Theoretical and Experimental Investigation on Flow and Heat Transfer in a Flat Miniature Heat Pipe With Axial Grooves

The thermal analysis and experimental investigation on a flat miniature heat pipe with axial grooves are carried out. A theoretical model describing the flow and heat and mass transfer processes in the miniature heat pipe is set up. The axial distribution of the film thickness and meniscus of liquid, the axial profile of the pressures of liquid and vapor and the capillary radius of the liquidvapor interface, the frictional interaction at the liquidvapor interface and the axial heat conduction of the wall of the heat pipe are obtained to analyze the temperature distribution of the outer wall of the heat pipe and its thermal characteristics. The current model includes the above factors and simulates the physical phenomena in the miniature heat pipe more accurately. The experimental investigation on a flat miniature axially grooved copperwater heat pipe is conducted. Numerical results are compared with the experimental data and the numerical method is proved by the experiments.