Project Title:
DYNATHERM CORPORATION
1 Beaver Court
P.O. Box 398
Cockeysville, MD 21030
93-1 09.07 7500 Amount Requested $69,978
Cryogenic Loop Heat Pipe
Abstract:
Cryogenic heat pipes are typically characterized by their low heat
transport capability, resulting from the low surface tension and
the low latent heat of their working fluids. These heat transfer
limits restrict the amount of heat which can be removed from the
device being cooled and/or the allowable separation between the
heat source and the sink. Loop Heat Pipes offer significant
improvements in heat transport over conventional heat pipes, due to
their fine-pored wick structures and liquid and vapor transport
lines which are optimized to minimize pressure drop. Loop Heat
Pipes have demonstrated their performance advantages at ambient
temperature, and have proven to be self-priming, reliable heat
transfer devices. The primary goal of the proposed program is to
extend this technology to cryogenic temperatures while maintaining
the reliability of the ambient temperature devices.
A prototype Loop Heat Pipe will be developed in Phase I, with the
design goal of improving heat transport capability over state-of-
the-art cryogenic heat pipes by an order of magnitude or more.
Demonstration tests will characterize the prototype's steady state
performance capabilities, as well as its startup behavior. The
test results will also be used to validate/update existing
analytical models.
A cryogenic Loop Heat Pipe offers the potential to substantially
increase heat transport and reduce sensitivity to acceleration,
providing potential users with considerable design flexibility in
the separation and relative location of cryogenic sources and sinks
in either microgravity and terrestrial environments.
Commercialization opportunities have been discussed with
cryorefrigerator manufacturers. Also supercomputer microprocessors
have a need for similar devices to be used for cooling at -50 to
0@C.
Cryogenic Heat Transport, Loop Heat Pipe