Temperature control of a heat source using a loop heat pipe integrated with a thermoelectric converter

Abstract

The paper presents the results of experimental studies of automatic temperature control of a heat source cooled by a loop heat pipe integrated with a thermoelectric converter. The power supply of the thermoelectric converter was regulated by a PID controller having feedback on the heat source temperature. The tests were carried out under conditions of varying the heat load value of the heat source from 10 to 320 W at the set points of the heat source temperature of 20, 40 and 60 °C, of the heat sink temperature from −10 to +30 °C and of the slope angles of 0° and +90°. It was shown that the control system makes it possible to control the heat source temperature with an accuracy of ±0.2 °C in the stationary mode and with a short-term deviation from the set value of no more than 2.5 °C with a sharp change in the heat load. Additional logical conditions were also tested, which were included in the controller program and ensured the operability of the loop heat pipe when starting from low heat loads and exiting the control mode at maximum heat loads.