Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Characteristic of temperature oscillation during the operation of loop heat pipe enhanced by pressure head of evaporation

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Heat and Mass Transfer Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Temperature oscillation usually occurs in the LHP operation, which would impede the temperature controlling ability of LHPs. Therefore, in this paper, the characteristics of temperature oscillation for the LHP enhanced by pressure head of evaporation was fully discussed, in which relationship between the temperature oscillation and flow pattern in the condenser was also clarified by using the PU and copper condenser. The experiment results showed different types of temperature oscillation were related to different flow patterns in the condenser. Type one of temperature oscillation (the frequency and amplitude were large than 30 s and 5 °C, respectively) was corresponding to the slug flow in condenser; Type two of temperature oscillation was corresponding to the semi-annular flow in condenser, in which the LHP temperatures were almost same and the frequency and amplitude ranged from 5 s to 30 s and 1 °C to 5 °C, respectively. Type three of temperature oscillation was corresponding to the plug flow and it was favorite to the LHP operation, in which the frequency and amplitude of evaporator inlet were 450 s/140 s and 3 °C/3 °C at 60 W/160 W, respectively. Moreover, the temperature oscillation orderly varied from Type three to Type one and Type two with the increase of heat load, corresponding to plug flow, slug flow and semi-annular flow in condenser.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

A:

Area of the heater, m2

T:

Temperature, oC

R:

Thermal resistance, oC/W

Q:

Heat load, W

P:

Pressure, Pa

\(\Delta\) P:

Pressure difference, Pa

\({X}_{i}\) :

Variable

\(\updelta {X}_{i}\) :

Uncertainty in one variable

\({\delta Y}\) :

Overall uncertainty

LHP:

Loop heat pipe

e:

Evaporator

c:

Condenser

n, n-1:

Time series at n and n-1

w:

Wick

contr:

Local resistance

p:

Pipe

g:

Gravity

cap:

Capillary force

dr:

Pressure head of evaporation

sys :

Total

References

  1. Hamdan M, Elnajjar H (2009) Thermodynamic analytical model of a loop heat pipe. Heat Mass Transfer 46:167–173

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Singh R, Akbarzadeh A, Dixon C, Mochizuki M (2009) Theoretical modelling of miniature loop heat pipe. Heat Mass Transfer 46:209–224

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Zhang H, Jiang C, Zhang ZK, Liu ZC, Luo XB, Liu W (2020) A study on thermal performance of a pump-assisted loop heat pipe with ammonia as working fluid. Appl Therm Eng 175:115342

  4. Li J, Zhou Y, Cheng L (2010) Experimental study on capillary pumping performance of porous wicks for loop heat pipe. Therm Fluid Sci 34:1403–1408

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Xie YQ, Li XY, Han LZ, Zhu JQ, Gao H, Wen DS (2020) Experimental study on operating characteristics of a dual compensation chamber loop heat pipe in periodic acceleration fields. Appl Therm Eng 176:115419

  6. Gai DX, Liu ZX, Liu W, Yang JG (2009) Operational characteristics of miniature loop heat pipewith flat evaporator. Heat Mass Transfer 46:267–275

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Zhou L, Qu ZG, Chen G, Huang JY, Miao JY (2019) One-dimensional numerical study for loop heat pipe with two-phase heat leak model. Int J Therm Sci 137:467–481

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Ku J, Jose I (2003) Low frequency high amplitude temperature oscillations in loop heat pipe operation. SAE Technical Paper 2003:2003–01–2386

  9. Wang DD, Liu ZC, Shen J, Jiang C, Chen BB, Yang JG, Tu ZK, Liu W (2014) Experimental study of the loop heat pipe with a flat disk-shaped evaporator. Exp Therm Fluid Sci 57:157–164

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Li J, Lv LC, Zhou GH, Li XP (2019) Mechanism of a microscale flat plate heat pipe with extremely high nominal thermal conductivity for cooling high-end smartphone chips. Energy Convers Manage 201:112202

  11. Chernysheva M, Maydanik Y (2019) Simulation of heat and mass transfer in a cylindrical evaporator of a loop heat pipe. Int J Heat Mass Tran 131:442–449

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Xiao B, Deng WZ, Ma ZY, He S, He L, Li X, Yuan F, Liu W, Liu ZC (2020) Experimental investigation of loop heat pipe with a large squared evaporator for multi-heat sources cooling. Renew Energy 147:239–248

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Zhang X, Huo J, Wang S (2012) Experimental investigation on temperature oscillation in a miniature loop heat pipe with flat evaporator. Exp Therm Fluid Sci 37:29–36

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Hong SH, Zhang XQ, Wang SF, Zhang ZG (2015) Experimental study on heat transfer capability of an innovative gravity assisted ultra-thin looped heat pipe. Int J Therm Sci 95:106–114

