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According to recent aircraft engine development trends, the performance enhancement of the propulsion plants is accompanied by both an increase of the overall pressure ratio and a decrease of the f...

International audience; This paper aims to study and understand the behaviour of a CPLTA (Capillary Pumped Loop for Terrestrial Applications) in different operating conditions. This CPL, designed for power electronics cooling applications, has been analysed from two different points of view by comparing its operating behaviour with Ethanol and Methanol as working fluids. The influence of the fluids on CPLTA was experimentally explored by modifying: the thermal characteristics (applied heat flux density on the evaporator walls, saturation temperature in the reservoir and condenser inlet temperature) and the hydraulic characteristics (by acting on a setting valve to generate controlled and increasing pressure losses in the vapour line) in order to show how they impact the behaviour of the loop. Thermal aspects of the loop were analysed, including changes of evaporator conductance. To obtain the thermodynamic cycles and evaporator conductance, based on the real evaporation temperature in the porous wick, a theoretical study was conducted using a specific post-processing tool.

International audience; A particular flat plate pulsating heat pipe (FPPHP), filled with FC72, is tested during the 62(th) and 64(th) ESA parabolic flight campaigns under vertical orientation. The FPPHP is made of a thin copper plate, in which a curved channel disposed with 11 U-turns is milled and closed on the top face by a transparent borosilicate plate. The particular characteristics is that the equivalent hydraulic diameter of the square channel (2.5 x 2.5 mm(2)) is above the working fluid capillary diameter on ground, inducing a stratification of the liquid/vapor phases under ground and hyper-gravity conditions, whatever the orientation. The energy transfer mode in such conditions is represented either by pure pool boiling inside the channels almost completely filled by the liquid phase or by an annular flow pattern inside the channels mostly filled by the refrigerant vapor. Instead, during the microgravity phases, the fluid regime naturally turns into a slug-plug flow pattern. During the transition from 1.8 g to 0 g a rapid dry-out may occur in some of the channels, followed by a similarly fast reaction of liquid plugs moving towards the evaporator from the condenser zone. Such stop-and-start motion events continue during the whole microgravity period, leading to strong temperature oscillations, but also to a still acceptable thermal performance of the device.

International audience; Numerical investigation of two-phase loop thermosyphon (2PLT) in steady and transient states is addressed. A one-dimensional two-phase flow model describing a liquid-gas mixture in both mechanical and thermal equilibrium but out of thermodynamic equilibrium is developed. The model considers subcooled liquid and over heated vapor as well as phase transition (evaporation and condensation). The flow model is solved with a specific hyperbolic solver based on Godunov method and Harten-Lax-van Leer-Contact (HLLC) Riemann solver. A parametric study on the thermal power at the evaporator is performed in steady and transient states, the aim being to determine the effects of thermal power increase at the evaporator on the loop behavior. The comparison between Goodwin and Stiffened Gas (SG) equation of state (EOS) models shows fair agreement for latent heat of vaporization, specific volume and enthalpy for both liquid and vapor phases. Simulation of four test cases, corresponding to different evaporator thermal loads, is also carried out in transient state showing that loop response is correctly reproduced by this numerical approach, novel in the context of thermosyphon loops.

Pulsating heat pipes (PHP) are now well-known devices in which liquid/vapor slug flow oscillates in a capillary tube wound between hot and cold sources. In this context, this paper focuses on the motion of the liquid plug, trapped between vapor bubbles, moving in capillary tubes, to try to better understand the thermo-physical phenomena involved in such devices. This study is divided into three parts. In the first part, an experimental study presents the evolution of the vapor pressure during the evaporation process of a liquid thin film deposited from a liquid plug flowing in a heated capillary tube: it is found that the behavior of the generated and removed vapor can be very different, according to the thermophysical properties of the fluids. In the second part, a transient model allows to compare, in terms of pressure and duration, the motion of a constant-length liquid plug trapped between two bubbles subjected to a constant difference of vapor pressure: the results highlight that the performances of the four fluids are also very different. Finally, a third model that can be considered as an improvement of the second one, is also presented: here, the liquid slug is surrounded by two vapor bubbles, one subjected to evaporation, the pressure in both bubbles is now a result of the calculation. This model still allows comparing the behaviors of the fluid. Even if our models are quite far from a complete model of a real PHP, results do indicate towards the applicability of different fluids as suitable working fluids for PHPs, particularly in terms of the flow instabilities which they generate.

