Design and Testing of a High Power Spacecraft Thermal Management System

by National Aeronautics and Space Administration

The design and test results are presented of an ammonia hybrid capillary pumped loop thermal control system which could be used for heat acquisition and transport on future large space platforms and attached payloads, such as those associated with the NASA Space Station. The High Power Spacecraft Thermal Management System (HPSTM) can operate as either a passive, capillary pumped two phase thermal control system, or, when additional pressure head is required, as a mechanically pumped loop. Testing has shown that in the capillary mode, the HPSTM evaporators can acquire a total heat load of between 600 W and 24 kW, transported over 10 meters, at a maximum heat flux density of 4.3 W/sq cm. With the mechanical pump circulating the ammonia, a heat acquisition potential of 52 kW was demonstrated for 15 minutes without an evaporator failure. These results represent a significant improvement over the maximum transport capability previously displayed in other capillary systems. The HPSTM system still retains the proven capillary capabilities of heat load sharing and flow control between evaporator plates, rapid power cycling, and nonuniform heating in both the capillary and hybrid operating modes. Mccabe, Michael E., Jr. and Ku, Jentung and Benner, Steve Goddard Space Flight Center HEAT TRANSFER; SPACECRAFT DESIGN; SPACECRAFT PERFORMANCE; SPACECRAFT TEMPERATURE; TEMPERATURE CONTROL; AMMONIA; CAPILLARY FLOW; EVAPORATORS; HEAT FLUX; TWO PHASE FLOW...

114 pages, Paperback

Published July 17, 2018

About the author

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is an independent agency of the U.S. federal government responsible for the civil space program, aeronautics research, and space research.