초록 ▼

A spacecraft includes heat-generating payload equipment, and a heat transport system with a cold plate thermally coupled to the equipment and a capillary-wick evaporator, for evaporating coolant liquid to cool the equipment. The coolant vapor is coupled to a condenser and in a loop back to the evapo

A spacecraft includes heat-generating payload equipment, and a heat transport system with a cold plate thermally coupled to the equipment and a capillary-wick evaporator, for evaporating coolant liquid to cool the equipment. The coolant vapor is coupled to a condenser and in a loop back to the evaporator. A heated coolant reservoir is coupled to the loop for pressure control. If the wick is not wetted, heat transfer will not begin or continue. A pair of check valves are coupled in the loop, and the heater is cycled for augmentation pumping of coolant to and from the reservoir. This augmentation pumping, in conjunction with the check valves, wets the wick. The wick liquid storage capacity allows the augmentation pump to provide continuous pulsed liquid flow to assure continuous vapor transport and a continuously operating heat transport system. The check valves are of the ball type to assure maximum reliability. However, any type of check valve can be used, including designs which are preloaded in the closed position. The check valve may use any ball or poppet material which resists corrosion. For optimum performance during testing on Earth, the ball or poppet would have neutral buoyancy or be configured in a closed position when the heat transport system is not operating. The ball may be porous to allow passage of coolant vapor.

대표청구항 ▼

[ What is claimed is:] [1.] A spacecraft, comprising:a payload including means for performing a desired function and in the process generating undesired heat;a cold plate coupled to said payload for absorbing said undesired heat therefrom, said cold plate including a liquid coolant input port, a cap

[ What is claimed is:] [1.] A spacecraft, comprising:a payload including means for performing a desired function and in the process generating undesired heat;a cold plate coupled to said payload for absorbing said undesired heat therefrom, said cold plate including a liquid coolant input port, a capillary wick, and a coolant vapor outlet port, for accepting liquid coolant at said liquid coolant input port, and for wetting said wick and transferring said undesired heat to said coolant for causing said wick to transform said liquid coolant into said coolant vapor;a heat exchanger including a coolant vapor input port and a liquid coolant output port, for receiving coolant vapor at said input port and extracting heat therefrom, for thereby condensing coolant vapor arriving at said input port of said heat exchanger into liquid coolant, which becomes available at said output port of said heat exchanger;coolant coupling means coupled in a loop to said cold plate and to said heat exchanger, for coupling said coolant vapor from said coolant vapor output port of said cold plate to said coolant vapor input port of said heat exchanger, and for coupling said liquid coolant from said liquid coolant output port of said heat exchanger to said liquid coolant input port of said cold plate, whereby, under normal conditions of said loop, said capillary wick creates a vapor pressure which causes (a) circulation of coolant vapor through said loop from said cold plate to said heat exchanger, and (b) circulation of liquid coolant through said loop from said heat exchanger to said cold plate, and whereby, under other conditions, said capillary wick may become deprimed, thereby impeding circulation of coolant through said loop;said coolant coupling means further comprising a coolant pump including (a)a coolant reservoir including an input/output port coupled to said loop at a first location between said liquid coolant output port of said heat exchanger and said liquid coolant input port of said cold plate, for, when heated, rejecting liquid coolant from said reservoir into said loop at said first location, and for, when cooled, withdrawing liquid coolant from said loop; (b) a first check valve coupled in said loop at a second location lying between said first location and said liquid coolant input port of said cold plate, oriented for allowing flow of liquid coolant through said loop in a direction toward said cold plate, and for blocking flow of liquid coolant from said cold plate; (c) a second check valve coupled in said loop at a third location, and oriented to allow coolant flow through said loop in said first direction; and (d) heat control means coupled to said coolant reservoir for controllably heating and cooling said reservoir during corresponding heating and cooling cycles, for thereby rejecting liquid coolant into said loop at said first location during heating cycles whereby liquid coolant tends to be driven through said first check valve toward said cold plate, and for withdrawing liquid coolant from said loop at said first location during cooling cycles, whereby said first check valve tends to close and said second check valve to open, thereby tending to draw coolant toward said first location from said second check valve, whereby successive heating and cooling cycles tend to develop a fluid pressure which tends to pump said liquid coolant toward said cold plate, which may wet said capillary wick.