A study on the start-up phases of a capillary pumped loop for terrestrial application (CPLTA) is proposed in this paper. Experimental analysis and numerical modeling, using a one-dimensional spatial discretization model, based on thermohydraulic equations and solved by nodal network/electrical analogy, are presented to study the thermal and hydraulic behavior of the loop for methanol and n-pentane as working fluids, during start-up transient phases. The experimental observations are backed up by the numerical model to help the transient and steady analysis of this kind of loop. The precise numerical study allows to have a better understanding of the complicated phenomena happening during the start-up and to have a global view of the behavior of the capillary pumped loop for integrated power (CPLIP) during these phases. In this study, it will be also shown the influence of vapor line solid walls thermal inertia and its impact on the dynamic behavior and on the success of the start-up of the loop.

Evaporation of thin film deposited downstream menisci of slug flows is of major importance in the two-phase heat transfer phenomena occurring inside micro/mini-channels or in pulsating heat pipes. The aim of this study is consequently to analyze, by means of experimental infrared thermography, the heat transfers involved in the motion of a semi-infinite slug flow (one liquid slug followed by one single vapour bubble) in a heated capillary copper tube. Between the liquid and vapour phases the meniscus deposits a thin liquid film at the wall; this film brings about intense heat transfer at the wall by evaporation, leading to a highly significant decrease of external wall temperature. This phenomenon is better understood using infrared temperature measurements, which help to analyze the heat transfer characteristics present during evaporation. Given the highly transient nature of the process, the thickness of the deposited film is a parameter of major importance. After validation of the measurement method with tests involving no fluid or only liquid flow, the experimental results, with water being used as a working fluid, are compared to those of a numerical thermal model of which the parameters are well-known. The results drawn from the model rather accurately predict those obtained in the experiments and facilitate further analysis by presenting, for example, the evolution of liquid film thickness or heat flux density in conjunction with the wall temperature fields. It has been found that the thin film length is a first-order function of the initial thickness of the deposited film, the meniscus velocity, and the heat flux density at the wall, including the release of stored heat energy in the wall that is caused by the temperature difference before and after passage of the meniscus. This study represents a step towards better understanding the local physical phenomena governing the operation of pulsating heat pipes.

International audience; This study focuses on the model reduction of a two-phase loop thermosyphon. The aim is to propose a nonlinear reduced order model able to mimic the thermo-hydraulic behavior of the loop in order to use it for real-time state feedback control, in future applications. First, the one-dimensional two-phase flow model describing the liquid-gas mixture in both mechanical and thermal equilibrium is recalled. The numerical resolution of this detailed model is carried out using a finite volume approach and a Harten-Lax-van Leer Contact Riemann solver. Then, from this detailed model, a new structure of reduced model is determined via the Galerkin projection method. These reduced models, built by the Modal Identification Method, show a very good agreement between the outputs of the detailed model and those computed by the reduced model, during the identification stage. Two test cases, corresponding to different thermal loads at the evaporator, show that the overall levels of density, velocity, mass flow rate, pressure, temperature and internal energy in the loop are satisfactorily reproduced by the reduced model with a global relative error less than 5%. The interest of using such a model lies in the significant gain in CPU time.

Year after year, the thermal dissipation due to power electronics, among other causes, has been increasing. As the demand for highly efficient cooling systems is correspondingly growing, the classical systems are becoming outdated. In that context, Capillary Pumped Loops may be envisioned as innovative and efficient heat transfer devices, but the data concerning their operation characteristics for terrestrial applications remains scarce. The purpose of this study is to develop a reliable steady state modeling tool for these devices as they function under gravity field. CPL modeling uses a nodal method with ESACAP software that leads to easier integration in global system modeling. The experimental setup used for validation is a “Capillary Pumped Loop for Integrated Power” (CPLIP) with a test bench available at the PPRIME institute. After comparison between modeling and experimental results, some parametric studies will be presented.

