thermal engineering branch:groups:technology development group:technology development activities:lhp
Loop Heat Pipes
Loop Heat Pipes (LHPs) are robust, self-starting, and passive two-phase thermal
transport devices. They utilize the latent heat of vaporization of a working fluid to
transfer heat, and the surface tension forces formed in a fine-pore wick to circulate
the working fluid. They are used to transport excess heat from a heat source such as
payload instruments in a spacecraft to a low temperature heat sink, while maintaining
the temperature within specified limits. Recent articles on LHPs published by GSFC
- Ku,J., Ottenstein, L, Kobel, M., Rogers, P and T. Kaya,"Temperature Oscillations in
Loop Heat Pipe Operation," STAIF 2001, American Institute of Physics, Albuquerque, New
Mexico, February 11-14, 2001.
- Ku, J., "Start-up Issues with Low Powers in a Loop Heat Pipe," STAIF 2001, American
Institute of Phyics, Albuquerque, New Mexico, February 11-14, 2001.
- Baker, C., Butler, D., Ku, J., and E. Grob, "Acceptance Thermal Vacuum Tests of the
GLAS Flight Loop Heat Pipe Systems," STAIF 2001, American Institute of Physics,
Albuquerque, New Mexico, February 11-14, 2001.
For additional information contact JenTung Ku, GSFC Code 545.2, (301) 286-3130 fax(301) 286-1692
Jentung dot Ku dash 1 at nasa dot gov