The aim of this paper is to point out possible solutions to the further development of heat pipes by numerical modelling of phase-change heat transfer. Numerical modelling has now become a standard method that helps to reduce the economic costs of research and development of new and innovative devices. The article describes the procedures for using numerical simulation in phase-change heat transfer that occurs due to evaporation and condensation of the working fluid. The suggested procedure enables modelling of gravitational heat pipe under different changes in its geometry or under changes in the working fluid. From the simulation results we can find out how the heat pipe behaves under different geometric changes and how much heat output it transfers. The paper presents results obtained from modelling of heat pipes, such as classical gravitational heat pipe, heat pipe with capillary geometry, and closed loop pulsating heat pipe. The results gathered from numerical simulation of heat pipes were compared with measurement results.

EPJ Web of Conferences, open-access proceedings in physics and astronomy

EPJ Web of Conferences, open-access proceedings in physics and related sciences

This paper is focused on the research of gravitational heat pipes for heat recovery for hot water heating from the flue gas in small biomass heat sources. The paper includes a proposal of an experimental device, with the help that is explored the influence of the amount of water filling at various temperature parameters (heating temperature and temperature cooling) on transferred heat performance by gravitational heat pipe. There is also introduced in a measuring procedure for heat pipe by using the proposed experimental device and measurement results. Due to the similarity of the experimental measurements with the prototype for heating of hot water in small combustion heat sources, the heating of heat pipe is made by hot air and the cooling on the condenser section of heat pipe is carried out with water. At the end of the article is an analysis of the obtained results which are compared to the numerical model. Based on the results obtained from experimental measurements would be possible to design a prototype of water heater, which uses a gravity heat pipe for heat transport. The heat pipe would safely heat the water in a storage tank by flue gas in the flue gas duct of the small heat sources using biomass fuel.

EPJ Web of Conferences, open-access proceedings in physics and related sciences