HEAT PIPE FOR SPACECRAFT Russian patent published in 2009 - IPC F28D15/04 B64G1/50 

FIELD: heating.

SUBSTANCE: proposed heat pipe (HP) has a housing, with evaporation, transport and condensation sections. The core of the heat pipe is in form of longitudinal grooves on the inner surface of the housing. The dose of heat carrier put into the inner cavity of the housing, is chosen taking into account possible annual leakages of the heat carrier from inside the housing and errors in filling up the heat pipe. This condition takes into account maximum and minimum values of heat carrier doses when temperature falls between the evaporation and condensation sections of the heat pipe, not exceeding the minimum permissible value. The latter is obtained from ground tests of the heat pipe at the minimum permissible working temperature of the condensation section and at given thermal power, supplied to the evaporation section. Due to availability of a well defined dose of heat carrier in the heat pipe, the length of the condensation section can assume the minimum possible value. The heat pipe can work in the whole working temperature range.

EFFECT: reduced length of the housing of the heat pipe and reduced mass compared to existing heat pipes.

7 dwg