Technical Paper
Modular, Thermal Bus-to-Radiator Integral Heat Exchanger Design for Space Station Freedom
1990-07-01
901435
A conceptual design for the interface of the Space Station Freedom (SSF) two-phase thermal bus with the heat rejecting radiator panels has been developed. The concept uses baseline technology for the radiator panels and the thermal bus condenser and replaces the current baseline interface hardware with a direct bus-to-radiator heat pipe integral connection. The concept integrates the radiator panel and condenser units into a single unit and is referred to as the “integral heat exchanger (IHX)” concept. It addresses the substantial weight and assembly complexities and inefficiency of the current contact heat exchanger mechanism. This paper presents a brief overview of the SSF testing that has led to development of the IHX concept, describes the concept and addresses the savings that could be achieved using the IHX concept to maximize radiator surface temperature and thereby heat rejection capability.