HEAT TRANSFER PERFORMANCES OF A GROOVED HEAT PIPE (HEAT)
Research Area: Thermal Management Systems
Expedition(s): 8 and 9
Principal Investigator(s): ● Jean-Claude Legros, University of Brussels, Belgium
● Laurent Barremaecker, Euro Heat Pipes, Nivelles, Belgium
RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
The goal of the Heat Transfer Performances of
a Grooved Heat (Heat) experiment is the
improvement of heat pipe design, not only for
future application in spaceflight and space
research but also for improved cooling
systems here on Earth.
RESULTS
Typical burn-out conditions were analyzed in
order to derive the maximum heat transport
capabilities of the heat pipe. The heat transfer
coefficients were also derived before the burn-
out conditions.
- For the heat transport capability, it can be noticed that the performances of the AG110
(the specific aluminum grooved profile under testing) in weightlessness were equivalent
or higher than the 1g horizontal conditions. - For the heat transfer coefficient, a very significant improvement is observed in
microgravity. For equivalent test configurations, the improvement factor was from 2 to
2.3 times better in weightlessness. - The preliminary software correlation showed that the EHP weightlessness predictions
were in line with the measurements (about 14%).
Very promising results were recorded and show good correlation with the heat pipe involved
physical laws and predictions. Further tests in weightlessness are now needed to cover heat
pipes with larger diameter and full operational temperature range.
PUBLICATION(S)
Goffaux C, Van Oost S, Barremaecker L. Numerical, experimental, and robust design
investigations of a grooved heat pipe in microgravity-like conditions. 6th ASME International
Conference on Nanochannels, Microchannels, and Minichannels, Darnstadt, Germany; June 23-
25, 2008: 827-834.
This investigation is complete and all results are published.
Internal view of Heat Transfer Performances of a
Grooved Heat Pipe experiment container. EHP image.