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As aviation enters the future, new technologies and philosophies are required to keep up with ever changing demands and increased market competition. Aircraft designers are required to come up with new and innovative ways to optimise systems and improve efficiencies. Onboard thermal management is an area that can take advantage of several new technologies to do just that. This paper is based on the development project “Advanced Thermal Management in Aeronautics” (ATMIA). Project ATMIA focuses on the use of Loop Heat Pipes (LHPs) in the aeronautical industry, specifically their onboard feasibility and the unique requirements found on an aeronautical platform such as those due to vibrations, gravitational forces and the need for disassembly due to maintenance. LHPs are passive two-phase devices that allow free-energy heat transportation between certain subsystems without needing additional power consumption.

The optimisation of energy is of the upmost importance within any vehicle and is a key driver in the design of all aeronautical projects. Modern aviation is trending towards the “More Electric Aircraft” (MEA), a model of increased electric power demand whereby traditional hydraulic, mechanical and pneumatic systems are replaced by electrical ones. This paper is based on the development project entitled “Advanced Thermal Management in Aeronautics” (ATMIA). The main target of which was to examine the potential for Loop Heat Pipes (LHPs) to be used in an aeronautical platform as assessed in previous the paper ref. 1. Until now the use of LHPs has been primarily on aerospace platforms. Project ATMIA addressed some specific requirements for an aeronautical platform such as the effects of vibrations, gravity and the possibility of disassembling for maintenance and transportation.