Experimental investigation of vapor chambers with different wick structures at various parameters

•Vapor chambers with two types of wick structures were designed and manufactured.•Samples with various parameters, including filling rate, particle size of copper powder, were investigated.•Effects of heating area on the thermal performance are evaluated.

In this study, copper water vapor chambers (VCs) with two wick structures (copper foam and copper powder) are manufactured. An air-cooled test rig is designed to investigate the thermal performance. For copper-foam-based VCs (CFVCs), samples with filling rates ranging from 50% to 190% are manufactured; for copper-powder-sintered VCs (CPVCs), copper powders with particle sizes ranging from 66 ± 9 μm to 265 ± 85 μm are sintered. The VC samples are tested at heat loads ranging from 60 W to 200 W under 20 mm × 20 mm heating area; CFVC with 120% filling rate and CPVC with 66 ± 9 μm particle size are also tested at heat loads ranging from 60 W to 140 W under 10 mm × 10 mm heating area, to evaluate the effect of heating area. Response time, temperature uniformity of the condenser zone, and thermal resistance are used as performance indicators. Results show that CFVCs exhibit good temperature uniformity and that CPVCs exhibit low thermal resistance. CFVCs with moderate filling rates ranging from 90% to 120% outperform those with other filling rates; CPVCs with fine-particle powders outperform those with coarse-particle powders. Furthermore, an increased heating area enhances the performance.