An investigation of heat pipe meniscus heat transferThe use of grooved evaporator surfaces in heat pipes has increased in popularity in the past few years primarily due to the reproducibility achievable with grooved walls and the relatively low costs of the threading or extrusion processes involved in their production. The present study combines both analyses and experiments on square groove geometries, with special emphasis on overcoming the limitations of earlier analyses with finite-difference methods and groove-fillet hydrodynamic simplifications. The groove fillet, which has in previous analyses been assumed constant in radius of curvature, is permitted to change in thickness and curvature consistent with hydrodynamics and heat loss from the groove. A model is developed for accurate determination of the effect of constriction resistance on groove performance. The grooved-surface tests to be conducted are briefly described which will provide data under closely controlled operation to allow comparison and verification of the analyses.
Document ID
19780051686
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Conference Proceedings
Authors
Saaski, E. W. (Sigma Research, Inc. Richland, WA, United States)
Franklin, J. L. (Sigma Research, Inc. Richland, Wash., United States)
Mccreight, C. R. (NASA Ames Research Center Moffett Field, Calif., United States)