Design study on a new type of loop heat pipe based on data center thermal management

This study addresses the significant energy consumption of data center air conditioning systems by proposing an innovative loop heat pipe design. As a passive, highly efficient two-phase heat transfer device, the optimized loop heat pipe performance is crucial for improving cooling efficiency and reducing energy consumption. A new type of loop heat pipe with enhanced evaporator structure and parallel condenser lines is developed. Research results show that at 750 W input power, the heat source junction temperature reaches its minimum when the cooling water temperature is 30 ℃ within the 10-40 ℃ range. Similarly, the lowest junction temperature occurs at 1 L/min when the cooling water flow rate is within the 1-4 L/min range. Further study reveals that the steady-state operating temperature is determined by both condenser cooling efficiency and working fluid replenishment rate in the wick. When the cooling water temperature is 40 ℃, the loop heat pipe thermal resistance RLHPand the system thermal resistance Rsysare low, while the cooling water flow rate shows a negligible impact on RLHPand Rsys. The new type of loop heat pipe structure significantly enhances cooling efficiency through improved heat transfer performance and optimized fluid distribution, providing a technical solution for high energy consumption in data centers.