Performance analysis and optimization of heat pipe-based radiator for space nuclear power system

Abstract

The weight of radiator affects the launch weight of spacecraft and the feasibility of engineering development. Heat pipe radiator is widely used in space heat emission because of its strong resistance to single point failure and excellent heat transfer performance. This paper analyzed the sensitivity of fin width, inlet temperature, condensing section length and coolant mass flow of a direct contact heat pipe radiator are analyzed on four types of heat pipe radiators. The optimal design parameters of two inlet – two outlet radiator are obtained by double objective optimization, and the optimal design parameters are Lf = 0.0893 m, Tf11 = 697.8371 K, lhpc = 0.7736 m, qm = 8.9184 kg/s. ANSYS fluent 19.0, a CFD code is used to simulate the flow and the heat transfer characteristics of radiator with the best design parameters. Which indicates the intersection of coolant pipe and annular pipe of the radiator should be thickened, and the fin shape should be optimized along the direction of the fin isotherm.