Heat pipes with porous sintered wicks
In this study a vertical sintering oven is constructed and instrumented to enable a realization of sintering experiments of bronze inside capper tubes. The sintering oven consists of ceramic core around which is rolled helical electrical resistance of KW in power. The outside shell is made up of an iron tube and is thermically isolated. A thermocouple passes through the top cover and is perfectly isolated and sealed. This thermocouple is used to measure the average temperature of the oven. The tube to be sintered is hung inside the ceramic tube. In order to ensure an inert atmosphere, a small diameter tube is soldered to the top cover and is connected to a helium gas cylinder fitted with a pressure regulator. In these experiments various particle sizes were used. Various sintering temperature and times. After the tubes are sintered, they are removed and tested hydrodynamically to verify the pressure drop and measure the permeability. Results are plotted showing the effect of temperature and residence time on these parameters. Selected tubes are then prepared as heat pipes and put for testing to determine the thermal performance of the tubes. Parameters such as working temperature, mass of working fluid, angle of inclination are investigated, analysed and discussed. It is found that heat pipes with sintered material have a reasonably good thermal performance as compared to mesh wicked tubes. Another advantage is that sintered tubes are easy to fabricate and prepare and thus the fabrication cost is much below mesh wicked tubes. It is hoped that this cost reduction will allow large scale use of these tubes in heat exchangers and energy recuperators.
- Research Organization:
- DEM-FEG-UNICAMP, Campinas
- OSTI ID:
- 6362347
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-831205-
- Journal Information:
- Alternative Energy Sources; (United States), Journal Name: Alternative Energy Sources; (United States); ISSN ALESD
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
420200* -- Engineering-- Facilities
Equipment
& Techniques
ALLOYS
APPLIANCES
BRONZE
CERAMICS
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
COPPER
COPPER ALLOYS
COPPER BASE ALLOYS
EFFICIENCY
ELEMENTS
FABRICATION
HEAT EXCHANGERS
HEAT PIPE WICKS
HEAT PIPES
IRON
METALS
OVENS
SINTERING
THERMAL EFFICIENCY
TIN ALLOYS
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
TUBES