Investigation of droplet entrainment of the heat-transfer agent in a heat-pipe evaporator with moist vapor

Expressions are obtained describing the operation of a heat pipe in the moist-vapor flow regime. Relationships are obtained for maximum heat flux along with equations describing the entrainment of droplets ejected into the evaporation zone. Friction losses due to the two-phase flow and the dependence of vapor moisture on the radial heat-flux density in the evaporator are also examined. Certain theoretical conclusions are confirmed by a qualitative experimental study, and it is shown that vapor moisture in the heat pipe can be considerable.