Heat Exchangers: Fundamentals and Design Analysis

Prof. Prasanta Kumar Das

Lecture – 43
Heat pipes and Heat pipe heat exchangers

Hello, friends. We are studying Heat Exchangers: Fundamentals and Design Analysis.
From this lecture, we will switch over to a new topic that is Heat pipes and Heat pipe
heat exchangers. Many of you may be familiar with the word heat pipe, some of you may
know how does it work what is a heat pipe, but for the benefit of most of you let me tell
you that heat pipe itself is not a heat exchanger strictly speaking.

If we take the very common perception regarding a heat exchanger that heat exchanger is
a device, which facilitate heat transfer between two fluid steams from that definition
point of view or from that concept point of view heat pipe is not itself is not a heat
exchanger. But, heat pipe could be a part of a heat exchanger it is a very unique device.
So, that is why we like to spend some time, it is a very high very highly efficient device
of heat exchange of the exchange of thermal energy. That is why we like to spend some
time and with the help of a single heat pipe or maybe with the help of a number of heat
pipes we can have a design of heat exchanger, which is a very efficient design of heat
exchanger.

So, then we have to understand how does heat pipe works and why or how it can give
such a better performance to a heat exchanger.
(Refer Slide Time: 02:16)

So, if we go to the next slide heat pipe. Heat pipe is a device of very high thermal
conductance that is what I have told that heat pipe is a very efficient device of
exchanging thermal energy. So, in general taking the heat pipe as a black box how it is
doing this exchange of thermal energy that we will see later on, but if we see the heat
pipe as a black box, then we can tell that heat pipe is a device of a very high thermal
conductance.

Now, the heat pipe is not new for long heat pipes have been advocated or the design of
heat pipe has been proposed by people. The first suggestion came from Gougler in 1942,
but serious effort for developing these devices started from the independent research or
independent innovation invention by Grover in early 1960s. And, from then onwards we
will have different kind of heat pipe design and today heat pipe is a very established
technology and it covers a very large range of temperature starting from the cryogenic
range of temperature to the temperature of several thousand I mean more than 1000
degree Celsius or the liquid metal range. So, we will have heat pipes of different designs.

So, regarding the design and regarding the range wide range of heat pipe regarding it is
application we will learn a bit later. But, now let us proceed with the preliminary of heat
pipe how we can understand the working principle of a heat pipe. The working principle
is similar to that of a thermosyphon. So, thermosyphon again it is made of two words one
is thermo that is heat and another is syphon. So, syphon we know, syphon gives some
sort of flow of liquid with the without the help of any pump and by the assistance of
gravity.

So, in a thermosyphon there will be two things, there will be heat transfer probably the
heat transfer will be responsible for part of the fluid flow and obviously, syphon; that
means, the gravity that will assist the part of the fluid flow and overall there will be
transfer of thermal energy. So, that is in essence is what a thermosyphon can do. And, we
will see how does a thermosyphon work. In thermosyphon gravity plays a major role in
the flow of the working fluid particularly for the return of the fluid to the evaporator.

So, if we see the third bullet that is what I have the fourth bullet that is what I have read
now that in thermosyphon gravity plays a very important role. So, the there will be some
sort of a continuous circulation of the fluid and the fluid has to return to evaporator. It
will be clear in a moment what is evaporator, why the fluid has to return to evaporator
and gravity plays a very important role in that.

Therefore, as the gravity flow gravity helps in gravity helps in returning the liquid from
returning the liquid from the condenser section to the evaporator section, therefore, the
evaporator has to be at the bottom part of this device called thermosyphon. So, this is
another important thing that the thermosyphon design is such that the evaporator will be
at the bottom part of the thermosyphon. So, whatever I have told without knowing much
of thermosyphon one can think that there is an evaporator in the thermosyphon and the
liquid has to return.

Now, with this background let us go to the next slide and see what is a thermosyphon.
(Refer Slide Time: 06:42)

Now, if we concentrate on the diagram which is given on the left side of this slide, then
there I have shown a thermosyphon. So, this is a thermosyphon and the application, this
is also a very practical application. Let us say this is a cold country and at the top we
have got cold air maybe in a room there is a in a space there is cold air and this cold air
we want to heat how we can do it? We can do it with the help of renewable energy or non
conventional energy source. We know that within the ground or below the ground level if
we go little bit deep down then there will be higher temperature.

