Yasushi Koito

Frontiers in Heat and Mass Transfer (FHMT) 16 - 1 (2021)

For ultra-thin heat pipes, a centered wick structure is often used. In this study, a numerical analysis is performed on an ultra-thin heat pipe in which the wick structure’s position has deviated from the center. A 3D heat pipe model, developed by the author in a previous study, is extended, and numerical calculations are conducted to determine any differences in performance because of an off-center wick. The major findings are as follows: (1) a completely centered wick structure is recommended for optimum performance; (2) accurate central positioning of the wick structure is important in the fabrication process of ultra-thin heat pipes.