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• A reservoir-assisted loop thermosyphon with a micro-grooved evaporator (MGTPLT) was fabricated. • Micro-grooved structures allowed faster startup and more stable operation of the MGTPLT. • The convection heat transfer ratio was proposed to evaluate the heat transfer enhancement. • The MGTPLT reduced evaporator temperatures and achieved thermal performance enhancement. The two-phase loop thermosyphon (TPLT) offers significant advantages in high-efficiency and long-distance heat transport for various thermal and energy-related applications without external power consumption. In this paper, the startup and heat transfer characteristics of a reservoir-assisted loop thermosyphon with a micro-grooved evaporator (MGTPLT) were experimentally investigated and compared with a loop thermosyphon having a smooth-tube evaporator (STPLT). R245fa was used as a working fluid at volumetric filling ratios of 50–80 %. The results demonstrated that the additional microgrooves allowed a shorter startup time characterized by a lower maximum temperature with respect to the temperature overshoot. Compared to the STPLT, the MGTPLT exhibited lower evaporator temperatures and better temperature uniformities; the micro-grooved structures could alleviate local intermittent dry-out at moderate and high levels of power input for filling ratios of 50 and 60 %. The addition of micro-grooved structures enhanced the heat transfer performance of the TPLT characterized by lower thermal resistances. The convection heat transfer ratio (CHTR) was proposed to evaluate the enhancement of the convection heat transfer within the evaporator region after using microgrooves. The CHTR showed a decreasing tend with increasing the power input. At moderate filling ratios, the value of the CHRT was greater than 1.1, and an approximately 18 % increase in the convection heat transfer was achieved under the combined condition of 60 % filling ratio and 250 W power input. The fundamental mechanism of heat transfer performance enhancement with the aid of micro-grooved structures was analyzed and elucidated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Presents an analytical solution for thermal spreading in a cylindrical body with spatially varying side wall cooling. • A series solution is derived, with coefficients shown to be the solution of a set of linear algebraic equations. • Impact of key non-dimensional parameters on temperature field and thermal resistance is investigated. • Results are shown to be in excellent agreement with past work for special cases. • Results are of relevance for edge cooling of microprocessor chips as well as batteries. Thermal spreading and constriction resistance play an important role in thermal management of a variety of engineering systems, including semiconductor devices. Moreover, thermal contact resistance at interfaces between materials is also governed by spreading and constriction processes. Most of the past literature on theoretical modeling of thermal spreading from a source into a larger body assumes an adiabatic side wall, whereas several recent thermal management problems involve active cooling at the side wall. This work addresses such scenarios by solving the thermal spreading problem in a finite thickness cylinder with spatially varying convective heat transfer on the side wall. An eigenfunction-based series solution for the temperature field is written, the coefficients of which are shown to be governed by a set of coupled algebraic equations. Results are shown to agree well with past work for special cases of the general analysis presented here. Thermal spreading resistance is computed for a number of practical scenarios, including step function, periodic and sinusoidal convective cooling on the side wall. In each case, it is shown that the temperature distribution is consistent with the nature of the spatially varying boundary condition. A key theoretical insight from this work is that under certain conditions, the classical definition of thermal spreading resistance may become negative due to the presence of two heat sinks in the problem. Therefore, analysis based on total resistance may be more appropriate. This work offers a significant generalization of past papers, making it possible to analyze realistic thermal management problems, in which, side wall cooling plays an important role. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]