Experimental study on the performance limitation of micro heat pipes of non circular cross-sections

An experimental study of three different cross-sections (circular, semicircular and rectangular) of micro heat pipes having same hydraulic diameter (D= 3mm) is carried out at three different inclination angles (0°, 45°, 90°) using water as the working fluid. Evaporator section of the pipe is heated by an electric heater and the condenser section is cooled by water circulation in an annular space between the condenser section and the water jacket. Temperatures at different locations of the pipe are measured using five calibrated K type thermocouples. Heat supply is varied using a voltage regulator which is measured by a precision ammeter and a voltmeter. It is found that thermal performance tends to deteriorate as the micro heat pipe is flattened. Thus among all cross-sections of the pipes circular cross-section exhibits the best thermal performance followed by semicircular and rectangular cross-sections. Moreover maximum heat transfer capability of the pipes also decreases with decreasing of its inclination angle. A correlation is developed using all the gathered data of the present study to predict the heat transfer coefficient of micro heat pipes of different cross-sections placed at different inclination angles