A new investigation on permeability of multilayer stacked screen wick

The permeability of porous media is a significant parameter that determines the upper limit of heat transfer in heat pipes. Mesh screens, as a standard structure, offer many advantages such as simple fabrication, a wide range, and high controllability of permeability. However, there is no common and accurate theoretical formula to predict the permeability of the multilayer mesh screen superposition structure due to its randomness. In this paper, through a combination of experimental methods, numerical simulations, and microscopic observations, a statistical law regarding the superposition structure is identified. Specifically, the complex superposition forms can be simplified to the combination of three basic compact configurations. Based on this statistical law, a unified mathematical relationship between permeability and screen structure was derived.