Speaker
Description
The oscillating heat pipe (OHP), also called pulsating heat pipe (PHP), is a high-performance passive heat transport technology with a wide range of applications in satellite thermal management. The OHP is similar to other heat pipes in that it uses a saturated fluid to transport heat; however, its operational mechanism relies on bubble nucleation within a capillary channel to drive oscillatory flow of liquid and vapor between heat sources and sinks. This mechanism enables the OHP to be constructed in thin, lightweight, structural, and three-dimensional form factors capable of transporting high heat loads and fluxes. These capabilities are well-suited for cooling satellite electronics, where component sizes are decreasing while power densities continue to rise.
This presentation will highlight development and integration efforts focused on electronics cooling in space applications. Experimental data, thermal modeling, and qualification results will be presented to demonstrate the performance, reliability, and design flexibility of OHPs for demanding spaceflight environments.
