Effect of Localized Heating on Three-Dimensional Flat-Plate Oscillating Heat Pipe

An experimental investigation was conducted, both thermally and visually, on a three-dimensional flat-plate oscillating heat pipe (3D FP-OHP) to characterize its performance under localized heat fluxes while operating in the bottom heating mode and charged with acetone at a filling ratio of 0.73. The cooling area was held constant and three heating areas of 20.16 cm2, 11.29 cm2, and 1.00 cm2 were investigated, respectively. It was found that as the heating area was reduced and higher heat fluxes were imposed, the thermal resistance increased and the amplitude of thermal oscillations in the evaporator increased and became more chaotic. Using neutron radiography, it was observed that fluid oscillations did not occur in outer channels located away from the region of local heating. Although the thermal resistance increased during localized heating, a maximum heat flux of 180 W/cm2 was achieved with the average evaporator temperature not exceeding 90∘C.