Radiating heat exchanger of two-phase loop of spacecraft thermal mode supporting system. Numerical modeling of heat transfer element

Аuthors

Basov A. A.^*, Leksin M. A.^**, Prohorov Y. M.

S. P. Korolev Rocket and Space Corporation «Energia», 4A Lenin Street, Korolev, Moscow area, 141070, Russia

*e-mail: andrey.basov@rsce.ru
**e-mail: LexinMA@mail.ru

Abstract

The article presents a short description, and logic of operation of two-phase loop of thermal mode supporting system of a prospective manned spacecraft. Considered is the structural layout of radiation heat exchanger meant for heat rejection while operation of the equipment, installed on a spacecraft, and a crew activities, into surrounding space by radiant interchange. The description of heat transfer elements structure, included in the heat exchanger structure and necessary for heat input of the heat carrier fr om the two-phase loop over the radiating heat exchanger surface is also presented. The structure of heat transfer element consists of a thermal tube of omega-profile, filled with ammonia, and heat exchanger-condenser mounted on its surface with guaranteed provision of full thermal contact. The heat exchanger-condenser, in its turn, consists of two flow-through cavities, one of which is intended for pumping and cooling the coolant of the liquid ring the two-phase loop of a spacecraft thermal mode support system, and the other is for pumping and condensation of its vapors. The article offers the technique for determining thermal and hydraulic characteristics of the heat exchange element, developed with ANSYS software. Velocity and temperature fields computing in the flow-through cavities of the heat exchanger-condenser of the heat transfer element was performed. The dependence of hydraulic resistance of liquid and vapor cavities of heat exchanger-condenser on the coolant flow rate, as well as temperature drop between the coolant temperature at the heat transfer flow-through cavities inlet and temperature lim it of the condensation zone of the thermal tube were obtained. The article presents also the description of the experimental installations and methodologies employed while heat transfer elements testing in conditions of single-phase and two-phase modes of the two-phase loop operation. Comparison of computational results obtained by the proposed technique with the results of the heat transfer element testing, which allowed draw inference on correspondence of heat transfer element of the proposed structure to its specified thermal and hydraulic characteristics.

Keywords:

spacecraft, thermal supporting system, two-phase loop, radiator, heat-exchange element, numerical simulation

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