A possible solution to handle the heat dissipated by the batteries of the Columbus Polar Platform is to equip each battery ORU (Orbital Replacement Unit) with a dedicated heat pipe radiator. Such a radiator, being stowed during launch, has to be deployed in orbit and might be chosen to be steerable to achieve maximum radiator performance, hence minimum radiator size. In such radiator systems the coupling between battery and deployable or steerable radiator has to incorporate a rotatable or flexible thermal joint. Drivers for the design of such joints are a low thermal resistance, hence a limited temperature drop across the joint to optimize radiator size, and a small deployment/retraction torque or steering torque. Different concepts for moveable thermal joints are described and quantitatively discussed. Concepts identified as possible candidates near-term application are: the flexible heat pipe, the braided conductor, the (hydraulically or mechanically) clamped joint, and the low melting point alloy filled (or grease filled or low pressure gas filled) heat exchanger. Concepts for non-near term applications turn out to be: the radial heat pipe (condenser rotatable with respect to evaporator), the oscillating hydrodynamic joint (flexible or rotatable), the rollable membrane radiator, and the articullated or split heat pipe.


    Access

    Access via TIB

    Check availability in my library


    Export, share and cite



    Title :

    Moveable thermal joints for deployable or steerable spacecraft radiator systems


    Additional title:

    Verstellbare thermische Verbindungen fuer entfaltbare oder steuerbare Kuehlsysteme in Raumfahrzeugen


    Contributors:
    Delil, A.A. (author)

    Published in:

    SAE-Papers ; Jul ; 1-12


    Publication date :

    1987


    Size :

    12 Seiten, 20 Bilder, 1 Tabelle, 24 Quellen


    Type of media :

    Conference paper


    Type of material :

    Print


    Language :

    English






    A steerable radiator for spacecraft application

    HEIZER, B. / GOO, S. / RHODES, G. et al. | AIAA | 1986


    Steerable Radiator Concept for Optimal Performance of Spacecraft Thermal Control System

    Zakar, Deborah / Amend, Chris / Baldauff, Robert et al. | AIAA | 2012


    DEPLOYABLE RADIATOR

    KAWAMURA SHUNICHI | European Patent Office | 2023

    Free access