Erno Raumfahrttechnik Gmbh

Bernhard Leidinger

Klaus P Nickel

Ruediger Meyer

A heat pipe is divided longitudinally by a divider wall into a vapor channel and into a liquid channel. The divider wall is provided, preferably at uniform axial spacings with bulges that form a restriction in the flow cross-sectional area of the vapor channel and an increase in the flow cross-sectional area of the liquid channel. A small diameter through bore is positioned at the peak of each bulge to connect the liquid channel with the vapor channel at this point. The reduced pressure at the restriction in the vapor channel is sufficient to suck gas or vapor bubbles collected under the bulge into the vapor channel, but insufficient to pull liquid into the vapor channel. The cross-sectional flow area of the liquid channel increases steadily toward each bulge, either from a point centrally between two bulges or from a point directly downstream of a bulge toward the next bulge as viewed in the flow direction of the liquid.

Heat pipe

An evaporation heat exchanger having at least one active circulating circuit for a coolant liquid to be cooled, is constructed for removing heat in a spacecraft under a gravity-free operating condition and under different acceleration conditions. For this purpose, a housing encloses an evaporating space provided with at least one inlet valve for controlling the admission of a medium to be evaporated. The produced vapor or steam is discharged through a respective outlet port. A plurality of cooling tubes interconnected in a meandering shape form a number of tube panels in which the individual tubes are arranged with a different spacing from one another in a direction from the inlet valve to the outlet port. Preferably, these spacings increase in the flow direction from the inlet port to the outlet port to establish a constant flow speed for the evaporating medium. The tubes forming a panel may be arranged in a zig-zag pattern within the panel.

Evaporation heat exchanger, especially for a spacecraft

Heat is removed from a spacecraft under zero gravity and under various accelerations, by a heat exchange contact between a cooling liquid or coolant and an evaporant or medium to be evaporated. The coolant flowing in at least one liquid cooling circulation circuit and the evaporant which is discharged in its vapor phase, are brought into heat exchange contact with each other in processing chambers forming at least two separate heat exchange stages, wherein different pressure and temperature conditions are set. The cooling liquid or coolant and the medium to be evaporated evaporant flow through these stages in sequence and in such a way that the coolant first flows through the stage with the highest pressure and the highest temperature, and then flows through the stages with successively lower pressure and/or temperature.

Method and apparatus for removing heat generated in a spacecraft

Heat generated, for example, in a spacecraft under zero gravity conditions and different accelerations is discharged through an evaporation heat exchanger connected to at least one active coolant circulation circuit. The heat exchanger has a bundle of tubes axially arranged inside a cylindrical processing chamber. An evaporant passes through these tubes. A coolant flows into heat exchange contact with outer surfaces of said tubes. The outlet cross-sectional flow area for the evaporant, or rather its vapor, is variable so that the pressure of the evaporated medium, and thereby also its evaporation temperature are adjustable. The adjustment of the cross-sectional flow area for the vapor is controlled in response to the temperature of the cooling liquid or coolant where it enters into a processing chamber of the heat exchanger. Selectively closable apertures in an end plate (52) serve for changing the outlet cross-section flow area for the vapor. The apertures are, at least partially, closable by flaps which are controlled by bimetal springs responsive to the temperature of the entering coolant.

Evaporation heat exchanger apparatus for removing heat

An active cooling circuit through which cooling liquid circulates, is connected to an evaporation heat exchanger for cooling said cooling liquid when it has begun to warm. For this purpose, a housing encloses an evaporation chamber into which an evaporation fluid, such as water, is sprayed whereby the heat needed for the evaporation cools the cooling liquid passing through a gap between an inner and an outer wall forming said housing. The active cooling circuit passes through the gap in which eddy bodies are arranged in such positions relative to the normal flow direction of the cooling liquid through the gap to cause eddy currents in the cooling liquid flowing through the gap for an improved heat exchange. The discharge for the evaporated fluid is located at the same housing end where the spray nozzles for the injection of the evaporation fluid are located.

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Weyhe-Leeste, Germany

Bernhard Leidinger