High capacity grooved heat pipes
Abstract
The development of a High capacity Grooved heat Pipe (HGP), based on the thermal requirements of the next generation of telecommunication satellites, is considered. Promising concepts and methods of groove technology were reviewed. A tradeoff and design study performed on potential HGP concepts, taking into account theoretical performances (in 1 g and in 0 g), ease of manufacturing and of assembly as well as the head pipe working reliability and priming capability. The two selected concepts are aluminum extruded heat pipes (25 mm outer diameter), based on a multireentrant grooves concept or on a mixed open/reentrant grooves concept. The acceptance test program to which both HGP heat pipes were submitted, includes leak proof and bursts as well as classical thermal tests. The test results show the fulfilment of the required specifications in heat transport capacity as on tilt capability: the experimental maximum heat transport capability was found to be near 1500 Wm (horizontally at 20C) for a required 600 Wm while the maximum tilt capability was measured between 15 and 20 mm (at 20C).
- Publication:
-
ESA Special Publication
- Pub Date:
- December 1991
- Bibcode:
- 1991secs.conf..575D
- Keywords:
-
- Design Analysis;
- Grooves;
- Heat Pipes;
- Heat Transfer;
- Performance Tests;
- Spacecraft Temperature;
- Temperature Control;
- Aluminum;
- Communication Satellites;
- Manufacturing;
- Reliability Engineering;
- Systems Engineering;
- Fluid Mechanics and Heat Transfer