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Volume 13
Issue 11
10.3390/pr13113609
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This is an early access version, the complete PDF, HTML, and XML versions will be available soon.
Article

Development and Performance Analysis of a Novel Multi-Stage Microchannel Separated Gravity Heat Pipe for Compressor Room Cooling

by
Zhihua Li
1,
Ying Zhang
2,*,
Fanghua Ye
2,*,
Juan Zi
3,
Deji Sun
3,
Guanglie Liu
4,
Renqin Kuang
5,
Weiguo Jiang
5 and
Hualiang Wu
5
1
CHN Energy Jiangxi Power Co., Ltd., Nanchang 330006, China
2
School of Advanced Manufacturing, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330031, China
3
CHN Energy Shenhua Jiujiang Power Generation Co., Ltd., Jiujiang 332500, China
4
CHN Energy Fengcheng Power Generation Co., Ltd., Fengcheng 331100, China
5
Jiangxi Ganneng Fengcheng Power Generation Co., Ltd., Fengcheng 331100, China
*
Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Processes 2025, 13(11), 3609; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr13113609
Submission received: 9 October 2025 / Revised: 27 October 2025 / Accepted: 4 November 2025 / Published: 7 November 2025
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Multi-Phase Flow and Heat and Mass Transfer Engineering)
Versions Notes

Abstract

Traditional multi-stage separated heat pipes (SHPs) face limitations in independently setting operation parameters for each stage. To address this issue, this paper presents a novel independent multi-stage microchannel Separated Gravity Heat Pipe (SGHP) for air compressor room cooling. The innovative structure and working principle of this novel multi-stage SGHP were introduced. Furthermore, numerical investigations on a single stage of the SGHP were then conducted to study the gas–liquid two-phase flow characteristics and phase-change heat transfer performance. Experimental research on a three-stage SGHP was carried out to further explore the impact of the filling ratio combinations and the temperature difference between the hot and cold ends on the heat transfer performance of the SGHP. The results show that the temperature difference between the hot and cold ends affects the flow pattern of the working fluid, which has a vital effect on the heat transfer performance of the SGHP. The optimum filling ratio combination of the three-stage SGHP depends on the temperature difference between the hot and cold ends. The optimum filling ratio combination is 37%/37%/30% at low temperature difference conditions and 43%/37%/37% at high temperature difference conditions, respectively. The highest heat transfer capacity of the three-stage SGHP reaches 15.3 kW, and the peak heat recovery efficiency is 74.0%. The findings provide a crucial foundation for developing novel independent multi-stage SGHP in compressor room cooling and similar industrial settings, promising high potential to reduce energy consumption and operational costs.
Keywords: multi-stage separated gravity heat pipe; cooling; air compressor room in power plant; numerical simulation; experimental investigation multi-stage separated gravity heat pipe; cooling; air compressor room in power plant; numerical simulation; experimental investigation

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Li, Z.; Zhang, Y.; Ye, F.; Zi, J.; Sun, D.; Liu, G.; Kuang, R.; Jiang, W.; Wu, H. Development and Performance Analysis of a Novel Multi-Stage Microchannel Separated Gravity Heat Pipe for Compressor Room Cooling. Processes 2025, 13, 3609. https://doi.org/10.3390/pr13113609

AMA Style

Li Z, Zhang Y, Ye F, Zi J, Sun D, Liu G, Kuang R, Jiang W, Wu H. Development and Performance Analysis of a Novel Multi-Stage Microchannel Separated Gravity Heat Pipe for Compressor Room Cooling. Processes. 2025; 13(11):3609. https://doi.org/10.3390/pr13113609

Chicago/Turabian Style

Li, Zhihua, Ying Zhang, Fanghua Ye, Juan Zi, Deji Sun, Guanglie Liu, Renqin Kuang, Weiguo Jiang, and Hualiang Wu. 2025. "Development and Performance Analysis of a Novel Multi-Stage Microchannel Separated Gravity Heat Pipe for Compressor Room Cooling" Processes 13, no. 11: 3609. https://doi.org/10.3390/pr13113609

APA Style

Li, Z., Zhang, Y., Ye, F., Zi, J., Sun, D., Liu, G., Kuang, R., Jiang, W., & Wu, H. (2025). Development and Performance Analysis of a Novel Multi-Stage Microchannel Separated Gravity Heat Pipe for Compressor Room Cooling. Processes, 13(11), 3609. https://doi.org/10.3390/pr13113609

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