So, as there is a higher temperature below the ground and as there is a low temperature
above the ground the air is cold so, one can think of transferring heat from below the
ground to the air over the earth surface and heat the air. So, this could be one application
and this could be one utilization of your of your renewable energy and this can be done
very conveniently with the help of a heat pipe.

So, you see this heat pipe is basically it is having a tubular structure and generally it is
evacuated and then there is little bit of liquid working fluid which we are calling a
working fluid in this heat pipe. So, basically it is a cylindrical long cylindrical container,
some partially filled with liquid then it is evacuated and again sealed and then if the
liquid due to gravity it will occupy the lower part of the device, which is thermosyphon
and then if we transfer heat at this point so, the liquid will try to evaporate liquid will
start the evaporating.
The vapour vapour being lighter and it is becoming it is having a low density it will try
to fill the space and it will go to the top portion. And, we can remember that it will it
contains the vapour contents the latent heat of vaporization and then at the top as it is
surrounded by the cold air so, there will be heat transfer and the vapour will condense to
liquid. That liquid has to come back to the liquid reservoir at the bottom and that will
take place due to the assistance of gravity.

So, then this will be a device which will run continuously without needing any kind of
power from anywhere. Only thing is that there is a temperature difference and that
temperature difference is creating the fluid flow and again when there is a fluid flow and
phase change the way, I have told both evaporation and condensation. So, there will be a
transfer of heat from the high temperature to the low temperature. So, this is what is a
thermosyphon.

And, there could be loop type of thermosyphon. So, if we see right side right hand side
of the slide I have given a loop type thermosyphon left hand side I have given some sort
of a tubular thermosyphon, which is having some kind of a single passage which is
occupied both the upward moving fluid which is vapour vapour and the downward
moving fluid which is the condensate or liquid.

So, it is occupied by both the fluid. When we go to the loop kind of thermosyphon here
one path this path is occupied by the high temperature fluid and the other path is
occupied by the low temperature fluid. So, this is basically sometime some type of a
circulation loop here also there is a circulation loop, but the loop is not geometrically
given a loop like structure.

So, this is basically the operation of a heat pipe and this is how we can have transfer of
heat from a high temperature to low temperature. The things to be noted here that as
phase change is the main mechanism of transport of heat for this particular device. So,
this operates at a very less temperature difference; that means that though there could be
a good amount of heat transfer the temperature difference between the hot end and the
cold end need not be very high.

So, this is phase change heat transfer is involved and as we know phase change heat
transfer is very efficient. So, this will have a very efficient way of transporting heat
requiring very small amount of delta t. That is the first feature which is a very desirable
feature for any heat exchanger or to be incorporated in any heat exchanger. Second
feature which we have to note carefully that the thermosyphon is oriented in such a way,
so that the evaporator is at the bottom, this is the evaporator part. The evaporator is at the
bottom of the thermosyphon and the condenser is at the top of the thermosyphon or the
high temperature end is at the bottom of the thermosyphon and the low temperature end
is at the top of the thermosyphon because we have to exploit gravity for return of the
fluid from the low temperature point to the high temperature point.

So, this is one this is one limitation of operation for this thermosyphon. So, we have to
understand thermosyphon and we have to understand why it is having a very high degree
of rather why it is having a high performance as far as heat transfer is concerned and then
we have to understand that why it is having a limitation. These three point should be
clear from this slide.

Now, let us go to the next slide.

(Refer Slide Time: 13:24)

So, basically if we see the historical development of heat pipe heat pipe design came
from the design of thermosyphon. So, thermosyphon is a very let us say it is highly
efficient device for transport of thermal energy, but it has got a limitation that it has to be
oriented in a particular fashion. The high temperature point will be below and the low
temperature point will be at the top. So, that limitation is that limitation is removed in
case of a heat pipe design. So, an improvised design of thermosyphon gives heat pipe.
So, that is the first point and then second point if we like to see the basic heat pipe differs
from the thermosyphon in that the former contains a wick; that means, the heat pipe
contains a wick.

Wick is nothing, but a capillary structure. Wick is a common reference to this capillary
structure and the wick helps the return of the working fluid from the condenser section to
the evaporator section. So, if wick helps return of the fluid from the condenser section to
the evaporator section then we do not need the avid the assistance of gravity and then
this particular orientation of thermosyphon is not essential; that means, always the hot
side will be at the at the bottom and the cold side will be at the top. So, this kind of
limitation of this kind of restriction will not be there in a heat pipe.

