1

1. INTRODUCTION



In this paper, we discuss about the recent technologies about the heat pipe
used in heat exchanger such as conventional, loop type etc. Now a day sorption
technology is very useful in working of sorption machinery as well as in air
conditioning cooling etc. On the other hand, heat pipe thermal control is a key
element of heat pump, refrigeration, heat transformer etc.
Sorption machines have advantages such as short time cycle, improved
compactness of cascading machines, increased coefficient of performance etc. In
some cases there is a possibility to combine the application of different energy
sources ( solar/ gas, solar/electricity) in the same prototype of heat pump due to heat
pipe application as heat exchangers. Actually an investigation of hydrocarbons
boiling heat transfer related to applications of heat pipes and thermosyphons as
thermal control systems in refrigeration technology, liquid hydrocarbons
gasification, electronic components, fuel cells, etc. is important.
Over a long time, compact heat pumps for miniature heat pumps and
refrigerators, Gas and cold storage systems with dimensions in order of cms are
preferred due to Small size, low weight and design flexibility. In many branches of
industry, low temperature heads and small heat fluxes characterize operating
conditions of heat pipe heat exchangers. This is also relevant to installations for
hydrocarbon gasification.
In space heating or cooling in vehicles or building, microprocessor cooling,
miniature heat exchanger are very possible to use. Sorption technologies are
convenient for adsorption refrigeration and ice making systems. The fishing industry
in tropical and developing countries is often an important part of the food and income
supply. A large proportion of fishing in these countries is operated by small-scale
fishing vessels, mostly open boats with no refrigeration on board and fish is often
not iced onboard. It is widely and publicly recognized that post-harvesting losses are
2030% in these countries due to improper handling of the fish mainly because there
is no on-board chilling. This results in a loss of food supply, loss of export revenues
and improper utilization of a limited natural resources.






2

2. CONVENTIONAL HEAT PIPES



Conventional type heat pipe are those which having sintered metal powder
inside those saturated with liquid . A very important feature of the HP is the ability
to transport a large amount of energy over its length with a small temperature drop
by means of liquid evaporation at the HP evaporator (heat source), vapour
condensation at the condenser (heat sink) and liquid movement in the opposite
direction inside a wick by capillary force. Essential is the possibility to change the
direction of heat flow along the HP in time and to use HPs for cooling and heating
alternately.








2.2 Miniature and microheat pipes


One of the directions of heat pipes development is miniature heat pipes
(mHP), both for passive systems for electronics cooling and for use in refrigerating
machines. Optimization of the new copper sintered powder wick in miniature heat
pipes with outer diameter 4 mm and length of 200 mm was carried out. The
maximum heat transfer rate for these HPs is almost 50 W [14].Heat pipe family
qualified geometry is: circular tube diameter 425 mm, flat heat pipe thickness 2
20 mm, length 0.10.8 m, wall thickness 0.21.0 mm. Pipe materialcopper
99.95% purity, wickcopper sintered powder, wire mesh and wire bundle with
thickness 0.20.8 mm.
3

The second type of heat pipe is being under process by various scientific
organization including NASA, called microloop heat pipe.
The main application will be electronic cooling at the chip level.
The heat pipe evaporator is constructed of silicon, such that there will be little
thermal interface resistance between the source of the heat generation, the computer
chip junction, and the working fluid. The ultimate heat sink could be a box-level
spacecraft thermal bus or even the spacecraft radiator, depending on transport length
and compensation chamber size. The device utilizes a coherent porous silicon (CPS)
wick that provides small effective pore radii. This new technology is a type of
microelectro mechanical systems (MEMS) process that allows one to drill a
pattern of micron-sized holes in a silicon wafer




3. Unconventional heat pipe in heat exchanger


3.1 Vapor-dynamic thermosyphons

Vapor-dynamic thermosyphons can provide the coupling between topping
and bottoming sorption cycles (Fig. 2). The direct coupling ensures the operating
temperatures in both cycles more favourable from the thermodynamic point of view
since temperature drops are definitely smaller compared with conventional heat
exchangers. Such thermosyphons (Fig. 4) have a low thermal resistance, their length
can reach some meters and they have the ability to transport energy to sorbent media
being heated by hot gases, or flames. In vapour-dynamic thermosyphons vapour and
liquid flows are separated by the wall, heat transfer is realized in the gap between
the inner and outer tubes.
Vapour condensation is performed on the inner surface of the outer condenser tube.
The vapour-dynamic thermosyphons in order to avoid the flooding limit and increase
the maximum performance have tube separator inside used as vapour channel and a
two-phase coaxial annular channel around this separator where the vapour
condensation is produced with high efficiency . Vapour-dynamic thermosyphons can
transport up to 10 kW and more for several meters distance with its thermal
resistance R 0:030:05 K/W of heat, which is difficult to acheive in conventional
thermosyphons located horizontally.

