Title: Entropy generation rate analysis of a thermosyphon heat exchanger for cooling a telecommunication base station

Authors: Feng Zhou; Guoyuan Ma; Shuchun Wang

Addresses: College of Environmental and Energy Engineering, Beijing University of Technology, No. 100 Ping Le Yuan, Chao Yang District, Beijing 100124, China ' College of Environmental and Energy Engineering, Beijing University of Technology, No. 100 Ping Le Yuan, Chao Yang District, Beijing 100124, China ' College of Environmental and Energy Engineering, Beijing University of Technology, No. 100 Ping Le Yuan, Chao Yang District, Beijing 100124, China

Abstract: Energy consumption can be reduced effectively if ambient energy is used to cool the telecommunication base station. A thermosyphon heat exchanger was adopted as a promising technique to utilise ambient energy. A prototype was developed, and the experimental system was constructed. Relations between dimensionless entropy generation rate, heat transfer rate and energy efficiency ratio of the thermosyphon heat exchanger were discussed theoretically and experimentally. Ambient temperature and facing air velocity were also examined. Results indicated that dimensionless entropy generation rate decreased by 8-9% when temperature difference increased by 3°C and increased by 8% when the ambient temperature increased by 3°C. The errors were in the range of 5.7-14.2%. When the facing air velocity increased from 2 m/s to 3.5 m/s, the test dimensionless entropy generation rate increased from 0.4 to 0.53 and the errors were 0.53-9.56%. Simulation and test results showed similar trends under different working conditions.

Keywords: ambient energy; thermosyphon heat exchangers; dimensionless entropy generation rate; telecommunication base stations; cooling; energy consumption; heat transfer rate; energy efficiency ratio; facing air velocity; simulation.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEX.2017.083013

International Journal of Exergy, 2017 Vol.22 No.2, pp.139 - 157

Received: 22 Mar 2016
Accepted: 13 Oct 2016
Published online: 17 Mar 2017 *

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