When a rotating heat pipe is in operation, liquid condensate returns from the condenser to the evaporator along the inside surface by both components of gravitational and centrifugal forces. It was known that its performance was largely dependent on h...
When a rotating heat pipe is in operation, liquid condensate returns from the condenser to the evaporator along the inside surface by both components of gravitational and centrifugal forces. It was known that its performance was largely dependent on how to increase the flow rates of condensate and keep the condensate film thickness as thin as possible. Most of research works were focussed on this goal, and various inner wall structures such as tapered wall, stepped wall or coil inserted pipe etc. were developed. In the present study, a stepped wall structure with 3 internal grooves in the condenser and adiabatic zone was examined. For this system, the condensate would flow down to the evaporator through the grooves, resulting a reduced film thickness over the condenser surface. Experimental data showed an enhancement of heat transfer coefficient in the condenser zone. An analytical solution to the condensate film thickness showed that the analytically calculated values of heat transfer coefficient were considerably higher than the experimental data.