Technical Paper
Active Control of the Operating Temperature in a Loop Heat Pipe with Two Evaporators and Two Condensers
2001-07-09
2001-01-2188
This paper describes a test program on active control of the operating temperature in a loop heat pipe (LHP) with two evaporators and two condensers. Test results shoe that when the CCs were not actively controlled, the loop operating temperature was a function of the total heat load, heat load distribution among evaporators, condenser temperature and ambient temperature. Because of the many variables involved, the operating temperature also showed more hystereses than an LHP with a single evaporator. Tight operating temperature control can be achieved by controlling the compensation chambers (CCs) at a desired set point temperature. Temperature control was achieved by maintaining one or both CCs at the desired set point through cold biasing and external heating. Tests performed included start-up, power cycle, sink temperature cycle, CC temperature cycle, and capillary limit.