Design and performance of a Cryogenic Heat Pipe Experiment (CRYOHP)

The Cryogenic Heat Pipe Experiment which is designed to demonstrate the thermal performance of two different axially grooved oxygen heat pipes in microgravity is discussed. The CRYOHP is manifested for flight aboard STS-53. The first heat pipe design is based on an extrapolated 0-g transport capability of about 20 W-m with oxygen in the range of 80-100 K. The second heat pipe design permits 0-g 'dry-out' in the CRYOHP and offers improved ground testability for 1-g correlation.