International audience; Improvement of a new design for a capillary pumped loop (CPL) ensuring high dissipation electronics cooling in ground transportation has been carried out over recent years. Experimental studies on the hybrid loop, which share some characteristics with the standard CPL and loop heat pipe (LHP), have underlined the sizable potential of this new system, particularly with regard to its upcoming industrial applications. In order to obtain a reliable tool for sizing and design of this CPL for terrestrial applications (CPLTA), the present transient thermohydraulic modeling has been developed. Based on the nodal method, the model’s originality consists of transcribing balance equations under electrical networks by analogy. The model’s validation is provided by experimental results from a new CPLTA bench with three parallel evaporators. Large-scale numerical evaluation of loop behavior in a gravity field with a single evaporator shall facilitate understanding of the different couplings between loop parts. In addition, modeling of a multi-evaporator loop is introduced and compared with recent experimental results.

Axially rotating heat pipes are devices used to dissipate heat flux through the latent heat of phase change of a fluid at saturation state. In these systems, centrifugal forces due to heat pipe rotation allow the liquid to flow. The present study focuses on cylindrical heat pipes due to the simplicity and cost of the manufacturing of theses devices. This paper presents a steady-state model of heat and mass transfers along the rotating heat pipe. An optimization procedure, which permits to work at a given saturation temperature and so allows to study the parameters influence for given thermophysical properties, has been developed to perform the calculations. The hypotheses of the model are also discussed and examined. Finally, a parametric study has been carried out, using water as a working fluid, to highlight the influence of parameters such as rotational speed, temperature difference between the evaporator wall and the vapour, or the mass of fluid, on the heat transfers. Finally, the operating conditions conducive to maximal performance have been described.

This paper reports on an experimental study of a capillary pumped loop for terrestrial application (CPLTA) that has been tested using ethanol, methanol, and N-pentane as working fluids. This CPLTA, designed for integrated power electronics cooling in railways, is capable of transferring total heat power of more than 5 kWwhen filled with methanol. First, experiments carried out under transient conditions show the high stability of this device for all the conditions tested, particularly with regard to a harsh rail cycle. Second, steady-state results convincingly show that conductance of the evaporator is independent of secondary fluid temperature, but strongly dependent on the nature of the fluid and the saturation temperature at the reservoir. A theoretical analysis has been undertaken in order to establish the thermodynamic operating curves of all tests carried out in steady-state condition by calculating the pressure difference between the reservoir and the evaporator; from these curves onemay determine the evaporation temperature, as well as the conductance restricted to the single evaporator, thereby underscoring the differences between the fluids. Finally, these results confirm that methanol is the maximally performing fluid for such devices, but also that N-pentane is useful with regard to the lowest heat powers applied, due to its lower density when compared with other fluids.

Heat transfer in flow between concentric rotating cylinders, also known as Taylor–Couette flows, constitutes a long-existing academic and industrial subject (in particular for electric motors cooling). Heat transfer characteristics of those flows are reviewed. Investigations of previous works for different gap thickness, axial and radial ratio, rotational velocity are compared. Configurations with axial flow and/or with slots on the cylinders are also considered. For each case, different correlations are presented. Finally, unresolved issues are mentioned for further research.

In this paper, we present a new development of loop heat pipe (LHP) technology in its applications to cooling systems for high-power IGBT elements. An advanced method of LHP evaporator wick manufacturing has been proposed. Following this approach, a 16 mm outer diameter and 280 mm-length LHP evaporator was designed and manufactured. Nickel and titanium particles were used as raw material in LHP evaporator wick fabrication. LHP with a nominal capacity as high as 900 W for steady-state condition and more than 900 W for a periodic mode of operation at a temperature level below 100 °C and a heat transfer distance of 1.5 m was designed through the cooling of a high-power electronic module. An experimental program was developed to execute LHP performance tests and monitor its operability over a span of time. An investigation of the effects of LHP performance of parameters such as evaporator and condenser temperatures and LHP orientation in a gravity field was brought about. As regards the results of this initial series of tests, it was found that LHP spatial orientation within the nominal range of heat loads has no drastic effect on overall LHP functioning, whereas condenser temperature does play an important role, especially in the range of heat load close to critical. A 2D nodal model of the evaporator was developed and provides us with confirmation of the suggestion that when high-power dissipation levels are available, low wick conductivity is well adapted for LHP applications.

