HEAT PUMP THERMAL TRANSPORT LOOP FOR SPACECRAFT APPLICATIONS

INCREASINGLY STRINGENT THERMAL REQUIREMENTS ARE PROJECTED FOR FUTURE SPACECRAFT. COMPLIANCE WITH THESE REQUIREMENTS NECESSITATES THE DEVELOPMENT OF THERMAL CONTROL TECHNIQUES WITH CAPABILITIES FAR EXCEEDING THOSE IN CURRENT USE. A FUNDAMENTAL CONSIDERATION IS A HEAT TRANSPORT AND THERMAL REJECTION SYSTEM CAPABLE OF ACCOMODATING LARGE LOADS, HIGH ENERGY DENSITIES, LONG TRANSPORT DISTANCES, VARIABLE DUTY CYCLES, AND VARYING OPERATIONAL PARAMETERS. AN INNOVATIVE, SPACECRAFT THERMAL-MANAGEMENT/THERMAL-TRANSPORT LOOP FOR HIGH POWER APPLICATIONS IS BEING INVESTIGATED THAT UTILIZES A COMPRESSOR RATHER THAN A PUMP TO TRANSPORT THE WORKING FLUID AROUND THE LOOP. USING EXISTING EXPERTISE IN THE THERMAL-DESIGN/HEAT-PUMP AREA TO REFINE THE HEAT PUMP THERMAL TRANSPORT LOOP, AN ANALYSIS OF THE CRITICAL COOLING SYSTEM COMPONENTS IS BEING CONDUCTED FOR A CONCEPTUAL DESIGN. THEORETICAL MODELING OF THE HEAT PUMP THERMAL TRANSPORT LOOP IS BEING PERFORMED. ALTERNATIVE OIL SEPARATION AND ACCUMULATOR TECHNIQUES ARE BEING ANALYZED. OPTIMUM WORKING FLUID IS BEING DETERMINED. COMPARISON OF THE PROPOSED SYSTEM WITH OTHER THERMAL TRANSPORT CONFIGURATIONS IS BEING PREFORMED. CRITICAL COMPONENTS ARE BEING IDENTIFIED THAT REQUIRE TESTING IN A LATER PHASE.