Flat miniature heat pipes (FMHP’s) are shown to be very promising in the cooling of electronic component systems. This investigation presents a detailed experimental and theoretical analysis on maximum heat transfer capabilities of two copper-water FMHP’s with diagonal trapezoidal micro capillary grooves and one copper-water FMHP with axial rectangular micro capillary grooves. Maximum heat flux on the evaporator wall of the 120-mm long axial grooved heat pipe, with a vapor channel cross-sectional area of approximately 1.5 × 12 mm2 and rectangular grooves of dimensions 0.20 mm wide by 0.42 mm deep, exceeded 90 W/cm2 in the horizontal orientation and 150 W/cm2 in the vertical orientation. Theoretical prediction of the capillary limitation in the horizontal orientation agreed reasonably well with the experimental data.

A detailed mathematical model is developed in which the heat and mass transfer processes in a micro heat pipe (MHP) are examined. The model describes the distribution of the liquid in a MHP and its thermal characteristics depending upon the liquid charge and the applied heat load. The liquid flow in the triangular-shaped corners of a MHP with polygonal cross section is considered by accounting for the variation of the curvature of the free liquid surface and the interfacial shear stresses due to a liquid-vapor frictional interaction. The predicted results obtained are compared to existing experimental data. The importance of the liquid fill, minimum wetting contact angle, and the shear stresses at the liquid-vapor interface in predicting the maximum heat transfer capacity and thermal resistance of the MHP is demonstrated.

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A detailed mathematical model is developed that describes heat transfer through thin liquid films in the evaporator of heat pipes with capillary grooves. The model accounts for the effects of interfacial thermal resistance, disjoining pressure, and surface roughness for a given meniscus contact angle. The free surface temperature of the liquid film is determined using the extended Kelvin equation and the expression for interfacial resistance given by the kinetic theory. The numerical results obtained are compared to existing experimental data. The importance of the surface roughness and interfacial thermal resistance in predicting the heat transfer coefficient in the grooved evaporator is demonstrated.

A physical and mathematical model of annular film condensation in a miniature tube has been developed. In the model the liquid flow has been coupled with the vapor flow along the liquid-vapor interface through the interfacial temperature, heat flux, shear stress, and pressure jump conditions due to surface tension effects. The model predicts the shape of the liquid-vapor interface along the condenser and the length of the two-phase flow region. The numerical results show that complete condensation of the incoming vapor is possible at comparatively low heat loads. Observations from a flow visualization experiment of water vapor condensing in a horizontal glass tube confirm the existence and qualitative features of annular film condensation leading to the complete condensation phenomenon in small diameter (d < 3.5 mm) circular tubes.