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Experimental study on the performance characteristics of an enhanced two-phase loop thermosyphon

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Abstract

A two-phase loop thermosyphon (TPLT) is an apparatus for heat transmission from the hot section of system (evaporator) to the cold part (condenser), with relatively small temperature differences. The setup used in this study consists of a TPLT, including evaporator, riser, an advanced condenser and downcomer. The condenser inlet has a nozzle. The steam rises from evaporator, flows through the nozzle and sprays on a vertical copper surface inside the condenser. To cool the copper sheet, then a cooler system was installed rear of it. The experimental tests were performed for presence of the nozzle and without it. The results showed that the TPLT efficiency increases for the modified condenser using nozzle. Also, the overall heat transfer coefficient of TPLT is enhanced by the nozzle. In the case of the nozzle with distance of 13 mm from copper sheet, and T e,sat  > 55 °C, the value of \(\bar{h}_{c}\) suddenly increased.

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Abbreviations

A c :

Area of vertical copper sheet in the condenser, m2

A e :

Area of heat transfer surface in the evaporator, m2

C p,c :

Specific heat for water cooler, J/Kg-K

C p,h :

Specific heat for water heater, J/Kg-K

\(\bar{h}_{c}\) :

Mean heat transfer coefficient in the condenser, W/m2-K

h e :

Experimental heat transfer coefficient in the evaporator, W/m2-K

\(\dot{m}_{w,c}\) :

Mass flow rate of the water cooler, Kg/s

\(\dot{m}_{w,h}\) :

Mass flow rate of the water heater, Kg/s

M :

Molecular weight, Kg/Kmol

P :

Water working fluid pressure, Pa

P cr,water :

Water critical pressure, Pa

P e,sat :

Dry steam outlet pressure of the evaporator, Pa

pr :

Reduced pressure (pr = P e,sat /P cr,water )

Q in :

Heat input in the evaporator, W

Q out :

Heat output in the condenser, W

q :

Heat flux, W/m2

T h,i :

Water heater inlet temperature, °C

T h,o :

Water heater outlet temperature, °C

T c,sat :

Dry steam inlet temperature of the condenser, °C

T e,sat :

Dry steam outlet temperature of the evaporator, °C

T w,i :

Water cooler inlet temperature, °C

T w,o :

Water cooler outlet temperature, °C

T wall,c :

Average temperature of the wall in the condenser copper sheet, °C

T wall,e :

Average temperature of the wall in the evaporator, °C

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, Iran

    Behrooz M. Ziapour, Majid Baygan & Ali Mohammadnia

Authors
  1. Behrooz M. Ziapour
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  2. Majid Baygan
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  3. Ali Mohammadnia
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Correspondence to Behrooz M. Ziapour.

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Ziapour, B.M., Baygan, M. & Mohammadnia, A. Experimental study on the performance characteristics of an enhanced two-phase loop thermosyphon. Heat Mass Transfer 51, 1487–1492 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00231-015-1518-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00231-015-1518-2

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