Project Title:

Advanced Heat Pipe Body Mounted Radiators

09.07-1343B
Project Title:Advanced Heat Pipe Body Mounted Radiators
Company:Thermacore Inc
Lancaster, PA 17601
Principal Investigator:Jerome E. Toth

Abstract:

As the number of activities planned for the space station, and their associated energy
requirements continue to grow, concern over thermal management is increasing.  One
area of current development is advanced methods for the effective dissipation of
excess thermal energy.  The most effective method for the dissipoation of thermal
energy in space is radiation heat transfer.  For low temperature applications in
the range of 250-400k2 only low heat fluxes can be emitted.  At 300k, a thermal flux
of a blackbody can be emitted.  Therefore, to radiate large quantities of power at
low temperatures, the  radiating surface area must be maximized.  One relatively
large surface available for thermal radiation on the space station is the outer body
of the activities  modules.  By encasing the module with radiating panels, the need
for additional deployable radiators can be greatly reduce.  The proposed program
will identify advance designs for a body mounted radiator.  The concepts will concentrate
on offering benefits in the areas of reduced weight and improved performance and
operating efficiency.