The Constrained Vapor Bubble (CVB) is a prototype for a wickless heat pipe and was developed into an experiment that was run in the microgravity environment of the International Space Station during 2010. Since the CVB is transparent, we can visualize the flow processes within the device in a way not possible before. Results from the experiment indicate that the CVB operates at higher pressures and temperatures in microgravity, a consequence of radiation being the only mechanism for removing heat from the device. The temperature profile data along the heat pipe and corresponding heat transfer calculations indicate that CVB performance is enhanced in the microgravity environment due to increased capillary flow even though heat transfer to the external environment is diminished by the absence of natural convection. Image data of the liquid profile in the grooves of the heat pipe indicate that the curvature gradient is considerably different from that on Earth and supports the conclusion that capillary flow and internal heat transfer is increased. Operations with the 20 mm version of the device allowed us to view explosive nucleation within the CVB upon device start-up. In this scenario, bubble nucleation occurred spontaneously and periodically at the hot end of the device. The nucleation process sent a shock wave through the pipe that collapsed the original bubble as a new vapor space was generated. The newly formed bubble returned to its original size, shape and location as heat loss from the CVB reestablished the original, pseudo-steady-state temperature and pressure profiles.
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ASME 2012 10th International Conference on Nanochannels, Microchannels, and Minichannels collocated with the ASME 2012 Heat Transfer Summer Conference and the ASME 2012 Fluids Engineering Division Summer Meeting
July 8–12, 2012
Rio Grande, Puerto Rico, USA
Conference Sponsors:
- Heat Transfer Division
- Fluids Engineering Division
ISBN:
978-0-7918-4479-3
PROCEEDINGS PAPER
Heat Pipe Performance in Microgravity: Lessons From the Constrained Vapor Bubble, CVB, Capillary Fin Experiment
Joel L. Plawsky,
Joel L. Plawsky
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY
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Peter C. Wayner, Jr.
Peter C. Wayner, Jr.
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY
Search for other works by this author on:
Joel L. Plawsky
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY
Peter C. Wayner, Jr.
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY
Paper No:
ICNMM2012-73084, pp. 701-707; 7 pages
Published Online:
July 22, 2013
Citation
Plawsky, JL, & Wayner, PC, Jr. "Heat Pipe Performance in Microgravity: Lessons From the Constrained Vapor Bubble, CVB, Capillary Fin Experiment." Proceedings of the ASME 2012 10th International Conference on Nanochannels, Microchannels, and Minichannels collocated with the ASME 2012 Heat Transfer Summer Conference and the ASME 2012 Fluids Engineering Division Summer Meeting. ASME 2012 10th International Conference on Nanochannels, Microchannels, and Minichannels. Rio Grande, Puerto Rico, USA. July 8–12, 2012. pp. 701-707. ASME. https://doi.org/10.1115/ICNMM2012-73084
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