Pulse mitigation and heat transfer enhancement techniques. Volume 3: Liquid sodium heat transfer facility and transient response of sodium heat pipe to pulse forward and reverse heat load
Abstract
This report presents the description of a liquid sodium heat transfer facility (sodium loop) constructed to support the study of transient response of heat pipes. The facility, consisting of the loop itself, a safety system, and a data acquisition system, can be safely operated over a wide range of temperature and sodium flow rate. The transient response of a heat pipe to pulse heat load at the condenser section was experimentally investigated. A 0.457 m screen wick, sodium heat pipe with an outer diameter of 0.127 m was tested under different heat loading conditions. A major finding was that the heat pipe reversed under a pulse heat load applied at the condenser. The time of reversal was approximately 15 to 25 seconds. The startup of the heat pipe from frozen state was also studied. It was found that during the startup process, at least part of the heat pipe was active. The active region extended gradually down to the end of the condenser until all of the working fluid in the heat pipe was molten.
- Publication:
-
Final Report
- Pub Date:
- August 1992
- Bibcode:
- 1992kyu..reptQ....C
- Keywords:
-
- Flow Velocity;
- Heat Exchangers;
- Heat Pipes;
- Heat Transfer;
- Liquid Sodium;
- Transient Response;
- Wicks;
- Working Fluids;
- Cold Traps;
- Data Acquisition;
- Electromagnetic Pumps;
- Surges;
- Thermodynamic Properties;
- Fluid Mechanics and Heat Transfer