Correlations of Critical Froude Number for Annular-Rimming Flow in Rotating Heat Pipes

The behavior of flow within a rotating finite length cylinder has been investigated. For low rotational speeds, the flow is characterized by a non-uniform thickness i.e., rimming flow. Above a critical rotational speed, the flow transitions to annular flow. Correlations developed from the experimental data are presented for the three regimes: onset of annular flow, complete annular flow, and collapse of annular flow. The correlation for the collapse of annular flow compared well with a previously presented, theoretically developed correlation. Given that the heat transfer characteristics of rotating heat pipes depend upon the film thickness of the fluid charge, the correlations presented here will be valuable in determining regular operating conditions.