NEP heat pipe radiatorsThis paper covers improvements of heat pipe radiators for the thermionic NEP design. Liquid metal heat pipes are suitable as spacecraft radiator elements because of high thermal conductance, low mass and reliability, but the NEP thermionic system design was too large and difficult to fabricate. The current integral collector-radiator design consisting of several layers of thermionic converters, the annular-tangential collector heat pipe, the radiator heat pipe, and the transition zone designed to minimize the temperature difference between the collector heat pipe and radiator heat pipe are described. Finally, the design of micrometeoroid armor protection and the fabrication of the stainless steel annular heat pipe with a tangential arm are discussed, and it is concluded that the heat rejection system for the thermionic NEP system is well advanced, but the collector-radiator heat pipe transition and the 8 to 10 m radiator heat pipe with two bends require evaluation.
Document ID
19790067972
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Conference Proceedings
Authors
Ernst, D. M. (Thermacore, Inc. Leola, Pa., United States)
Date Acquired
August 9, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 1979
Subject Category
Spacecraft Propulsion And Power
Meeting Information
Meeting: Intersociety Energy Conversion Engineering Conference