Investigation of Heat Transfer Surfaces for Space Power Systems

Abstract

Heat exchangers used in the composition of large-capacity energy conversion systems for space applications must be able to operate at high temperatures (above 1000 K) and at high (several MPa) values of pressure difference between the “hot” and “cold” heat carrier/coolant channels. This is why especially demanding strength and stiffness requirements are posed to the heat-transfer matrix of these devices, a circumstance that precludes almost completely the use of well-known compact and light plate-and-fin devices with 50–100-μm-thick foil fins. The article presents the results from experimental investigations into the thermal and hydraulic characteristics of alternative versions of heat-transfer elements involving the use of different heat transfer enhancement methods. Experimental investigations of heat transfer and hydrodynamics were carried out for three types of heat-transfer surfaces: a tubular one composed of small-diameter (3 mm) thin-walled tubes deformed over the cross-section perimeter and length (twisted tubes), a plate one finned with pins having a diamond-shaped cross section (2 × 2 mm in cross section and 4 mm in height), and a plate one composed of thin-walled 0.2-mm-thick plates with the surface formed by oppositely directed truncated cones with saddle-like bridges (a biconvex stamped plate). After processing and analyzing the experimental data obtained for these heat-transfer surfaces, dimensionless dependences for the Nusselt number and the pressure-drop coefficient on the Reynolds number were constructed. The dimensionless formulas obtained for twisted tubes and for the pin-finned surface are compared with the well-known correlations. It is shown that the use of twisted tubes instead of round ones results in improving the heat transfer intensity by more than 20% with the hydrodynamic indicators worsened by 50%. The use of the pin-finned plate surface improves the heat transfer intensity by more than a factor of two as compared with using a staggered tube bundle.