Experimental Investigation of Ultrasonic Effect on an Acetone Oscillating Heat Pipe

The ultrasonic effect on the oscillating motion and heat transfer in an oscillating heat pipe (OHP) containing acetone was investigated experimentally. The ultrasonic sound was applied to the evaporating section of the OHP by using electrically-controlled piezoelectric ceramics. The ultrasonic sound is used to generate and maintain the oscillating motion, and, thereby, heat transfer is enhanced. The heat pipe was tested with or without the ultrasonic sound. In addition, the effects of heat load, filling ratio, orientation, operating temperature, and input power from 15 W to 200 W were investigated. The experimental results demonstrate that ultrasonic sound can affect the oscillating motions and enhance the heat transfer performance of the acetone OHP. In particular, the application of the ultrasonic sound on an acetone OHP can significantly reduce the thermal resistance of the acetone OHP and enhance the heat transfer performance in a low power input region. The investigation will provide an insight into the oscillating mechanism of the acetone OHP influenced by ultrasonic sound and provide a new way to enhance the heat transfer performance of the OHP.