A mechanically pumped two-phase fluid loop for thermal control based on the capillary pumped loop

Abstract

A novel two-phase Mechanically Pumped Fluid Loop (MPFL) for thermal control is presented. The operating principles are outlined and results from a prototype test facility are shown. The system is a variant of the Capillary Pumped Loop (CPL) where a mechanical pump and bypass line have been added to make a pump-assisted CPL. The benefits of this design are discussed, and test results are shown that demonstrate the feasibility of the system architecture. Stable performance for heat loads between 30 W and 850 W are reported along with the capability of handling a heat flux of up to 13 W/cm2. In addition, the testbed incorporates a novel planar Additively Manufactured (AM) evaporator. Preliminary test results show that the evaporator can maintain isothermality within 0.5 C for heat loads up to 100 W and within 3 C for heat loads up to 325 W.