Study of self-rewetting fluid applied to loop heat pipe

Results of surface tension measurement showed that, concerning the concentration of a self-rewetting fluid, the optimal concentration for a self-rewetting fluid was its saturation concentration; concerning the solute of a self-rewetting fluid, after comparing all the tested working fluids at the optimal concentration, 6% butanol aqueous solution was the best type of self-rewetting fluid. Results from applying 6% butanol to LHP as working fluid for performance testing showed that the critical heat load was 650 W and the total thermal resistance was 0.25 ° C/W. Compared with LHP with regular working fluid, the critical heat load was 2.5 times higher and total thermal resistance decreased by about 60%, indicating high potential for self-rewetting fluids to enhance the heat transfer performance of LHPs.