HIGH PERFORMANCE AMBIENT TEMPERATURE HEAT PIPES

THERMAL MANAGEMENT IS EMERGING AS A KEY AND SOMETIMES ENABLING TECHNOLOGY IN FUTURE SPACE MISSIONS. HEAT PIPES ARE A KEY ELEMENT IN THERMAL MANAGEMENT TECHNOLOGY. GROWTH VERSIONS OF THE SPACE STATION WILL REQUIRE HEAT PIPE HEAT ACQUISITION CAPABILITY OF 10 W/CM(2) AND HEAT TRANSPORT CAPABILITY OF 5000 WATTS OVER 50 FEET. THESE REQUIREMENTS HAVE NOT BEEN MET IN AMBIENT TEMPERATURE ALUMINUM/AMMONIA HEAT PIPES. PHASE I IS A PROGRAM TO DEVELOP INNOVATIVE SINTERED ALUMINUM WICK STRUCTURE/HEAT PIPE DESIGNS WHICH WILL MEET OR EXCEED NASA'S REQUIREMENTS. THE BASIC TECHNOLOGY FOR MAKING SINTERED ALUMINUM WICKS HAS BEEN DEVELOPED. WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE IS TO ADAPT THAT TECHNOLOGY TO HIGH PERFORMANCE WICK DESIGNS WHICH CAN BE FABRICATED IN 50 FOOT LENGTHS.