Jentung Ku

Miniature Loop Heat Pipes for Electronic Cooling

Thermal management of modern electronics has become a problem of significant interest due to the demand for power and reduction in packaging size. Requirements of next-generation microprocessors in terms of power dissipation and heat flux will certainly outgrow the capability of today’s thermal control technology. LHPs, like conventional heat pipes, are capillary pumped heat transport devices. They contain no mechanical moving part to wear out or require electrical power to operate. But unlike heat pipes, LHPs possess much higher heat transport capabilities enabling them to transport large amounts of heat over long distances in small flexible lines for heat rejection. In fact, a miniature ammonia LHP developed for a NASA space program is capable of transporting 60W over a distance of 1 meter in 1/16”O.D. stainless steel tubing. Therefore, miniature LHPs using water as the working fluid are excellent candidates to replace heat pipes as heat transports in electronic cooling systems. However, a number of operational issues regarding system performance, cost, and integration/packaging must be resolved before water LHPs can become a viable option for commercial electronics.Copyright

Mathematical Modeling of Loop Heat Pipes

The primary focus of this study is to model steady-state performance of a Loop Heat Pipe (LHP). The mathematical model is based on the steady-state energy balance equations at each component of the LHP. The heat exchange between each LHP component and the surrounding is taken into account. Both convection and radiation environments are modeled. The loop operating temperature is calculated as a function of the applied power at a given loop condition. Experimental validation of the model is attempted by using two different LHP designs. The mathematical model is tested at different sink temperatures and at different elevations of the loop. Tbc comparison of the calculations and experimental results showed very good agreement (within 3%). This method proved to be a useful tool in studying steady-state LHP performance characteristics.

Temperature oscillations in loop heat pipe operation

Loop heat pipes (LHPs) are versatile two-phase heat transfer devices that have gained increasing acceptance for space and terrestrial applications. The operating temperature of an LHP is a function of its operating conditions. The LHP usually reaches a steady operating temperature for a given heat load and sink temperature. The operating temperature will change when the heat load and/or the sink temperature changes, but eventually reaches another steady state in most cases. Under certain conditions, however, the loop operating temperature never really reaches a true steady state, but instead becomes oscillatory. This paper discusses the temperature oscillation phenomenon using test data from a miniature LHP.

Low Frequency High Amplitude Temperature Oscillations in Loop Heat Pipe Operation

The operating temperature of a loop heat pipe (LHP) with a single evaporator is governed by the compensation chamber (CC) temperature, which in turn is a finction of the evaporator power, condenser sink temperature, and ambient temperature. As the operating condition changes, the CC temperature will change during the transient but eventually reach a new steady temperature. Under certain conditions, however, the LHP never really reaches a true steady state, but instead displays an oscillatory behavior. This paper presents a study on the oscillation of the loop operating temperature with amplitudes on the order of one degree Kelvin and frequencies on the order of 10(exp -1) to 10(exp -2) Hertz. The source of the high frequency temperature oscillation is the fast movement of the vapor front in the condenser section, which usually occurs when the vapor front is near the condenser inlet or the condenser outlet. At these locations, the vapor front is unable to find a stable position for the given operating conditions, and will move back and forth. The movement of the vapor front causes the movement of the liquid in the condenser and the liquid line, leading to oscillations of the CC and the loop temperatures. Factors that affect the vapor front movement include evaporator power, condenser sink temperature, body forces and whether or the CC temperature is actively controlled. As long as there are no large thermal masses attached to the evaporator, the loop can self adjust rather quickly and the vapor front will move rapidly around the condenser inlet or outlet, leading to high frequency temperature oscillations. The amplitude of temperature oscillation is usually the largest in the liquid line, up to 20 degrees Kelvin in many cases, but diminishes to less than one degree Kelvin in the CC. Furthermore, the high frequency temperature oscillation can occur at any CC temperature when the right combination of the evaporator power and condenser sink temperature prevails.

Thermal Operational Characteristics of a Small-Loop Heat Pipe

This study investigates the distinctive thermal operational characteristics of a small-loop heat pipe (LHP). Tests are conducted under varying heat load and condenser sink temperatures at different orientations of the LHP. Successful startups at heat loads as low as 5 W are demonstrated. To investigate the effect of accelerating forces, the small LHP is tested on a spin table. Accelerating forces impose an additional pressure drop and change the fluid distribution inside the LHP, thereby affecting the startup characteristics and the LHP operating temperature. Spin tests have demonstrated successful operation of the LHP under accelerating forces. The steady-state mathematical model proves to be useful for assessment of the main factors influencing the operating temperature when the LHP is subjected to accelerating forces. The mathematical modeling of the LHP performance characteristics becomes more difficult as the size of the LHP decreases. For a better prediction of the small LHP characteristics, more detailed modeling of the evaporator core is essential.