4


Fig. 2. Schematic diagram of the vapour-dynamic thermosyphon with two condensers and two valves for sorption heat pump. (1)
Adsorber, (2) valve, (3) liquid pipe, (4) vapour channel, (5) electric heaters, and (6) mini-boiler.


The advantages of this thermosyphon are:
high heat transfer performance due to the vapour and liquid flow separation, there
are no interface friction losses;
low thermal resistance of thermosyphon;
vapour flow in the co-axial gap push the non-condensable gases to the gas trap,
that means the thermosyphon is eager to work with non-condensable gases inside
(Fig. 3);

Fig. 3. Thermal resistance R of vapour-dynamic thermosyphon as a function of heat input Q. (1) Water; (2) HCFC 22; (3)
water with air; and (4) HCFC 22 with an air in the gas trap.
5

3.2 Loop Heat Pipes
Capillary pumped loops (CPL), and loop heat pipes (LHP), Fig. 4 are an attractive
alternative for heat regulation [30]. In the LHP the capillary pumped evaporator
(Figs. 5) is used instead of a boiler. Such an evaporator is more flexible from the
point of view of its orientation space and is more compact. In the LHP there is a
possibility to use an evaporator above the condenser. In the LHP the vapour flows
through the vapour channels towards the condenser and the liquid goes back the
evaporator due to the capillary pressure head of the porous wick. In the near future
an LHP should be used as thermal control devices in scientific and
telecommunication


Fig. 4. Loop heat pipe with two evaporator/condensers, liquid and vapor lines.


Fig. 5. Evaporator/condenser of a loop heat pipe.





6


Specifications


The LHP sintered wick structure of the evaporator has a porosity of 45%: the
length of the unit is 280 mm, the outer diameter38 mm, evaporator body material
stainless steel (SS), maximum diameter of pores10 lm, medium diameter of
pores 35 lm, capillary pressure head 0.4 bar and the porous wick thickness8 mm.
Evaporators are compatible with water, ammonia, methanol, ethanol, acetone and
methane. The maximum heat flow rate of the evaporator is 1500 W, the thermal
resistance of the evaporator R, 0.06 K/W.


Fig. 6. Relation between the vapour temperature Tv and Q for different heat transfer direction and the HP inclination angle u 90
(evaporator above the condenser); Tcool 10; (1,2) different directions of heat transfer.



7

3.3 Heat pipe panels
Another alternative to the conventional heat pipe is an aluminium
(multi-channel) heat pipe panel (Fig. 7) with propane as a working fluid
to cool the low temperature sorbers of heat pumps and refrigerator.


Fig. 7. Aluminium multi-channels pulsating heat pipe panel with propane as a working fluid and silica
gel monolithic sorption bed on its finned surface

The main parameters of flat heat pipe panels are: HP width70 mm, HP
height7 mm, HP length700 mm, evaporator length98 mm,
condenser length500 mm, mass0, 43 kg. HP thermal resistance R
0:05 K/W, evaporator heat transfer coefficient a 8500 W/m
2
K,
condenser heat transfer coefficient a 2500 W/m
2
K. Heat pipe panels are
convenient as thermal control systems for the electronic components, heat
pumps and refrigerators with efficient heat recovery between different
sorption cycles. The working fluid (hydrocarbons) dynamic movement is
stable with liquid filling ratio near 0.6 of the heat pipe volume. The
propane as a good alternative to water for such heat pipes enables a
continuous motion due to the interplay between the driving and restoring
forces.


8

3.4 Pulsating heat pipes
Pulsating heat pipes (PHPs) have also emerged as interesting alternatives to
conventional heat pipes. PHPs have complicated thermohydrodynamic operational
characteristics. In fact, it is rare to find a combination of such events and mechanisms
like bubble nucleation and collapse, bubble agglomeration and pumping action, flow
regime changes, pressure/temperature perturbations, dynamic instabilities,
metastable non-equilibrium conditions, flooding or bridging etc., all together
contributing towards the thermal performance of a device. Recent literature suggests
that important milestones have been achieved in characterization of these devices.
The pulse thermal loop (PTL) is one of several oscillatory thermal transport cycles
under development that are receiving attention as a potential semi/passive, high-
power, high flux heat transport device. The PTL is unique in that it is capable of
generating driving pressures in excess of many mechanically pumped loops.

Fig. 8. Two configurations of pulsating heat pipe: (i) open loop an (ii) closed loop.

9

3.5Spaghetti heat pipes
The small diameter (3 mm) bendable SS spaghetti heat pipes are similar to
pulsating heat pipes, but have a compact condenser and large surface evaporator. An
example of a spaghetti heat pipe filled with ammonia, shown in Figs. 9, is
disposed inside the refrigerator chamber in such a way that food can be kept within
the refrigerating temperature range as uniformly as possible.
The spaghetti heat pipe is thermally linked with an evaporator of the sorption
refrigerator (heat pipe condenser) and has a good thermal contact with this
evaporator.



