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Effect of coated mesh wick on the performance of cylindrical heat pipe using graphite nanofluids

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Abstract

Thermal performance evaluation of TiO2-coated copper mesh wick in a cylindrical heat pipe with graphite nanofluid is experimentally analyzed at various inclinations, nanoparticle concentrations and power levels. Boiling heat transfer from the evaporator of a heat pipe depends on both thermal conductivity of the nanoparticle and suspension stability of the nanofluid. The lower the density of the nanoparticle, the better the suspension stability. Spherical graphite nanoparticles having lower density and good thermal conductivity quicken the heat transfer rate and hence the vaporization of base fluid. A hydrophilic coating of TiO2 is done on the copper wick structure to reduce the contact angle of graphite nanofluid. Results showed that the heat pipe worked well at 60° inclination compared to the other tested orientations. For this optimum condition, a reduction in 168.75% of thermal resistance is obtained compared with DI water with uncoated wick at horizontal position and also an improvement in thermal efficiency of 94.07% for 1.0 mass% particle loading. The enhancement in equivalent thermal conductivity is 90.87% for 1.0 mass% compared with DI water. Results from the repeatability test also confirm that the hydrophilic coating over the wick is stable, and results are repeatable.

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Abbreviations

A :

Area (m2)

C p :

Specific heat (J kg−1 K−1)

d :

Outer diameter (mm)

I :

Current (A)

k :

Thermal conductivity (W m−1 K−1)

L :

Length (mm)

\(\dot{m}\) :

Mass flow rate (kg s−1)

Q :

Input power (Heat supplied) (W)

q :

Heat flux (W m−2)

R :

Thermal resistance (K W−1)

T :

Temperature (K)

ΔT :

Temperature difference (K)

V :

Voltage (V)

Mass.:

Mass fraction (%)

CW:

Coated wick

UCW:

Uncoated wick

av:

Average

bf:

Base fluid

c:

Condenser

cs:

Cross-section

cv:

Condenser vapor

cw:

Condenser wall

ec:

Evaporator−condenser

Eq.:

Equivalent

ev:

Evaporator vapor

ew:

Evaporator wall

np:

Nanoparticle

o:

Overall

w:

Water

th:

Thermal

Δ:

Increment

ƞ :

Efficiency (%)

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Advanced Thermal Sciences Laboratory, Karunya University, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India, for extending the test facilities. The authors are also thankful to Mr. Jaya Seelan for his help in the fabrication of experimental setup.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Institute of Technology Tiruchirappalli, Tiruchirappalli, 620015, Tamil Nadu, India

    P. R. Jyothi Sankar & S. Venkatachalapathy

  2. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Karunya Institute of Technology and Sciences, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, 641114, India

    Lazarus Godson Asirvatham

  3. Fluid Mechanics, Thermal Engineering and Multiphase Flow Research Lab (FUTURE), Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi, Bangmod, Bangkok, 10140, Thailand

    Somchai Wongwises

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  1. P. R. Jyothi Sankar
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  2. S. Venkatachalapathy
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  3. Lazarus Godson Asirvatham
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Correspondence to P. R. Jyothi Sankar.

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Jyothi Sankar, P.R., Venkatachalapathy, S., Asirvatham, L.G. et al. Effect of coated mesh wick on the performance of cylindrical heat pipe using graphite nanofluids. J Therm Anal Calorim 146, 297–309 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10973-020-09944-w

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