An overall numerical investigation on heat and mass transfer for miniature flat plate capillary pumped loop evaporator

Two-dimensional mathematical model of the miniature flat plate capillary pumped loop (CPL) evaporator is presented to simulate heat and mass transfer in the capillary porous structure and heat transfer in the vapor grooves and metallic wall. The overall evaporator is solved with SIMPLE algorithm as a conjugate problem. The shape and location of vapor–liquid interface inside the wick are calculated and the influences of applied heat fluxes, liquid subcooling and metallic wall materials on the evaporator performances are discussed in detail. The effect of heat conduction of side metallic wall on the performance of miniature flat plate CPL evaporator is also analyzed, and side wall effect heat transfer limit is introduced to estimate the heat transport capability of capillary evaporator. The conjugate model offers a numerical investigation in the explanation of the robustness of the flat plate CPL operation.

► We present an overall evaporator model of miniature flat plate CPL. ► The model can predict heat and mass transfer in the capillary evaporator. ► The side wall effect limit is introduced to estimate heat transport capability. ► The overall model can forecast physical process, the reliability of evaporator. ► We offer numerical results in explanation of the robustness of CPL operation.