This paper reports on an experimental study of a closed loop Flat Plate Pulsating Heat Pipe (FPPHP) tested on ground and on board of an aircraft during the 60th ESA parabolic flight campaign, during which hyper- and microgravity conditions were reproduced. The tested FPPHP consists of two brazed copper plates, into one of which a continuous rectangular channel (1.6 × 1.7 mm2) with 12 bends in the evaporator is machined. The channel is filled with FC-72 as working fluid with a volumetric filling ratio of 50%. Tests have been conducted with the FPPHP positioned both horizontally and vertically (bottom-heated). The FPPHP presents an innovative design, involving the milling of grooves between the channels. Experimental results on the ground show that the thermal device can transfer more than 180 W in both inclinations, and that the horizontal operation is characterized by repeated stop-and-start phases and lower thermal performance. The FPPHP can operate under microgravity conditions and with a transient gravity force, with global thermal resistance reaching 50% and 25% of that of the empty plate (or around 66% and 35% of a full copper spreader of same overall dimensions), in horizontal and vertical orientation respectively. The temperature homogeneity remains within 10 K in the evaporator section and 3 K in the condenser section with thermal power transfer up to 180 W. Minimum thermal resistance of 0.12 K W−1 was recorded, with its value rising as heating grew more powerful. A parabolic flight test demonstrated that the FPPHP in vertical inclination is rapidly influenced by variation of gravity field, even if, due to the novel geometry, it continues to operate under microgravity. In horizontal inclination, on the other hand, there was no observable parameter change during gravity field variations.

The objective of the present study is to improve the modelling of heat transfer by elementary cells, aiming to increase the quality of their representation in the Laplace space. From the twoport representation and its connections with the classical nodal method, we show that the systematic increase of the order leads to improve the simulation results in transients. But, we would like to find a better reduced topology of the equivalent elementary network of heat conduction, closer to the analytical solution and verifying its terms for higher orders. The wall representation can be performed by an impedance network with “ Π ” or “ T ” shaped cells. The approximation of these impedances leads to define a new cell topology, which introduces capacitances with a negative value called "compensation capacitors". The value of these new elements only depends on the model nodal thermal capacitances in a wall. We study the transfer functions of these various equivalent networks as twoports that we will then compare to the analytical solution of the heat transfer equation. Some interesting values of the negative compensation capacitors are then obtained from transfer function; however, the optimal value would only be given from simulation results. All the established results will be confirmed by transient response simulations, which show the high performances of these new structures. These results are also validated by a modal analysis of these systems. The study of the model's accuracy show that the importance of the reduction for equivalent maximum errors corresponds to the square of the number of elementary cells.

The microwave permeability of composites made of ferrite particles in a non-magnetic matrix is affected by particle shape and size. To account for the second effect, we have developed a micromagnetic model for calculating the microwave polarizability of a particle with non-uniform magnetization. This model is described in detail: a generalized demagnetizing operator associated with the equilibrium magnetic configuration inside the particle is introduced; the polarizability is defined as the perturbation of this configuration by the external magnetic excitation; the permeability of a macroscopic sample is calculated using a space averaging procedure. The numerical methods are introduced and results for two systems are discussed: domain modes in thin films and ferrite composites with planar anisotropy.

The convective heat transfer between the walls of an annular gap with a rotating inner cylinder are studied experimentally and numerically. Two geometrical configurations are analysed : the surfaces of the cylinders are either smooth, or the moving wall is smooth and the other is axially grooved. The experimental study allowed us to appreciate the increase of heat transfer in the presence of grooves for values of Taylor number up to 2·10 7 . The study of the flow and of the heat transfer has also been conducted by numerical simulation by means of three-dimensional laminar model for the grooved gap, and of an axisymmetric model for the smooth gap. The comparison of numerical and experimental data have shown a good agreement of the Nusselt number for values of Taylor number up to 4 · 10 5 .

