Effect of geometry of film flow passage in superfluid heat pipe on heat transfer

Abstract

Abstract.A superfluid heat pipe is one of the excellent heat transfer devices below 2.17 K. The overall heat conductance of this type of heat pipe is extremely high below the critical heat flow. In this study, the critical heat flow rates through the heat pipes with different internal structures of superfluid film flow passage were measured. In the case of the heat pipe where straight stainless steel wires were inserted, the critical heat flow was proportional to the wetted perimeter as far as the porosity is high enough. On the other hand, for the heat pipe with inside porous structure composed of glass beads, the critical heat flow doesn't follow the simple linear equation.