International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, Vol.108, 1036-1047, 2017
An investigation of a multi-layered oscillating heat pipe additively manufactured from Ti-6A1-4V powder
A laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF) additive manufacturing (AM) method was employed for fabricating a multi-layered, Ti-6A1-4V oscillating heat pipe (ML-OHP). The 50.8 x 38.1 x 15.75 mm(3) ML-OHP consisted of four inter-connected layers of circular mini-channels, as well an integrated, hermetic-grade fill port. A series of experiments were conducted to characterize the ML-OHP thermal performance by varying power input (up to 50 W), working fluid (water, acetone, Novec (TM) 7200, and n-pentane), and operating orientation (vertical bottom-heating, horizontal, and vertical top-heating). The ML-OHP was found to operate effectively for all working fluids and orientations investigated, demonstrating that the OHP can function in a multi-layered form, and further indicating that one can 'stack' multiple, interconnected OHPs within flat media for increased thermal management. The ML-OHP evaporator size was found to depend on the layer-wise heat penetration which subsequently depends on power input and the ML-OHP design and material selection. Using neutron radiography, electron scanning microscopy and surface metrology, the ML-OHP channel structure was characterized and found to possess sintered Ti-6A1-4V powder along its periphery. The sintered channel surface, although a byproduct of the L-PBF manufacturing process, was found to behave as a secondary wicking structure for enhanced capillary pumping and wall/fluid heat transfer within the OHP. With the newfound capabilities of AM, many high heat flux thermal management devices, specifically those that employ mini- or micro-channels, can be 're-invented' to possess embedded channels with atypical geometries, arrangements and surface conditions. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Keywords:Additive manufacturing;Heat exchangers;Wicking structure;Minichannels;Pulsating heat pipe;Heat transfer enhancement;Laser sintering;Heat spreader