Abstract
Space application of heat pipes in power systems, radiators and thermal management necessitates the understanding of their transient response to changes in input power or sink temperature. ‘‘HPTAM,’’ a two‐dimensional model, is developed for simulating transient performance of fully thawed liquid‐metal and non liquid‐metal heat pipes. The model divides the heat pipe into three radial regions: wall, liquid/wick, and vapor regions, and solves the complete form of governing equations in these regions. together with the momentum and energy jump conditions at the liquid‐vapor interface. To account for the thermal expansion of the liquid during startup and/or overheating, a liquid‐pooling submodel is incorporated to allow excess liquid to accumulate at the end of the condenser. Results of parametric analyses of water heat pipes are presented, illustrating the transient response to exponential rise and step decrease in input power. The effects of input power and initial liquid inventory on liquid pooling effects and both vapor and liquid pressure and temperature distributions are demonstrated.
Published Version
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