HIGH TEMPERATURE CAPILLARY PUMPED LOOP HEAT PIPE

DESIGNS FOR SPACE BASED STRUCTURES ARE BECOMING INCREASINGLY LARGER AND MORE COMPLEX. AS THESE STRUCTURES GROW, THEIR LEVEL OF POWER CONSUMPTION IS ALSO INCREASING. TO SATISFY THIS DEMAND FOR POWER, ENERGY SYSTEMS, SUCH AS THE SP-100 ARE BEING DESIGNED TO MEET THE ANTICIPATED REQUIREMENTS. THE POWER GENERATION SYSTEM CONCEPTS ARE CURRENTLY BEING REVIEWED FOR AREAS WHERE IMPROVEMENTS CAN BE MADE SO THAT THESE SYSTEMS CAN PERFORM THEIR SERVICE FUNCTION WITH AS LITTLE COST, IN TERMS OF WEIGHT, ENERGY EFFICIENCY, COMPLEXITY, ETC, AS IS FEASIBLE. THE CURRENT SP-100 DESIGN CONCEPT INCLUDES THE USE OF MAGNETIC HYDRODYNAMIC PUMPS FOR THE CIRCULATION OF A LITHIUM COOLANT THROUGH THE PRIMARY HEAT EXCHANGE LOOP. THIS LOOP TRANSFERS THE HEAT FROM THE REACTOR CORE TO THE T/E MODULES WHERE IT IS EXTRACTED FOR CONVERSION TO ELECTRICAL ENERGY OR DISSIPATION. THESE MHD PUMPS ARE INEFFICIENT AND MASSIVE (HEAVY) DEVICES. ACCORDINGLY, THE INCENTIVE EXIST FOR THE IDENTIFICATION OF AN ALTERNATE COOLANT CIRCULATION PROCESS. THE HIGH TEMPERATURE CAPILLARY PUMP LOOP HEAT PIPE, A PASSIVE, LOW MASS DEVICE OFFERS ONE ALTERNATIVE TO THE USE OF MHD PUMPS.