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Liu ZC, Gai DX, Li H, Liu W, Yang JG, Liu MM (2011) Investigation of impact of different working fluids on the operational characteristics of miniature LHP with flat evaporator. Appl Therm Eng 31:3387–3392

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Santos P, Bazzo E, Oliveira A (2012) Thermal performance and capillary limit of a ceramic wick applied to LHP and CPL. Appl Therm Eng 41:92–103

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Xu JY, Zhang L, Xu H (2012) Performance of LHPs with a novel design evaporator. Int J Heat Mass Tran 55:7005–7014

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Adachi T, Fujita K, Nagai H (2019) Numerical study of temperature oscillation in loop heat pipe. Appl Therm Eng 163:114281

  19. J Ku 2001 Ottenstein L, Kobel M, Rogers P, Kaya T (2001) Temperature oscillation in loop heat pipe operation AIP Conf Proc 2001 https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1357932

  20. Ku J (2003) High frequency low amplitude temperature oscillations in loop heat pipe operation. SAE Technical Paper 2003:2003–01–2387

  21. Zhu K, Li X, Li H, Yang Z, Wang Y (2019) Experimental investigation on the effect of heat sink temperature on operational characteristics of a new-type loop heat pipe. Energy Proc 158:2423–2429

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Yang Y, Zhu K, Wang Y, Wei J, Zheng M, Cui Z (2016) Experimental investigation and visual observation of a vapor-liquid separated flat loop heat pipe evaporator. Appl Therm Eng 101:71–78

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Zhu K, Li X, Li H, Chen X, Wang Y (2018) Experimental and theoretical study of a novel loop heat pipe. Appl Therm Eng 130:354–362

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Li X, Zhu K, Li H, Chen X, Wang Y (2019) Performance comparison regarding loop heat pipes with different evaporator structures. Int J Therm Sci 136:86–95

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Cimbala J, Brenizer JS, Chuang AP, Hanna S, Conroy CT, Elganayni AA, Riley DR (2004) Study of a loop heat pipe using neutron radiography. Appl Radiat Isotopes 61(4):701–705

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Bartuli E, Vershinin S, Maydanik Y (2013) Visual and instrumental investigations of a copper-water loop heat pipe. Int J Heat Mass Tran 61:35–40

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Zhou GH, Li J (2018) Two-phase flow characteristics of a high performance loop heat pipe with flat evaporator under gravity. Int J Heat Mass Tran 117:1063–1074

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Collier JG, Thome JR (1994) Convective boiling and condensation, 3rd edn. Oxford University Press, Oxford

    Google Scholar 

  29. Charnay R, Revellin R, Bonjour J (2013) Flow pattern characterization for R-245fa in minichannels: Optical measurement technique and experimental results. Int J Multiphas Flow 57:169–181

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Deng D, Liang D, Tang Y, Peng J, Han X, Pan M (2013) Evaluation of capillary performance of sintered porous wicks for loop heat pipe. Exp Therm Fluid Sci 50:1–9

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. Li H, Liu ZC, Chen BB, Liu W, Li C, Yang J (2012) Development of biporous wicks for flat-plate loop heat pipe. Exp Therm Fluid Sci 37:91–97

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. Zhou G, Li J, Jia Z (2019) Power-saving exploration for high-end ultra-slim laptop computers with miniature loop heat pipe cooling module. Appl Energy 239:859–875

    Article  Google Scholar 

  33. Liu J, Zhang Y, Feng C, Liu L, Luan T (2019) Study of copper chemical-plating modified polyacrylonitrile-based carbon fiber wick applied to compact loop heat pipe. Exp Therm Fluid Sci 100:104–113

    Article  Google Scholar 

  34. Moffat R (1998) Describing the uncertainties in experimental results. Exp Therm Fluid Sci 1(1):3–17

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This work is supported by Tianjin Natural Science Foundation (No. 18JCZDJC97100) and National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 51376137). The financial supports are sincerely appreciated.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Refrigeration Technology of Tianjin, Tianjin University of Commerce, Tianjin, 300134, China

    Xueqiang Li, Zhongyao Zhang, Yabo Wang, Kai Zhu & Shengchun Liu

Authors
  1. Xueqiang Li
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Zhongyao Zhang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Yabo Wang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Kai Zhu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Shengchun Liu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Contributions

Xueqiang Li: Methodology, Data curation, Formal analysis, Writing—original draft, Writing—review & editing. Zhongyao Zhang: Experiment, Data curation, Investigation. Yabo Wang: Methodology, Conceptualization, Supervision, Writing—review & editing. Kai Zhu: Conceptualization, Methodology, Funding acquisition, Project administration. Shengchun Liu: Supervision.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Yabo Wang.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Li, X., Zhang, Z., Wang, Y. et al. Characteristic of temperature oscillation during the operation of loop heat pipe enhanced by pressure head of evaporation. Heat Mass Transfer 58, 1145–1155 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00231-021-03149-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00231-021-03149-z

Search

Navigation