High temperature heat pipe experiments aboard the space shuttle

Conference · Sun Jan 10 00:00:00 EST 1993 · AIP Conference Proceedings (American Institute of Physics); (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.43064· OSTI ID:6605210

Woloshun, K A; Merrigan, M A; Sena, J T ^[1]; Secary, C J ^[2]

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1. Los Alamos National Laboratory, P.O. Box 1663, Mail Stop J576, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545 (United States)
2. PL/VTPT, Kirtland AFB, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87117 (United States)

Although high temperature, liquid metal heat pipe radiators have become a standard component on most space nuclear power systems, there is no experimental data on the operation of these heat pipes in a zero gravity or micro gravity environment. Experiments to benchmark the transient and steady state performance of prototypical heat pipe space radiator elements are in preparation. Three SST/potassium heat pipes are being designed, fabricated, and ground tested. It is anticipated that these heat pipes will fly aboard the space shuttle in 1995. Three wick structures will be tested: homogeneous, arterial, and annular gap. Ground tests are described that simulate the space shuttle environment in every way except gravity field.

• OSTI ID: 6605210
• Report Number(s): CONF-930103-; CODEN: APCPCS
• Journal Information: AIP Conference Proceedings (American Institute of Physics); (United States), Vol. 271:1; Conference: 10. symposium on space nuclear power and propulsion, Albuquerque, NM (United States), 10-14 Jan 1993; ISSN 0094-243X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

42 ENGINEERING
HEAT PIPES
BENCH-SCALE EXPERIMENTS
FLIGHT TESTING
SPACE POWER REACTORS
DESIGN
HEAT PIPE WICKS
LIQUID METALS
PLANNING
POTASSIUM
SIMULATION
TESTING
THERMAL CYCLING
ALKALI METALS
ELEMENTS
FLUIDS
LIQUIDS
METALS
MOBILE REACTORS
POWER REACTORS
REACTORS
NESDPS Office of Nuclear Energy Space and Defense Power Systems
420200* - Engineering- Facilities
Equipment
& Techniques