Flight Testing of the Capillary Pumped Loop Flight Experiment

The Capillary Pumped Loop 3 (CAPL 3) experiment was a multiple evaporator capillary pumped loop experiment that flew in the Space Shuttle payload bay in December 2001 (STS‐108). The main objective of CAPL 3 was to demonstrate in micro‐gravity a multiple evaporator capillary pumped loop system, capable of reliable start‐up, reliable continuous operation, and heat load sharing, with hardware for a deployable radiator. Tests performed on orbit included start‐ups, power cycles, low power tests (100 W total), high power tests (up to 1447 W total), heat load sharing, variable/fixed conductance transition tests, and saturation temperature change tests. The majority of the tests were completed successfully, although the experiment did exhibit an unexpected sensitivity to shuttle maneuvers. This paper describes the experiment, the tests performed during the mission, and the test results.

Heat and Mass Transfer in Loop Heat Pipes

Loop Heat Pipes (LHPs) have gained acceptance among spacecraft engineers in recent years as high performance heat transport devices for thermal control systems (TCS). However, the most common criticism from people who use LHPs is that their behavior is difficult to predict. Complex interaction of thermodynamics and fluid flow dynamics inside a LHP poses a challenge for the analytical modeling of its performance. The need for a complete understanding of mechanisms involving the heat and mass transfer in a LHP cannot be overstated. During the initial spacecraft TCS design phase, trade studies are usually carried out to select an appropriate thermal control concept for the design. The inability to accurately predict the LHP response in the actual operating environment often leads to the dismissal of LHPs for lack of certainty. This paper attempts to present a simplistic explanation of LHP operation in terms of heat and mass transfer processes, in hope that it will help the potential end-users to understand the technology better. Most of the observed phenomena described herein are based on available test data of various LHP systems. Nevertheless, a few anomalies especially during operational transients are still not well understood. For that, research ideas will also be proposed.Copyright

Testing of the Geoscience Laser Altimeter System (GLAS) Prototype Loop Heat Pipe

This paper describes the testing of the prototype loop heat pipe (LHP) for the Geoscience Laser Altimeter System (GLAS). The primary objective of the test program was to verify the loops heat transport and temperature control capabilities under conditions pertinent to GLAS applications. Specifically, the LHP had to demonstrate a heat transport capability of 100 W, with the operating temperature maintained within +/-2K while the condenser sink was subjected to a temperature change between 273K and 283K. Test results showed that this loop heat pipe was more than capable of transporting the required heat load and that the operating temperature could be maintained within +/-2K. However, this particular integrated evaporator-compensation chamber design resulted in an exchange of energy between the two that affected the overall operation of the system. One effect was the high temperature the LHP was required to reach before nucleation would begin due to inability to control liquid distribution during ground testing. Another effect was that the loop had a low power start-up limitation of approximately 25 W. These Issues may be a concern for other applications, although it is not expected that they will cause problems for GLAS under micro-gravity conditions.

Thermal Vacuum Testing of a Novel Loop Heat Pipe Design for the Swift BAT Instrument

An advanced thermal control system for the Burst Alert Telescope on the Swift satellite has been designed and an engineering test unit (ETU) has been built and tested in a thermal vacuum chamber. The ETU assembly consists of a propylene loop heat pipe, two constant conductance heat pipes, a variable conductance heat pipe (VCHP), which is used for rough temperature control of the system, and a radiator. The entire assembly was tested in a thermal vacuum chamber at NASA/GSFC in early 2002. Tests were performed with thermal mass to represent the instrument and with electrical resistance heaters providing the heat to be transferred. Start‐up and heat transfer of over 300 W was demonstrated with both steady and variable condenser sink temperatures. Radiator sink temperatures ranged from a high of approximately 273 K, to a low of approximately 83 K, and the system was held at a constant operating temperature of 278 K throughout most of the testing. A novel LHP temperature control methodology using both temperat...

Investigation of Low Power Operation in a Loop Heat Pipe

This paper presents test results of an experimental study of low power operation in a loop heat pipe. The main objective was to demonstrate how changes in the vapor void fraction inside the evaporator core would affect the loop behavior, The fluid inventory and the relative tilt between the evaporator and the compensation chamber were varied so as to create different vapor void fractions in the evaporator core. The effect on the loop start-up, operating temperature, and capillary limit was investigated. Test results indicate that the vapor void fraction inside the evaporator core is the single most important factor in determining the loop operation at low powers.