Unfurlable Capillary Pumped Loop Space Radiator

THE SUCCESS OF FUTURE SPACE MISSIONS IS DEPENDENT ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF ADVACNED RADIATORS. THIS PROPOSAL DESCRIBES A NOVEL, LIGHTWEIGHT, INTERIOR CAPILLARY PUMPED LOOP (CPL) DESIGN THAT CAN BE USED FOR AMBIENT TEMPERATURE HEAT REJECTION. THE HEAT PIPE RADIATING SYSTEM IS EXTREMELY LIGHTWEIGHT DUE TO ITS INTERIOR CPL DESIGN WHICH REQUIRES WICK STRUCTURE ONLY IN THE EVAPORATOR, AND ITS INNOVATIVE MATERIALS OF FABRICATION. THE PROPOSED RADIATOR WILL BE FABRICATED FROM A POLYMER/METAL LAMINATE FILM. THE USE OF THIS MATERIAL RESULTS IN AN EXTREMELY LIGHT WEIGHT RADIATOR (0.5 Kg/M2). THIS IS A FACTOR OF FOURTEEN (14) LOWER IN MASS THAN CONVENTIONAL SPACE RADIATORS WEIGHING 7Kg/M2. THE RADIATOR PANEL WILL BE FABRICATED FROM A HEAT SEALABLE, POLYMER/METAL LAMINATE THAT IS DIVIDED INTO SEVERAL INDEPENT HEAT PIPE CELLS. THESE MULTIPLE CELLS ADD REDUNDANCY TO THE SYSTEM WHICH YIELDS INCREASED RELIABILITY. THE PROPOSED INTERIOR CPL DESIGN ALLOWS MICROGRAVITY OPERATION WITHOUT REQUIRING A WICK IN THE ADIABATIC OR CONDENSER SECTIONS OF THE HEAT PIPE. THE DESIGN IS ALSO SELF-PRIMING AND TOLERANT OF NON-CONDENSIBLE GAS GENERATION. THE TECHNICAL FEASIBILITY OF THE PROPOSED INNOVATION WILL BE DEMONSTRATED THROUGH THE DESIGN, FABRICATION AND TEST OF A PROOF-OF-CONCEPT POLYMER/METAL LAMINATE HEAT PIPE RADIATOR.