<b>Modeling and experimental tests of a copper thermosyphon

Abstract

Electrical energy, solar energy, and/or direct combustion of a fuel are the most common thermal sources for home water heating. In recent years, the use of solar energy has become popular because it is a renewable and economic energy source. Among the solar collectors, those assisted by thermosyphons are more efficient; therefore, they can enhance the heat transfer to water. A thermosyphon is basically a sealed tube filled with a working fluid and, normally, it has three regions: the evaporator, the adiabatic section and the condenser. The great advantage of this device is that the thermal resistance to heat transfer between its regions is very small, and as a result, there is a small temperature difference. This article aims to model a thermosyphon by using correlations based on its operation limits. This modeling will be used as a design tool for compact solar collectors assisted by thermosyphons. Based on the results obtained with the mathematical modeling, one copper thermosyphon, with deionized water as the working fluid, was developed and experimentally tested. The tests were carried out for a heat load varying from 30 to 60W in a vertical position. The theoretical and experimental results were compared to verify the mathematical model.