Experimental study on heat transfer performance of loop heat pipe heat spreader

This study introduces the novel application of a multi-heat source loop heat pipe (LHP) in heat spreader. The system efficiently transfers heat from multiple localized sources to a 260 mm × 350 mm area, with heat dissipation achieved via water cooling on both sides. Experimental investigations explore the impact of heat sink temperature, evaporator thermal load, and gravitational orientation on the LHP heat spreader’s heat transfer efficiency and temperature uniformity. Cooling with compensation chamber significantly enhances heat transfer performance, reducing start-up time by 60%. Experimental results reveal that under standard operating conditions, the heat spreader has a thermal resistance below 0.01 °C·W−1. It can handle a maximum thermal load of 400 W under suitable conditions and adapt to different gravitational fields. The maximum thermal load of the loop heat pipe heat spreader is approximately seven times that of the evaporator. The study aims to demonstrate the potential of LHPs in enhancing heat dissipation capabilities, particularly in scenarios requiring robust performance against gravity and within tight spaces, thereby addressing the growing challenges posed by increasing heat flux densities in modern electronic systems and aerospace applications.