Study of parameters have effected to the heat pipe with mesh wick

Abstract

This research aims to study the parameters have affected the pipe which was studied the heat transfer characteristics of a heat pipe with a mesh wick. The heat pipe made from copper tubes with intemal (ID) as 10 and 12 mm and length of 30 cm which was installed a copper mesh wick inside a tube. Three working fluids are distilled water, ethanol and refrigerants-11 (R-11). The filling ratios is 50% with respect to evaporator volume. The operating temperature at the evaporator section is: 50, 70 and 90 oC. The condenser section has cooked by water with a flow rate of 0.5 L/min. Then, all of the experimental data were compared with the heat pipe without copper mesh wick. It was found that heat pipe at ID 12 mm yielded a better heat transfer rate when compared with heat pipe without a mesh wick. The heat pipe produced a heat transfer rate value of 7.3 W and heat pipe efficiency of 58.5 at evaporator section’s temperature of 90oC. In addition, the mesh wicks will help transfer the working fluid in the condenser section return to the evaporator section. The condensed liquid had spread around the walls of the heat pipe. The working fluid was condensed to the evaporator section then affected to a higher heat transfer rate.