Closed Loop Pulsating Heat Pipe with a Hydrocarbon as Working Fluid: A Review

Roshan D. Bhagat, Prof. K. M. Watt

Abstract: The objective of this paper is to investigate the characteristics of closed loop pulsating heat pipe with hydrocarbon as working fluid and to study the effect of various operating parameter affecting the functioning of closed loop pulsating heat pipe. Working fluid is a very important factor which significantly influences the thermal performance of the closed loop pulsating heat pipe since the working fluid acts as heat transferring medium between a heat source and a heat sink. Thermal performance of the heat pipe subsequently depends on thermodynamics properties of the working fluid inside the heat pipe. Thermodynamics properties involving in heat transfer and two-phase flow consist of latent heat, specific heat capacity, viscosity, surface tension, density, etc. The hydrocarbon working fluid which are usually available are ethanol, methanol, acetone and propanol.

Keywords: closed loop, heat pipe, hydrocarbon, thermal performance, working fluid