Loop heat pipe radiator
- Thermacore, Inc., 780 Eden Rd., Lancaster, Pennsylvania (United States)
This paper describes the design and testing of a Loop Heat Pipe Radiator (LHPR) which was developed as an alternative to state-of-the-art axially-grooved heat pipes for space-based heat rejection which would be usable with tubing made of aluminum foil covered with a carbon-epoxy composite. The LHPR had an aluminum envelope and a polymer wick, and used ammonia as a working fluid. It was 4 meters long with a mass of 1.4 kg. The LHPR transported 500 watts at a 2.3 meter adverse inclination and 1500 watts when horizontal. This non-optimized LHPR had a 3000 watt-meter capability, which is four times greater than an axially-grooved heat pipe of similar power-handling capability and mass. In addition to a higher power handling capability, the LHPR has a much higher capillary margin than axially-grooved pipes. That high capillary margin simplifies ground testing in a 1-g environment by reducing the need for the careful levelling and vibration reduction required by axially-grooved pipes. {copyright} {ital 1996 American Institute of Physics.}
- OSTI ID:
- 385416
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-960109-; ISSN 0094-243X; TRN: 9618M0018
- Journal Information:
- AIP Conference Proceedings, Vol. 361, Issue 1; Conference: STAIF 96: space technology and applications international forum, Albuquerque, NM (United States), 7-11 Jan 1996; Other Information: PBD: Mar 1996
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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