Thermal Vacuum Testing of the Capillary Pumped Loop Flight Experiment 941599
The Capillary Pumped Loop Flight Experiment (CAPL) is a prototype of the Earth Observing System (EOS) instrument thermal control systems, which are based on two-phase heat transfer technology. The CAPL experiment has been functionally tested in a thermal vacuum chamber at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC). The tests performed included start-up tests, simulated EOS instrument power profiles, low and high power profiles, a variety of uneven coldplate heating tests, subcooling requirement tests, an induced deprime test, reprimes, saturation temperature changes, and a hybrid (mechanical pump-assist) test. There were a few unexpected evaporator deprimes, but overall the testing was successful. The results of all of the tests are discussed, with emphasis on the deprimes and suspected causes.
Citation: Ottenstein, L., Ku, J., and Butler, D., "Thermal Vacuum Testing of the Capillary Pumped Loop Flight Experiment," SAE Technical Paper 941599, 1994, https://doi.org/10.4271/941599. Download Citation
Author(s):
Laura Ottenstein, Jentung Ku, Dan Butler
Affiliated:
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
Pages: 12
Event:
International Conference On Environmental Systems
ISSN:
0148-7191
e-ISSN:
2688-3627
Also in:
SAE 1994 Transactions: Journal of Aerospace-V103-1
Related Topics:
Heat transfer
Control systems
Vacuum
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