Optimization of a heat pipe radiator design
Abstract
A computer model of a heat pipe radiator has been developed based on two correlations for the rectangular radiating fin efficiency. These two correlations have resulted in a simple computer algorithm which permits accurate estimations of the design of heat pipe radiators and in the performance evaluations for various operating environments. Heat pipes are assumed to be embedded between the honeycomb face-sheets in all analyses. It was found, amongst others, that the heat pipe radiator fin efficiency is not changed significantly with heat pipe spacings of 4 to 8 inches for the aluminum face-sheet thicknesses of 0.020 to 0.030 inch. This paper presents several figures for the design practice of the heat pipe radiators. They can be used to perform the heat pipe radiator tradeoff study for the optimum weight and radiator fin efficiency evaluations.
- Publication:
-
AIAA, 19th Thermophysics Conference
- Pub Date:
- June 1984
- Bibcode:
- 1984thph.confR....C
- Keywords:
-
- Computer Aided Design;
- Cooling Fins;
- Heat Pipes;
- Mathematical Models;
- Spacecraft Radiators;
- Aerospace Environments;
- Algorithms;
- Aluminum;
- Optimization;
- Performance Prediction;
- Radiative Heat Transfer;
- Systems Engineering;
- Fluid Mechanics and Heat Transfer