THERMAL CONTROL-SYSTEMS FOR SPACECRAFT INSTRUMENTATION

Thermal management for instrumentation on shuttle pallets or proposed space platforms requires a system capable of accepting or rejecting heat to various instruments in different physical locations. This paper presents a review of the current, two-phase pumping mechanisms being considered. Techniques for the determination of the required pumping power needed for the removal of a predetermined quantity of heat using a two-phase system are presented and evaluated along with a discussion of the flow regimes occurring in pumped two-phase fluids in micro-g environments. Six different concepts for achieving the required pumping power are presented and compared based upon factors such as power requirements, control, life expectancy, system complexity, and technology readiness.