Evaluation of liquid behavior in a Variable Conductance Heat Pipe by neutron radiography

A Variable Conductance Heat Pipe (VCHP) is used as a cooling device for electrical equipments. The condensation area is passively controlled by the non-condensable gas volume in the VCHP depending on the heat load. The VCHP has often a bent pipe between the evaporation and condensation area. The heat pipe performance depends much on the bent pipe shape and configuration because a liquid plug is formed in the bent pipe and disturbs the refrigerant circulation. However, the mechanism has not been clarified well. The neutron radiography system at the JRR-3 in Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) was used to visualize the refrigerant behavior in the VCHP. Effects of the thin plate inserted in the pipe, refrigerant filling ratios and heat pipe configuration were examined on the heat pipe performance. The liquid plug was formed at the bend and caused to decrease the performance. It was confirmed that the thin plate insert was effective to disturb the liquid plug formation.