Mathematical modeling and analysis of heat pipe start-up from the frozen state

Technical Report · Tue Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 1989

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/10180649· OSTI ID:10180649

Jang, J H; Faghri, A ^[1]; Chang, W S; Mahefkey, E T ^[2]

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1. Wright State Univ., Dayton, OH (United States)
2. Wright Research and Development Center, Wright-Patterson, OH (United States)

The start-up process of a frozen heat pipe is described and a complete mathematical model for the start-up of the frozen heat pipe is developed based on the existing experimental data, which is simplified and solved numerically. The two-dimensional transient model for the wall and wick is coupled with the one-dimensional transient model for the vapor flow when vaporization and condensation occur at the interface. A parametric study is performed to examine the effect of the boundary specification at the surface of the outer wall on the successful start-up from the frozen state. For successful start-up, the boundary specification at the outer wall surface must melt the working substance in the condenser before dry-out takes place in the evaporator.

• Research Organization: NASA Lewis Research Center, Cleveland, OH (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Washington, DC (United States); USDOE, Washington, DC (United States); Department of Defense, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AI03-86SF16310
• OSTI ID: 10180649
• Report Number(s): NASA-CR-185132; ON: DE94051200; TRN: 94:008282
• Resource Relation: Other Information: PBD: Aug 1989
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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