1JNTU, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India.
2Heat Transfer & Fluid Flow Lab, Corporate R & D, BHEL, Vikas Nagar, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India.
3Centre for Energy Studies, Dept. of Mechanical Engg., JNTU College of Engineering, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India.
In the present study, the effect of heat in put, cooling water flow rate, gravitational forces on the steady state characteristics, performance of a screen covered axial groove heat pipe (high potential heat exchanger) has been investigated experimentally. It is finding many wide applications in the field of heat transfer like waste heat recovery, space cooling and heating etc. In this, a stainless steel wick mesh and water as a working fluid are used in an axial grooved heat pipe. The results shown that the overall heat transfer coefficient of heat pipe is higher in the case of vertical mode with evaporator at bottom and also the results indicate that the ability of transferring heat is improved from horizontal mode to vertical mode of operation. It is observed that it transfers nearly 95% of heat load over long distances with least temperature gradient in the case of vertical mode of operation. It is further concluded that the performance heat pipe in vertical mode is better than when it is in horizontal mode.
Heat pipe, axial groove, water, horizontal mode, vertical mode, overall heat transfer coefficient
