Numerical Investigation of the Influence of the Geometric Dimensions of a Thermosyphon on the Efficiency of Heat Transfer

Abstract

A numerical analysis of heat and mass transfer in a closed two-phase thermosyphon is performed with the use of the ANSYS FLUENT software package. The analysis is carried out within the framework of a mathematical model of a viscous heat-conducting incompressible fluid for the steam and condensate of a heat-transfer agent based on the convective and conductive mechanisms of heat transfer. The effective heat conductivity in a test region as a function of the height of the thermosyphon and the density of the heat flux on the bottom cover (which together characterize the influence of the longitudinal dimension on the efficiency of heat transfer in the test device) is obtained as a result of numerical modeling. It is established that the density of the thermal load on the bottom cover exerts a significant influence on the temperature drop, speed of the steam, and the efficiency of the thermosyphon.