Experimental Investigation of a Loop Heat Pipe With R245fa and R1234ze(E) as Working Fluids

Abstract

Two kinds of new refrigerant R1234ze(E) and R245fa were discussed as substitutes or supplements to traditional working fluids of loop heat pipes (LHPs) based on their favorable thermophysical properties and characteristics such as being safe and environmentally friendly. Thermal characteristics of a loop heat pipe with sintering copper wick at different charging ratios were experimentally investigated under variable heat loads. The results showed that the optimal charging ratio in the loop heat pipe range from 65% to 70%, and at this charging level, the R1234ze(E) system had better start-up response, while the R245fa system presented a stronger heat transfer capacity. The characteristic temperature of R1234ze(E) system was below 35 °C, and the corresponding thermal resistance was 0.08 K/W–1.62 K/W under heat loads ranging from 5 W to 40 W. The thermal resistance of the R245fa system was 0.18 K/W–0.91 K/W under heat loads of 10 W–60 W, and the operating temperature was below 60 °C. The loop heat pipes charged with the proposed new refrigerants exhibit superb performance in room temperature applications, making them beneficial for enhancing the performance of electronics and could provide a distinctive choice for the cooling of small-sized electronics especially.