Bidirectional Heat Pipe Network for Spacecraft Payload Temperature Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing spacecraft thermal control systems struggle to efficiently regulate heat flow in both directions and store heat when necessary, leading to issues such as oversized batteries and unreliable heat management, particularly in scenarios where payloads need to both reject and receive heat from their environment.
Innovation Solution
A Bidirectional Regulating Heat Pipe Network (BRHPN) that combines cool and warm environment variable conductance heat pipes with diode heat pipes and a thermal energy storage unit, allowing bidirectional heat regulation and storage, using non-condensable gas slugs and heaters to control heat flow based on environmental conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a cold biased radiator+heaters+batteries+feedback control system is used for heat regulation, then the payload can maintain a cool-enough temperature in hot environments, but the system requires excessive heater power and provides no hot-side protection
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs dynamically adjustable thermal conductance in the heat pipe network, allowing the system to adapt its heat transfer characteristics in real-time based on thermal conditions. The variable conductance heat pipes can adjust their effective thermal conductivity to optimize heat flow direction and magnitude, enabling the system to provide hot-side protection when needed while reducing heater power consumption during normal operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a bidirectional regulating heat pipe network as an intermediary thermal management system between the payload and the space environment. This heat pipe network acts as a smart thermal mediator that can actively regulate heat flow in both directions (into and out of the payload), replacing the need for excessive heater power and providing comprehensive thermal protection.
2Temperature
If thermal capacitors are used to provide hot-side or cold-side protection, then temperature protection can be achieved, but the system becomes too heavy for widespread application
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces heavy mechanical thermal capacitors with a lightweight heat pipe-based thermal regulation system. The bidirectional regulating heat pipe network provides equivalent or superior temperature protection capabilities without the excessive mass penalty, making the solution viable for widespread application throughout the spacecraft thermal management system.
3Temperature
If thermal switches are used for heat regulation, then local heat control can be achieved, but the system becomes too heavy and unreliable due to moving parts
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces thermal switches with a heat pipe-based system that achieves local heat control without moving parts. The bidirectional regulating heat pipe network uses passive heat pipe mechanisms and active control of thermal conductance to provide reliable local temperature regulation, eliminating the reliability issues associated with mechanical components while maintaining the ability to control heat flow locally.
4Adaptability or versatility
If oversized radiators and heaters are used to provide heat regulation capability, then the system can handle both hot and cold environments, but the resource consumption increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal bidirectional regulating heat pipe network that can perform multiple thermal management functions (heat rejection, heat acquisition, temperature regulation) within a single integrated system. This multi-functional approach eliminates the need for separate oversized radiators and heaters, reducing the total quantity of thermal management components while maintaining full adaptability to both hot and cold environmental conditions.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The BRHPN provides flexible and efficient heat regulation, reducing the need for oversized radiators and heaters, while maintaining payload temperature within a desired range by optimizing heat transfer in both directions and storing excess heat, thus minimizing resource consumption.
Implementation Method 1
A cool environment variable conductance heat pipe (CEVCHP) has an evaporator thermally connected to the payload first thermal interface surface and has a condenser thermally connected to environment-coupled hardware (ECHW) through a diode heat pipe (DHP). The CEVCHP contains a noncondensable gas (NCG) slug in a cold end of the CEVHCP
Implementation Method 2
a NCG reservoir has a heater for use as needed to stop operation of the CEVCHP when appropriate
Implementation Method 3
A cool environment variable conductance heat pipe (CEVCHP) has an evaporator thermally connected to the payload first thermal interface surface and has a condenser thermally connected to environment-coupled hardware
Implementation Method 4
The DHP includes a liquid trap
Data Source
AI summary
A bidirectional regulating heat pipe network for a spacecraft payload temperature regulating system includes a payload having a thermal interface surfaces connected to a cool environment variable conductance heat pipe (CEVCHP) evaporator and a warm environment variable conductance heat pipe (WEVCHP) condenser to enable regulation of heat flow in or out of the payload in order to maintain a temperature within the payload's requirements.