Sector Rotating Heat Pipe With Interconnected Branches and Reservoir for Turbomachinery Cooling

Abstract

Heat pipe technology offers a possible cooling technique for structures exposed to high heat fluxes, as in turbomachinery such as compressors and turbines. However, in its current configuration as single heat pipes, implementation of the technology is limited due to the difficulties in manufacturability and costs. Hence, a study to develop a new radially rotating (RR) heat pipe system was undertaken, which integrates multiple RR heat pipes with a common reservoir and interconnected braches for a more effective and practical solution to turbomachinery cooling. Experimental study has shown that the integration of multiple heat pipe branches with a reservoir at the top is feasible.