Capillary pumped loop GAS and Hitchhiker flight experimentsFlight experiments of a capillary pumped loop (CPL) aboard the Space Shuttle on both the Get Away Special (GAS) and Hitchhiker-G (H/H-G) carriers are described. These tests have shown that a two-phase heat transfer loop utilizing a wicking material as the system pumping mechanism can operate successfully in a zero-g environment. The CPL operating modes demonstrated were start-up, heat load sharing/natural priming, liquid inventory and temperature control via the reservoir, dryout recovery, and isolation of a single pump deprime. Also investigated were high and low power limits, and inlet subcooling requirements. In these CPL flight experiments, successful system operation was demonstrated at input power levels up to 560 watts and inlet subcooling below 2 C.
Document ID
19860055136
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Ku, J. (OAO Corp. Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Kroliczek, E. J. (OAO Corp. Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Butler, D. (OAO Corp. Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Schweickart, R. B. (OAO Corp. Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Mcintosh, R. (NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)