Thermal performance of sintered heat pipes.

Heat pipes (HPs) are very efficient heat exchangers. Experiments were conducted to determine the thermal performances of two sintered heat pipes each 1780 mm long x 8 mm OD and 580 mm long x 10 mm OD under power inputs from 30 to 120 W and inclinations from -90° to +90° to the horizontal. Results showed that they performed better with the evaporator above the condenser. Thermal resistances for the long pipes ranged from 0.190 K/W at 30 W to 0.085 K/W at 120 W. For the short pipe, thermal resistance was nearly constant at 0.105 K/W. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]