An array of cylindrical heat pipes with annular latent heat storage units is generally recognized as the most promising heat-transfer/thermal storage alternative for spacecraft solar dynamic power systems (SDPS) receivers. The DLR-ITT has developed a new storage unit containing LiF in graphite containers with internal capillary notches to handle the LiF volume change upon melting. Successful terrestrial tests have been reported recently. This paper presents theoretical predictions of the relevant heat flows and temperatures in heat-pipe/storage elements (HPSE) employing such storage units. The HPSE were sized for a receiver combined with a fictitious 25 kWe Stirling engine in an SDPS. The capillary notches were optimized for maximum heat transfer. The results show that the required heat flows are essentially feasible, and what deviations are to be expected and must be handled by the spacecraft energy management during a typical orbit. The knowledge of the receiver and internal heat pipe temperatures is important for design purposes.
Heat transfer predictions for a new heat-pipe latent-heat-storage receiver element for solar dynamic space power systems
Vorhersage des Wärmeübergangsverhaltens eines neuen Empfangselementes mit Wärmerohr und Latentwärmespeicherung für dynamische Energieerzeugungssysteme im Weltraum
Space Power ; 10 , 2 ; 239-254
1991
16 Seiten, 8 Bilder, 2 Tabellen, 24 Quellen
Article (Journal)
English
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