Experimental Studies of Rotating Heat Pipes

Thermal characteristics of a rotating heat pipe were measured under steady state at moderate rotational speeds. Copper- water rotating heat pipe with copper screen mesh wick was fabricated for testing at various heat loads. An experimental test rig with a water-cooled condenser section was fabricated to study the heat transfer in the rotating heat pipe (RHP) for various heat loads and various rotational speeds ranging from 1000 rpm to 2000 rpm. A heat transfer correlation was developed for the condensing heat transfer coefficient and compared with the experimental results. (C) 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.