A comparative study between models with transfer function (two-port) and nodal models is carried out in a Laplace space and in a time domain. We particularly bring to the fore the physical content of the transfer matrix. Different examples of finite walls let us identify the main use of each of these matrix'terms, according to the chosen boundary conditions. The defaults of small order models, in the first instant, are characterised either in Laplace and in time domain. Perspectives of this confrontation in model reduction research are evoked.

Resume On presente les resultats experimentaux de transferts de chaleur en espace annulaire avec ou sans ecoulement axial, entre un cylindre interieur tournant chauffe et un cylindre exterieur fixe refroidi. Deux configurations geometriques sont analysees: les surfaces des cylindres sont toutes les deux lisses, ou la paroi mobile est lisse et l'autre est rainuree axialement. Les resultats en ecoulement de rotation sans debit axial temoignent de l'interet de la presence des rainures et d'un transfert accru a mesure que la vitesse augmente. En presence d'un debit axial d'air, nos investigations menees en regime turbulent montrent que la situation d'entrefer lisse est plus favorable aux transferts convectifs a la paroi du rotor.

Modelization of non-isothermal bubbles expanding in a capillary, as a contribution to the understanding of the physical phenomena taking place in Pulsating Heat Pipes (PHPs), is the scope of this paper. The liquid film problem is simplified and solved, while the thermal problem takes into account a constant heat flux density applied at the capillary tube wall, exchanging with the liquid film surrounding the bubble and also with the capillary tube outside medium. The liquid slug dynamics is solved using the Lucas-Washburn equation. Mass and energy balance on the vapor phase allow governing equations of bubble expansion to be written. The liquid and vapor phases are coupled only through the saturation temperature associated with the vapor pressure, assumed to be uniform throughout the bubble. Results show an over-heating of the vapor phase, although the particular thermal boundary condition used here always ensures an evaporative mass flux at the liquid-vapor interface. Global heat exchange is also investigated, showing a strong decreasing of the PHP performance to convey heat by phase change means for large meniscus velocities.

To probe magnetic field inhomogeneities related to vortices in superconducting Bi 2 Sr 2 CaCu 2 O 8+δ single crystals (T c =90K), we have studied the EPR line of a free radical layer at heights above the surface of the order of 1000A (the vortex lattice parameter at the free radical resonance field, 3.3 kG.) For 55K c , field inhomogeneities at the surface are on a lengthscale larger than 1000A, a lengthscale inconsistent with a vortex lattice. Local measurements with a small DPPH grain show that a fraction of these inhomogeneities can be accounted for by the inhomogeneity of the demagnetizing field in our samples. We compare our results on the field distribution to those of μSR on similar crystals.

Axially grooved heat pipes are devices used mainly to dissipate heat flow through the latent heat of phase change of a fluid at a saturation state. Part of the heat injected at the evaporator flows through a micro-region where the meniscus remains hung at the top of each groove. This article presents a steady-state model built to study the heat and mass transfers in this zone. A parametric study has been performed on aluminum/ammonia heat pipes, mainly used for satellite thermal control, and it led to interesting results, especially regarding the incidence of the radius of curvature of the meniscus and the influence of temperatures on the transfers occurring in the problem.

The network topology reduction is based on an exact mathematical tool. The principle is a reduction of the problem matrix to a few lines and columns. The original reduction method developed in this study is an extension of this technique implemented to transient linear heat diffusion problems. The finite volume model is hence reduced to a few chosen nodes and a new type of element appears, the compensation capacitance. This element, discussed in [Lagonotte et al., European Phys. J. Appl. Phys. 13 (3) (2001) 177], links every node of the model and improves the dynamic behaviour of the model. Two steps of optimisation, concerning the choice of the nodes and the value of the compensation capacitors, are discussed. The method is implemented to an industrial object, a 5.5 kW squirrel cage induction machine, which model is reduced from 1140 down to 10 nodes.