Limitations in variable conductance heat pipe performance and control predicted by the current steady-state model developed at NLR

A uniaxial model for the transient performance of gas-loaded variable conductance heat pipes is being developed, partly under contract with the Netherlands Agency for Aerospace Programs NIVR. The model has to be easily implementable in existing spacecraft thermal analyzer computer programs. So far, a steady-state version of the model is...

Uniaxial model for a gas loaded variable conductance heat pipe

A new uniaxial model for a gas loaded variable conductance heat pipe (VCHP) is developed. This model takes into account the diffusion at the vapour-gas interface as well as the inertial effects of the moving vapour. Only steady-state conditions are considered. The generally accepted Edwards /Marcus model will be shown to be a first order...

Uniaxial model for gas-loaded variable conductance heat pipe performance : the effects of vapour flow friction and inertia