Experimental study on sintered powder wick loop heat pipe

Increased of heat flux generated by electronic equipment in particular components of a computer (CPU) should always be accompanied with a good cooling in order to achieve optimal operating capability with a high level of reliability. The use of loop heat pipes in thermal management of electronic cooling becomes one of alternative solution. Before LHPs are implemented as an alternative cooling method for electronic device, a quantity of reliability factors should be considered and evaluated such as wick structure and material, type of working fluid, long term life tests, and other tests. The purposes of this experimental study are to examine and analyze the application of sintered copper powder as a wick on a loop heat pipe, type of cooling system on LHP and the orientation of LHP. The performace of nanofluid as working fluid in loop heat pipe were also investigated in this experiment. The performance of the loop heat pipe was also affected by the type of condenser; the water cooled loop heat pipe has the highest temperature reducing value compared to the heat sink fan. The orientation of loop heat pipe also affected the performance of loop heat pipe. This proved that gravity and capillary pressure affecting the performance of loop heat pipes. Temperature differences between the evaporator and condenser sections with nanofluids were less that pure water, i.e. thermal resistance of the LHP when charged with nanofluids was less. It makes nanofluid attractive as working fluid in loop heat pipe technology.