Gas generation test data and life tests of low temperature heat pipes
Abstract
Functional life tests of thirty low-temperature heat pipes of different design, manufacture, fluid, and envelope combinations are continuing beyond 70,000 hours at Wright Research and Development Center. As originally configured by NASA Lewis Research Center, the intent of this research is to evaluate the commercial heat pipes for long-life applications in spacecraft. Aluminum and stainless steel heat pipes with ammonia, methanol, and refrigerant-21 are being tested in vacuum chambers at 60 C average operating temperature. Tests for gas indicate that considerable amount of noncondensibles accumulate in the aluminum/ammonia heat pipes compared to stainless steel/ammonia pipes. Serious performance deterioration has been observed in three pipes, while the remaining are functioning normally.
- Publication:
-
AIAA and ASME, 5th Joint Thermophysics and Heat Transfer Conference
- Pub Date:
- June 1990
- Bibcode:
- 1990jtht.confS....R
- Keywords:
-
- Gas Generators;
- Heat Pipes;
- Life (Durability);
- Low Temperature Tests;
- Aluminum;
- Ammonia;
- Evaporators;
- Methyl Alcohol;
- Stainless Steels;
- Vacuum Chambers;
- Fluid Mechanics and Heat Transfer