Sage Journals: Discover world-class research

Abstract

An open oscillatory heat pipe is a very simple device that is capable of doing work. Although as an engine its thermal efficiency is relatively poor, as a heat transfer device it can transfer a relatively large quantity of heat against gravity, without a wicking material or any moving parts. The thermal and fluid dynamic equations are given whereby the device may be mathematically modelled. Computer-generated results for thrust, pressure and temperature as a function of time are given and discussed. Comparing the theoretical with experimentally obtained thrust curves, it is concluded that the mathematical model reflects the physical behaviour of the device reasonably well. Limitations of the present model are discussed and it is recommended that the device should find application in heat transfer rather than as an engine.

Keywords

oscillatory heat pipe pulsating heat pipe open oscillatory heat pipe putt-putt boat thermodynamic cycle fluid dynamics non-linear mechanics chaos theory

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Gaugler

R. S.

, Heat Transfer Devices, US Patent 2 350 348.

Grover

G. M.

Cotter

T. P.

and Erikson

G. F.

, ‘Structures of very high thermal conductiviey’, J. App. Phys., 35 (1964), 1190–1191.

Peterson

G. P.

, An Introduction to Heat Pipes (Wiley, New York, 1994).

Akachi

and Poláskek

, ‘Pulsating Heat Pipes’, in 5th Int. Heat Pipe Symposium, Melbourne, Australia, 17–20 November 1996.

Carey

V. P.

, Liquid—Vapor Phase-Change Phenomena (Hemisphere, Washingtion, 1992).

Bass

, The Pop-Pop Pages, http://www.nmia.com/∼vrbass/pop-pop, last updated 29 May 2000.

Faghri

, Heat Pipe Science and Technology (Taylor & Francis, Washington, 1995).

Mills

A. F.

, Heat Transfer, 2nd edn (Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, NJ, 1999).

Kandlikar

S. G.

(editor-in-chief), Handbook of Phase Change Boiling and Condensation (Taylor & Francis, Philadelphia, 1999).

10.

El-Genk

M. S.

and Saber

H. H.

, ‘Heat transfer correlations for liquid film in the evaporator of enclosed, gravity-assisted thermosyphons’, J. Heat Transfer, 120 (May 1998), 477–484.

11.

Maezawa

Nakajima

and Akachi

, ‘Experimental study on chaotic behavior of thermohy-draulic oscillation in oscillating thermosyphon’, in 5th Int. Heat Pipe Symposium, Melbourne, Australia, 17–20 November 1996.

An Open Oscillatory Heat Pipe Steam-Powered Boat

Abstract

Keywords

Get full access to this article

References