Experimental investigation on the heat transfer performance of heat pipes with porous copper foam wicks

Abstract

An experimental study on the heat transfer performance of different pore density porous copper foam wick heat pipes was conducted by using A1₂O₃-H₂O nanofluids as the working medium. Heat transfer performance were studied and compared under the condition of water cooling. Results showed that porous copper foam wick heat pipes can significantly improve the heat transfer performance. Among the five capillary wicks, the 200 pores per inch pore density porous copper foam wick heat pipes were the optimal choice, given that these heat pipes had a higher heat transfer limit, which increased by about 5·1–34% compared with that of the mesh wicks, and had a better isothermal characteristic. In addition, the thermal resistance range of the 200 pores per inch pore density porous copper foam wick heat pipe was about 0·05–0·1 °C W⁻¹, which can reduce 50% compared with that of the 300 pores per inch mesh wick heat pipe.

Keywords:

• Heat pipe
• Heat transfer performance
• Mesh
• Porous copper foam