Heat-Transfer Characteristics of a Cryogenic Loop Heat Pipe for Space Applications

Jaehwan Lee, Dongmin Kim, Jeongmin Mun and Seokho Kim
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Jaehwan Lee: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Changwon National University, 20 Changwondaehak-ro, Uichang-gu, Changwon-si, Gyeongsangnam-do 51140, Korea
Dongmin Kim: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Changwon National University, 20 Changwondaehak-ro, Uichang-gu, Changwon-si, Gyeongsangnam-do 51140, Korea
Jeongmin Mun: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Changwon National University, 20 Changwondaehak-ro, Uichang-gu, Changwon-si, Gyeongsangnam-do 51140, Korea
Seokho Kim: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Changwon National University, 20 Changwondaehak-ro, Uichang-gu, Changwon-si, Gyeongsangnam-do 51140, Korea

Energies, 2020, vol. 13, issue 7, 1-16

Abstract: Infrared detectors on satellites and spacecraft require cooling to increase their measurement sensitivity. To efficiently cool infrared detectors in a zero gravity environment and in limited spaces, a cryogenic loop heat pipe (CLHP) can be used to transfer heat over a certain distance by the capillary forces generated from porous wicks without a mechanical power source. The CLHP presented in this study transfers the heat load to a condenser 0.5 m away from an evaporator at temperatures below −150 °C. The CLHP with two evaporators includes a subloop for initial start-up, and uses a pressure reduction reservoir (PRR) for the supercritical start-up from room to cryogenic temperature. Nitrogen is used as the working fluid to verify the thermal behavior of the CLHP, and the heat-transfer capacity according to the nitrogen charging pressure of the PRR is investigated. To simulate a cryogenic environment, the CLHP is installed inside a space environment simulator, including a single-stage GM (Gifford McMahon) cryocooler to cool the condenser. The CLHP is horizontally installed to simulate zero gravity. The heat-transfer characteristics are experimentally evaluated through the loop circulation of the CLHP.

Keywords: capillary pressure; condenser; cryogenic loop heat pipe (CLHP); evaporator; heat-transfer characteristics; pressure reduce reservoir (PRR); supercritical start-up; wick (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
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