Development and test results of a dual compensation chamber loop heat pipe

A dual compensation chamber loop heat pipe is developed to solve the problem of the relative orientation limit between the evaporator and the compensation chambers. The construction of the evaporator and the compensation chambers is presented. The concurrent design method of the working fluid charge mass and the compensation chamber volumes, that can realize the objectives where, within a certain temperature range, the dual compensation chamber loop heat pipe cannot only start up and operate normally at any orientation, but can also avoid the most difficult startup situation, is introduced. The operation and the thermal control characteristics of the dual compensation chamber loop heat pipe are investigated. Test results indicate that in some heat load regions, the operating temperatures vary with the relative orientation between the evaporator and the compensation chambers. This is explained by the thermal equilibrium of the compensation chamber and the usage efficiency of the return liquid subcooling. The test results and discussion of the dual compensation chamber loop heat pipe suggest that part of the return liquid subcooling that cools the liquid to be locally subcooled must be considered in the mathematical modeling of the loop heat pipe.