Performance analysis of a separator assisted two-phase thermosyphon based on an experimentally validated model

An experimentally validated mathematical model of two-phase separator assisted two-phase thermosyphon loop (STPTL) is developed to evaluate its cooling performance and compared with the basic two-phase thermosyphon loop (BTPTL) in this paper. The simulation results show that the thermal resistance and evaporator outside wall temperature of STPTL are lower than that of the BTPTL about 8.3–15.96°CkW^-1 and 2.49–11.17 °C for heat load ranges from 300 W to 700 W, respectively, under given operating conditions. At different working fluid charge, diameter of two-phase tube and mass flow rate of cooling water, the STPTL can always achieved a better performance than that of BTPTL under a large heat load. Besides, compared with the BTPTL, the STPTL has a better benefit in thermal resistance and evaporator outside wall temperature at higher charge, smaller diameter of two-phase tube or lower mass flow rate of water. Furthermore, the variation of the mass flow rate of working fluid, the pressure drop of working fluid at each component, the height of the liquid in the separator are also evaluated in this study. These simulation results indicate that the STPTL can achieve a better performance than BTPTL.