Transient behavior of a liquid metal heat pipe
Abstract
The authors describe the results of an experimental investigation of the transient behavior of a liquid metal heat pipe. The experiment shows the reversal characteristic of a liquid metal heat pipe together with the start-up and operational shut-down processes. The recorded data measurements included the external wall temperature distribution, both axial and circumferential, as a function of time. The inlet and output temperatures of the test cell were also recorded to allow the calculation of the amount of heat transferred by the heat pipe to (or from) the sodium loop. The major finding was that the heat pipe did reverse under a pulse heat load applied at the condenser. The time at which the heat pipe reversed was approximately 15 to 25 s. When only the end section of the condenser is heated, the heat pipe may not reverse.
- Publication:
-
IECEC 1991; Proceedings of the 26th Intersociety Energy Conversion Engineering Conference, Volume 4
- Pub Date:
- 1991
- Bibcode:
- 1991iece....4..290N
- Keywords:
-
- Heat Pipes;
- Heat Storage;
- Liquid Metals;
- Radiative Heat Transfer;
- Transient Response;
- Ambient Temperature;
- Condensers;
- Free Convection;
- Liquid Sodium;
- Surface Temperature;
- Fluid Mechanics and Heat Transfer