As gravity is not required to return the fluid same thing I have told that evaporated need
not be at the lowest position of the device. This gives substantial flexibility of operation
and it also makes the design compact and highly efficient. Some thermosyphons
particularly loop thermosyphon does not require any phase change, the working fluid
phase change of the working fluid, but heat pipes in variably have phase change. So, this
is a small difference between these two devices.

Theoretically, we can have a thermosyphon loop type thermosyphon without any face
change, but which can be used in a let us say the solar collector that with a storage device
or storage tank can also work on the basis of thermosyphon, but their phase change is not
essential. But, whenever we will see the design of heat pipe so, in most of the cases
phase change is there. So, this is another small difference between your thermosyphon
and between the thermosyphon and heat pipe. Now, let us see closely how these two
things work.
(Refer Slide Time: 16:35)

So, again on the left hand side I have shown a thermosyphon. So, thermosyphon you see
that we have got a container like construction, it could be in a simplest form it could be a
cylindrical tube closed at both the end. Lowest point we have got some liquid which is
known as working fluid and the lowest point, there is heat input we call it evaporator
section and then there will be evaporation. So, the vapour that will move with the upward
direction and we have to remember that initially the pressure is inside is low because
after putting the liquid we have partially evacuated it and then we have sealed it.

Then, it will go to the top most part and then at the top most part we have got the
condenser so, from the condenser condensation will take place and the condensate film
will come back to the evaporator. So, this will continue, as long as there is a small
temperature difference between the hot end and the cold end or the top side and the sorry
and the bottom side and bottom end and the top end of the of the thermosyphon.

So, we can see primarily there are three part; one is some sort of evaporator section,
another is condenser section and in between there is an there is an adiabatic part or at
least ideally this is an adiabatic part where no heat transfer or practically no heat transfer
takes place. So, but it has to be in this kind of orientation. On the right hand side we see
heat pipe. Heat pipe externally it looks just like the thermosyphon I have described, but
internally if we see that there is a weak structured this grey structure that is the wick
structure. And, here please note that we have put the hot section or hot part or hot end of
the heat pipe at a higher elevation and the cold part of the heat pipe at a lower elevation.
So, in general it should not work.

If there is no capillary structure or wick structure which I have told, but it will work
because there is a wick structure and the wick structure when there will be liquid
condensed at this cold end this liquid will move in the upward direction look the arrows
look at the arrows so, it is going in the upward direction and again reaching the
evaporator. So, this is how your heat pipe will work.

So, I will take little bit time to explain the wick action or explain the capillary reaction
though it is known to many of you for the sake of completeness and for the benefit of the
all the participants let us take some time to do this wick structure what is the what is the
purpose of a wick structure.

(Refer Slide Time: 20:12)

Now, wick is something like this. Let us say we have got, let us say we have got this
concept of wick is something like this. Let us say we have got a very traditional lamp
with some sort of oil. So, here this is oil and it is in a container and at the top we have
got the flame. So, now, the oil has to come to this point then only the flame will be
supported. So, how it is done there is a wick. Wick is made up let us say cotton and then
the continuously there will be flow of oil from the low point, I mean from a low
elevation to a high elevation.
So, how that is taking place? This is taking place due to capillarity or due to a wick in
action. So, this is our day to day experience common experience what we get in our day
to day life. So, obviously, there will be some sort of a drive driving force which will
which will help the liquid or the oil in this case to defy gravity and to come at the top and
to facilitate the burning so, that we can get the flame and light.

(Refer Slide Time: 22:04)

Now, actually what is happening? So, actually what is happening is like this that if we
have a very narrow tube. Let us say it is a tube of solid material and then we dip. So, this
tubes are called capillary tube means narrow tube. So, then if we dip in a liquid what we
will find the liquid will rise up to certain level. So, this is the liquid. So, normal free
surface is here, but the liquid has rise to a height h. So, here also it is defying gravity
because against the force of gravity there is a rise of liquid. So, how does it take place,
many of you know it from your high school physics, but if we try to explain it little bit.

