REGULATING CHARACTERISTICS OF THERMAL CONTROL SYSTEMS ON THE BASIS OF VARIABLE CONDUCTANCE HEAT PIPES AT VARIABLE HEAT GENERATION AND EXTERNAL HEAT EXCHANGE CONDITIONS

Abstract

The paper is devoted to decision of the scientific-applied problem of creation of the high-efficiency thermal control systems (TCS) of scientific space apparatus, operating in nonhermetical compartments, with the use of heat pipes of variable conductance (VCHP), executing the functions of transport of heat and control of the temperature of devices by maintenance of thermal balance in the system “mounting place of device in a spacecraft (SC)–device–space environment” on the required temperature level. Heat balance equations are the basis for definition of thermal parameters of TCS elements: heat pipe, radiator, thermal insulation, flexible elements, low conductance supports, cables, contact resistances, providing function of passive TCS. Proposed conceptions of TCS do not foresee subsidiary electric power consumption of spacecraft, and they are based on the use of inherent heat generation of scientific devices, or the heat of subsidiary sources such as the sun, providing stabilization of device temperature at the level of 290 K. Such approach is experimentally tested for the groups of scientific devices: for separate electronic cards (with mass of 0.3 kg), autonomous electronic unit (mass to 5 kg), and device panel of SC compartment (mass, 60 kg) at the change of inherent heat generation ration 1:10, temperatures of SC 253–323 K, and illumination by external sources (sun, planet) to 270 W/m2.