research Center for Advanced Materials National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Indonesia. He graduated from Institut Teknologi Indonesia (ITI) to obtain his Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering. His research interests include experimental and simulation of electronics devices and renewable energy systems.

Nining S. Asri

Nining S. Asri is a researcher at the Research Center for Advanced Materials National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Indonesia. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Physics Education, University of Mataram, Indonesia. She graduated from Gadjah Mada University, Jogjakarta, Indonesia, to obtain her Master’s degree in Physics. Her research interests include material syntheses and characterisations, and wettability of surfaces (hydrophobic and hydrophilic).

Eko A. Setiadi

Eko A. Setiadi is a researcher at the Research Center for Advanced Materials National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Indonesia. He graduated from Gadjah Mada University, Jogjakarta, Indonesia, to earn both his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Physics. His research interests include material syntheses and characterisations, and nanofluids.

Perdamean Sebayang

Perdamean Sebayang is a senior researcher and professor at the Research Center for Advanced Materials National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Indonesia. He earned his Bachelor’s degree in Physics from the University of Sumatera Utara, Medan, Indonesia, and obtained his Master’s degree in Material Physics from the University of Indonesia. His research interests are focusing on ceramics and metals sintering processes and porous material.