Assertion (A): Thermal conductance of heat pipe is several hundred tim...
Assertion (A): Thermal conductance of heat pipe is several hundred times that of the best available metal conductor under identical conditions.
Reason (R): The value of latent heat is far greater than that of specific heat.
The correct answer is option 'A', i.e., both assertion (A) and reason (R) are individually true and reason (R) is the correct explanation of assertion (A).
Explanation:
Heat pipes are highly efficient heat transfer devices that can transport heat over long distances with minimal temperature differences. They are commonly used in various applications such as electronics cooling, heat exchangers, and thermal management systems.
Thermal Conductance of Heat Pipe:
Heat pipes have a very high thermal conductance, which is the ability to conduct heat. The thermal conductance of a heat pipe is several hundred times higher than that of the best available metal conductor under identical conditions. This high thermal conductance is achieved through the unique design and working principle of heat pipes.
Working Principle of Heat Pipe:
A heat pipe consists of a sealed, hollow tube with an inner wick structure and a working fluid. The inner wick structure helps in capillary action, which enables the working fluid to flow from the evaporator section to the condenser section. The working fluid absorbs heat at the evaporator section, where it vaporizes, and then carries the heat to the condenser section where it releases the heat and condenses back into a liquid. The condensed liquid then flows back to the evaporator section through the capillary action of the wick structure.
Explanation of Reason (R):
The reason for the high thermal conductance of heat pipes is the utilization of the latent heat of the working fluid. Latent heat is the heat absorbed or released during a phase change (e.g., from liquid to vapor or vice versa) without a change in temperature. The value of latent heat is far greater than that of specific heat, which is the heat required to raise the temperature of a unit mass of a substance by one degree Celsius.
In a heat pipe, the working fluid undergoes a phase change from liquid to vapor at the evaporator section, absorbing a large amount of heat without a significant increase in temperature. This latent heat is then released at the condenser section, allowing for efficient heat transfer. The high latent heat value of the working fluid enables the heat pipe to transport heat effectively with minimal temperature differences.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, the high thermal conductance of a heat pipe is due to the utilization of the latent heat of the working fluid. This allows the heat pipe to have several hundred times higher thermal conductance compared to the best available metal conductor under identical conditions. Thus, both assertion (A) and reason (R) are true, and reason (R) correctly explains assertion (A).
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