Constrained Vapor Bubble Heat Pipe Experiment Aboard the International Space Station

A constrained vapor bubble heat pipe experiment was run in the microgravity environment of the International Space Station. Here we present the initial results that demonstrate significant differences in the operation of the constrained vapor bubble heat pipe in the microgravity environment as compared to the Earth's gravity. The temperature profile data along the heat pipe indicate that the heat pipe behavior is affected favorably by increased capillary flow and adversely by the absence of outside convective heat transfer as a heat loss mechanism. The reflectivity pattern viewed through the transparent quartz wall documented complex microflow patterns. Image data of the liquid profile in the grooves of the heat pipe indicate that the curvature gradient giving capillary flow is considerably different from that on Earth. Using experimental data for the temperature and meniscus profiles, a one-dimensional model gives the inside heat transfer coefficient, which was significantly higher in microgravity. An initial discussion of some of the data collected is presented.