So, if we draw an exaggerated diagram the meniscus of the liquid is something like this
and here a force work which is your surface tension force and we denote it by sigma. So,
sigma works along the periphery of the meniscus and there is a small angle. So, this
angle is theta. So, you can see so, this is theta. So, you can see that the horizontal
component of the surface tension that will cancel because all through the periphery there
is surface tension, but the vertical component that will add up. So, this vertical
component will add up. So, in the vertical direction there is a force and this force is the
capillary force and it is drawing the or it is pulling the liquid in the upward direction.

So, if it is pulling the upward direction so, in general what we get is this that. This
derivation you can do very easily 2 sigma and let us say this is your phase 1. So, 2 sigma
1 and 2 sigma 1 by r, where r is the radius of this tube r that is equal to or approximately
equal to rho 1 into g into h. So, two things are very important that sigma surface tension
that should be high to get a higher value of h and rho sorry and r, r should be small so,
the as the name capillary cames that in a small tube we can see appreciable amount of
liquid rise. So, that is what takes place.

So, the first example what I have given that we have got a cotton wick and then with the
help of the cotton wick we can light an oil lamp so, there the cotton wick you can now
appreciate that there are small small pores and that small pores which are there in the
cotton wick that gives the capillary kind of a construction and with that we can raise the
liquid. So, similarly if we can create some sort of a capillary structure so, that will drive
the fluid motion and continuously at one point if the fluid is taken away which is taken
away by the evaporator and continuously evaporation takes place so this flow can be
maintained. In a oil lamp continuously oil is being burnt so, the flow is maintained,
otherwise it will have only a static rise.

So, this is what is very important and this is how the liquid return works in case of in
case of in case of heat pipe, so, we have got a capillary structure. So, with this I will
again go back to the next slide we will go back and here how the capillary structure helps
in return of the fluid and how does a basic heat pipe a conventional heat pipe works we
can get.
(Refer Slide Time: 26:46)

If we go to the next slide a suitable mechanism is required for the return of the
condensate liquid from the condenser to the evaporator, wick or capillary structure is
most commonly used in heat pipe. So, we do not want gravity to be responsible for this
return of liquid from the condenser to the evaporator because then we have got a
limitation regarding the orientation of the heat pipe.

So, that we do not want. So, that is why what we like to do that we want to have another
mechanism. So, capillarity is one mechanism providing capillary structure is one of the
mechanism by which this can be done and commonly this is done by providing a
capillary structure, but there could be other methods also.

So, here some of the methods are given. Now, due to shortage of time I will not be able
to show all these methods some of the method maybe we will show, but whoever is
interested you can see. Gravity: first is gravity that is thermosyphon. So, basically one
can say that thermosyphon is also kind of a heat pipe only restriction is that, that here we
have to have a particular orientation of the thermosyphon. Then, capillary force, which is
most common that is why I like to put some sort of a. So, it is good return mechanism
and standard heat pipe, loop heat pipe etcetera are standard heat pipe and loop heat pipe
etcetera are based on this one.

Then, we can use the centripetal force rotating heat pipe there are certain design where
the heat pipe is rotated. So, there we have got centripetal force and by that also liquid can
be returned or taken back to the evaporator. Then we can have electro kinetic force. So,
electro hydrodynamic heat pipe, electro osmotic heat pipe, these are the heat pipe which
use electromagnetic force. Then magnetic force is also possible.

So, magneto hydrodynamic heat pipe, magnetic fluid heat pipe heat pipe ferro fluid can
be used for your this one as heat pipe or magnetic fluid some sort of other magnetic
properties are there. So, that can also be used as your return mechanism that magnetic
force. Then, osmotic force, osmotic heat pipe and bubble pumping; bubble pumping is a
special device special kind of mechanism. If there are bubble trains then due to the
expansion and contraction of the bubble we can pump the fluid. So, that is in inverse
thermalsyphon.

So, these are some of the mechanism which I have described or which I have named.
Unfortunately, all of them cannot be explained in detail only if you are interested you can
see it from the net or from some suitable source. But, obviously, the capillarity is the
main mechanism and we will spend some time on this capillary a device, how does it
done provide the return path for the liquid and the analysis also we will try to do
involving a capillary structure or wick structure.

So, that is what we are going to do in this particular course. So, more we have to know.
We have to know its performance, we have to know the working principle, but today this
much is for the introduction to heat pipe.

And, thank you.