Heat Pipe Generator Cooler

Project Title

Design & Development of 220 KW Heat Pipe Generator Cooler 

(B YH 01 265 RD 48)

Objective  

To develop a loop type heat pipe module and demonstrate as generator cooler

Project Description

For the first time, a loop type heat pipe is being developed with copper/ethanol and stainless steel/ethanol heat pipes. These special heat pipes have several features favorable as a generator cooler. The evaporator sections on which the hot air from the generator flows are separated from the condenser sections over which the cooling water is circulated whereby water leakage into the system is effectively eliminated. Manufacture of evaporator and condenser sections made from high fin and low fin tubes respectively can be carried out separately and integrated subsequently. Each stage comprises a row of heat pipe sections TIG welded to common headers. Each stage heat duty will be larger than a row of equal number of individual heat pipes reducing the overall module size. The evaporator section of each loop is made of 20 Nos. of high fin bimetallic tubes made of 2m long 18 mm id copper core tube and 45 mm od aluminum fin tube with a fin height of 11 mm. The fin density is 390 fins/m. The tubes are TIG welded to a common top and bottom headers 50 mm and 33 mm diameter respectively. The

Loop Type Heat Pipe Generator Cooler

condenser consists of 20 Nos. of integral low fin copper tubes 18 mm id similarly welded to common headers.

     The two sections are integrated with connecting pipes to form a closed loop. Two 12 mm valves are provided, one to serve evacuation and filling and the other as a drain valve. The valves are dispensed with once the right proportion of fill charge is determined by repeated trials on the first loop. The unit will be a completely sealed system.

      Manufacture of the first loop was completed. Evacuation and filling was in progress.