Experimental Investigation on Heat Transfer Characteristics of Rotating Heat Pipe

Abstract

With the increasing power density of high-power permanent magnet propulsion motors, the cooling issue of the motors has become more critical. Traditional cooling methods, such as air cooling, water cooling, and oil cooling, face limitations in efficiency and structural complexity when applied to high-power density motors. Rotating heat pipes, a new type of heat pipe, utilize centrifugal force generated by rotation to achieve liquid return, offering advantages such as no capillary limits, simple structure, and low cost. This makes them a promising solution for addressing these challenges. This paper investigates the application of rotating heat pipes in high-power motor cooling, analyzing their startup characteristics and heat transfer efficiency. The experimental results show that under various heating power and rotational speed conditions, rotating heat pipes effectively reduce motor temperature rise and improve heat transfer efficiency, demonstrating excellent thermal management capabilities suitable for the cooling needs of high-power density motors.

Keywords: Rotating Heat Pipe, Heat Transfer Characteristics, Permanent Magnet Propulsion Motor, Equivalent Thermal Conductivity