THE EFFECT OF NUCLEATE BOILING ON HEAT PIPE OPERATION.
Abstract
An everted experimental stainless steel heat pipe was designed and operated to observe nucleate boiling in the wick and to determine the effects of such boiling on the overall operation of the pipe. Four layers of 100 mesh stainless steel wire cloth were used as the wick structure and both water and ethyl alcohol were used as working fluids. A pressure adjusting system was included so that observations could be made as a function of internal vapor pressure. A type of boiling was observed which did not appear to affect the overall operation of the pipe and was detectable only by visual observation. The pipe operated in a regime dominated by high liquid flow resistance. Observations indicated effective values for the pipe length, wetted wick thickness, and contact angle. With these modifications, maximum heat transfer rates were in reasonably close agreement with theory. The pressure adjuster provided a means of easily controlling the operating conditions of the heat pipe. Heat could be removed from a constant power source at any desired temperature within the limitations of the system. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 01, 1969
- Accession Number
- AD0691192
Entities
People
- William Leidy Mosteller
Organizations
- Naval Postgraduate School