DESIGN OPTIMIZATION FOR THE PERFORMANCE ENHANCEMENT OF LARGE-SCALE THERMOSIPHONS

As a method to enhance performance of a low-tilt thermosyphon, a groov e wick was recommended and individual performance limitations which in cludes the capillary, boiling, entrainment, viscous and sonic limits c orresponding to the existing wick configuration were first examined fo r different operating vapor temperatures using conventional steady-sta te techniques available in the literature. Second, using a computer mo del developed to predict the axial liquid pressure drop and the boilin g limit heat flux, a parametric investigation was performed to determi ne an optimal configuration of groove wicks designed to improve the op erational performance. Results of the present study showed that the he at transport capacity was significantly affected by wick geometry, suc h as groove angle, groove width and groove depth.