Speaker
Description
The increasing demand in image quality provided by forthcoming observation missions needs both to use very low-CTE materials for focal planes, such as Silicon Carbide (SiC), and to accommodate electronics very close to the detector. Such a highly integrated focal plane thus implies an efficient Thermal Control to drain the heat dissipation and ensure a high stability of the detector temperature. One solution could be to design a focal plane with embedded grooved heat pipes, which would drain the heat and make the temperature uniform.
In the frame of a CNES Research & Technology activity, co-funded by CNES, Mersen Boostec manufactured and assembled a SiC-based heat pipe, and CNES performed characterization testing after filling it with ammonia. After this initial test campaign, which demonstrated a healthy behavior, the filled heat pipe has been stored in room conditions during almost two years. Two other test campaigns were carried out to monitor a potential drift in the global performance of the heat pipe.
This presentation focuses on tests results obtained after 9 months of storage and after the storage period.
