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Results from the LDEF/A0076 cascaded variable conductance heatpipe experimentThe A0076 Variable Conductance Heat Pipe Experiment (CVCHPE) on the Long Duration Exposure Facility (LDEF) demonstrated temperature control better than +/- 0.3 C during fifty days on on-orbit data collection in a widely varying external environment. The experiment used two series connected, dry reservoir variable conductance heat pipes which require no electrical power for operation. The heat pipes used a central artery design with ammonia working fluid and nitrogen control gas. The LDEF was in orbit for almost six years rather than the planned one year mission. Although no additional data were taken during this extended period, post-test data indicated that the set point drifted upward less than 1 C per year. There were significant changes to the appearance of all external thermal control surfaces primarily due to atomic oxygen degradation, and one small anomaly in the electronics. These changes, though, had little effect on the CVCHPE performance.
Document ID
19920017863
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Grote, Michael G.
(McDonnell-Douglas Electronics Co. Saint Louis, MO, United States)
Date Acquired
September 6, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 1992
Publication Information
Publication: NASA. Langley Research Center, LDEF: 69 Months in Space. First Post-Retrieval Symposium, Part 3
Subject Category
Fluid Mechanics And Heat Transfer
Accession Number
92N27106
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.
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