Studies on the startup transients and performance of a gas loaded sodium heat pipe

High temperature liquid metal heat pipes have exhibited difficulties starting up from frozen state due to inherent low near-room temperature vapor pressures associated with working fluids. Inert gas loading is a possible solution to the frozen state startup problem. A few research papers give results of this technique. The applicability of the method to heat pipes with arterial grooves and long adiabatic lengths is unknown. The present study deals with the design, fabrication and startup testing of a gas loaded sodium heat pipe of the double walled type with grooved artery channel and long adiabatic section.