Transient heat pipe investigations for space power systems
Abstract
A 4-meter long, high temperature, high power, molybdenum-lithium heat pipe has been fabricated and tested in transient and steady state operation at temperatures to 1500 K. Maximum power throughput during the tests was approximately 37 kW/cm(2) for the 1.4 cm diameter vapor space of the annular wick heat pipe. The evaporator flux density for the tests was 150.0 W/cm(2) over a length of 40 cm. Condenser length was approximately 3.0 m with radiant heat rejection from the condenser to a coaxial, water cooled radiation calorimeter. A variable radiation shield, controllable from the outside of the vacuum enclosure, was used to vary the load on the heat pipe during the tests.
- Publication:
-
Presented at the 2nd SP-100 Program Integration Meeting
- Pub Date:
- 1985
- Bibcode:
- 1985sppi.meet.....M
- Keywords:
-
- Heat Pipes;
- Solar Cells;
- Space Power Reactors;
- Calorimeters;
- Heat Transfer;
- High Temperature;
- Investigation;
- Lithium;
- Molybdenum;
- Performance Tests;
- Radiation Shielding;
- Vacuum;
- Fluid Mechanics and Heat Transfer