Analysis of a heat pipe exchanger

A computer program was developed to predict heat pipe performance, finned-tube heat exchanger performance, and the overall performance of a finned-tube heat exchanger. The computer analysis uses conventional heat exchanger design techniques and a new heat pipe design technique which includes probabilistic design of artery wick heat pipes. The heat pipe exchanger analysis program is normally used by specifying the mass flow rates, inlet temperatures, and inlet pressures of the hot and cold air streams. The heat transfer capability of the heat pipes was matched with that of the finned-tube heat exchanger in order to select appropriate heat pipes, and thus obtain minimum volume, weight, and cost for the heat exchanger. The results predicted by the heat pipe heat exchanger analysis program were compared to the data available in the literature, and relatively good agreement was obtained.