Liquid film distributions and vapor flow in a radially rotating heat pipe are analyzed for potential heat transfer limitations under turbine blade cooling conditions. Closed-form analytical solutions for the liquid film in the condenser section and the vapor temperature drop along the heat pipe length are derived. The emphases int he present study are placed ont he miniature size of the radially rotating heat pipe with a high rotating speed and high temperature. The ranges of heat inputs, geometric dimensions, and the rotating speeds are as follows: 40 <= Q <= 200W, 1.0 <= D_h <= 8.0 mm, L = 80 mm, and 6.26 <= omega ~2Z/g <= 6.26 x 10~4. It is found that the heat pipe diameter, radially rotating speed, and operating temperature play an important role on the performance of the heat pipe. Heat transfer limitations may be encountered for an increased heat input and rotating speed, or a decreased hydraulic diameter. Based on the extensive analytical evaluations, it is concluded that the miniature radially rotating heat pipe studied in this paper is feasible for turbomachinery applications.
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