LIGHTWEIGHT HIGH-EFFICIENCY HEAT TRANSFER PANELS

HEAT ENGINES BASED ON VARIOUS THERMODYNAMIC CYCLES ARE BEING DEVELOPED FOR SPACE POWER APPLICATIONS. A NEED CLEARLY EXISTS TO MINIMIZE WEIGHT WHILE MAXIMIZING THE THERMAL EFFICIENCY OF SUCH POWER SYSTEMS. HIGH TEMPERATURE HEAT PIPES ARE A VERSATILE, EFFICIENT MEANS OF TRANSPORTING AND MANAGING THERMAL ENERGY IN SUCH APPLICATIONS. IN A PREVIOUS PROGRAM, ULTRAMET DEVELOPED AND DEMONSTRATED AN INNOVATIVE PROCESS FOR FABRICATING A VERY LIGHTWEIGHT COMPOSITE HEAT PIPE CONTAINER HAVING THE EXCELLENT STRENGTH, HIGH TEMPERATURE CAPABILITY, AND CORROSION RESISTANCE (TO THE LIQUID METAL WORKING FLUID) NECESSARY TO WITHSTAND THE OPERATING ENVIRONMENT OF A HIGH PERFORMANCE SPACE HEAT PIPE. IN THIS PHASE I PROGRAM, ULTRAMET PROPOSES TO APPLY ITS PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE TOWARD DEVELOPMENT OF PRACTICAL HARDWARE. ULTRAMET AND HITCO, A LEADING CARBON-CARBON MANUFACTURER, WILL COMBINE EFFORTS TOWARD THE FABRICATION OF PLANAR CARBON-CARBON PANELS, INCORPORATING W:10%RE HEAT PIPES FOR ENERGY DISSIPATION. THE PROGRAM WILL COMBINE THE PROVEN BENEFITS OF ULTRAMET'S CVD HEAT PIPE FABRICATION PROCESS WITH HITCO'S STATE-OF-THE-ART HIGH CONDUCTIVITY CARBON-CARBON MANUFACTURING ABILITY.