Fig. 9. Schematic of the spaghetti heat pipe panel: (1) condenser of the heat pipe, (2) evaporator of the adsorption refrigerator,
(3) porous structure, and (4) heat pipe evaporator.

Specifications
vapor plugs (bubbles) push the liquid plugs to the cold part of the unit, where vapor
bubbles collapsed with the increasing of pressure difference between vapor and
10

liquid. Heat pipe thermal resistance is R 0:006 K/W. Heat pipe length is 1 m, and
heat pipe width is 0.5 m.

3.6 Sorption heat pipes
The sorption heat pipe (SHP) is a novelty and combines the enhanced heat
and mass transfer in conventional heat pipes with sorption phenomena of a sorbent
bed. Sorption heat pipe could be used as a sorption heat transfer element and be
cooled and heated as a heat pipe. The sorption heat pipe (Fig. 9) has a sorbent bed
(adsorber/desorber and evaporator) at one end and a condenser and evaporator at the
other end. The basic principle of the sorption heat pipe operation is:


Fig. 10. Sorption heat pipe. Longitudinal cross section, [3]. (1) Vapour channel; (2) porous sorption structure; (3) finned surface of
heat pipe evaporator/condenser; (4) porous wick inside heat pipe; (5) porous valve; (6) heat pipe low temperature evaporator with
porous wick; (7) working fluid accumulated inside the evaporator; and (8) cold box with thermal insulation

11



Phase 1. At the beginning of the heat pipe functioning it is necessary to desorb a
sorption structure (Fig. 9) of the heat pipe due to absorption of the heat of a heat
source. During desorption of a sorbent bed the working fluid vapor needs leave a
porous structure and be condensed in the heat pipe evaporator/condenser. The vapor
is generated inside the porous structure of a sorbent bed, the vapor pressure is
increasing, and the vapor flow enters the condenser and is condensed, releasing heat
to the surroundings. Part of the cold working fluid is filtered through the porous
valve and enters the evaporator due to the pressure drop between the hot part of a
heat pipe and the evaporator. The other part of the working fluid is returned to the
sorbent bed due to capillary forces of the wick and increases the procedure of sorbent
bed heating by the heater, following the microheat pipes phenomena inside the
sorbent bed. When desorption of the sorbent structure is accomplished, the source
of energy is switched off, the pressure in the sorbent bed decreased and the working
fluid is accumulated inside the evaporator.



Phase 2. After Phase 1 the porous valve is opened and the vapor pressure inside the
heat pipe is equalises following the procedure of the liquid evaporation inside the
porous structure of the evaporator. During the liquid evaporation in the evaporator,
the cold generation is available inside the cold box. When the liquid evaporation is
accomplished and the sorbent bed is saturated with the vapor, a porous valve is
closed and the sorbent bed begins to be cooled with the help of the heat pipe
condenser.



12

4. APPLICATION
4.1 Heat pipe in thermoelectric cooler
It is necessary to note that heat pipes can be applied with success in other types
of refrigerating machines, for example in thermoelectric refrigerators. Properties
of heat pipes here are used to transfer and to transform heat flow. Sometimes the
area of surface of heat input and heat output need be not identical. So, the Peltier
element size is small, and the surface of heat output should be large or have a
specific form (Fig. 10). The combination heat pipePeltier element can be
used in systems for processor cooling and in medical devices, for example in cryo-
surgery. A device for local hypothermia with a heat pipe-based instrument was
developed. It has successfully passed tests and is recommended for introduction
to medical practice.

Fig. 11. Heat pipePeltier element combination.
4.2 Heat pipe heat exchangers for air preheating

Since the end of the 1970s there are some publications related to heat pipe
heat exchangers. A large number were published in the USSR. The heat pipe or two-
phase thermosyphon device is an important concept in heat exchangers, which can
be used in different branches of industry such as metallurgy, power, oil-refining,
glass, etc.

13


The heat pipe heat exchanger used for gasgas heat recovery is essentially a bundle
of finned heat pipes assembled like a conventional air-cooled heat exchanger. The
heat pipe in the heat exchanger can be divided in to three parts: evaporator, adiabatic
section and condenser (Fig. 11). Passing hot flue gases over the evaporator causes
the working fluid to boil and the vapors to flow to the cold end of the tube. Cold air
flowing over the condenser in counter flow direction condenses the vapors releasing
latent heat that heats the air.




Fig. 12. Heat pipe air preheater.
Application

* Use of process waste heat for preheating process supply air
* Use process waste heat for space heating and air-conditioning
* Recovery of exhaust heat from an air conditioning system in a commercial or
domestic building for preheating supply air.

14



CONCLUSIONS



In present state of development, efficiency of every system is very
important. In thermal machines, there is great role of heat transfer from
one device to another device and heat exchanger are also plays a necessary
role for higher efficiency. In this way heat pipe is useful to improve
efficiency of heat transfer, ultimately it increases the efficiency of thermal
process.
Heat pipe can be easily implemented as thermal links and heat
exchanger in different system to ensure the energy saving and
environmental protection.























15

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