Development and test of a space-reactor-core heat pipe
A heat pipe designed to meet the heat transfer requirements of a 100-kW/sub e/ space nuclear power system has been developed and tested. General design requirements for the device included an operating temperature of 1500/sup 0/K with an evaporator radial flux density of 100 w/cm/sup 2/. The total heat-pipe length of 2 m comprised an evaporator length of 0.3 m, a 1.2-m adiabatic section, and a condenser length of 0.5 m. A four-artery design employing screen arteries and distribution wicks was used with lithium serving as the working fluid. Molybdenum alloys were used for the screen materials and tube shell. Hafnium and zirconium gettering materials were used in connection with a pre-purified distilled lithium charge to ensure internal chemical compatibility. After initial performance verification, the 14.1-mm i.d. heat pipe was operated at 15 kW throughput at 1500/sup 0/K for 100 hours. No performance degradation was observed during the test.
- Research Organization:
- Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-36
- OSTI ID:
- 6365249
- Report Number(s):
- LA-UR-83-1168; CONF-830629-1; ON: DE83011143; TRN: 83-012937
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 18. AIAA thermophysics conference, Montreal, Canada, 1 Jun 1983; Other Information: Portions are illegible in microfiche products
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Performance demonstration of a high-power space reactor heat pipe design
Transient performance investigation of a space power system heat pipe
Related Subjects
HEAT PIPES
PERFORMANCE TESTING
SPACE POWER REACTORS
POWER RANGE 10-100 KW
SPECIFICATIONS
MOBILE REACTORS
POWER REACTORS
REACTORS
TESTING
NESDPS Office of Nuclear Energy Space and Defense Power Systems
210600* - Power Reactors
Auxiliary
Mobile Package
& Transportable