Optimized Design and Testing of a Graphite‐Fiber Reinforced Composite Heat Pipe Radiator with Tapered Fins

An algorithm for optimizing the fin geometry of a heat pipe/fin radiator with tapered fins has been developed and a test article has been fabricated from graphite reinforced fiber composite (GRFC) to test the model. The algorithm determines the width and thickness of the fins in order to provide the maximum heat radiated per elements mass given the linear density of the heat pipe, the thermal conductivity and density of the fin material, the emissivity of the surface, and the operating temperature. In order to take advantage of the new high conductivity of the graphite fibers, the fins must be wide and extremely thin (∼1 mm) at the root and taper to a knife‐edge. The issues are: 1. Can a radiator/fin of this geometry be fabricated? 2. Will it perform as expected? 3. Can it withstand thermal cycling and extreme cold? 4. Will it survive launch environment? A test article has been fabricated to the specifications required by the optimized model. Thermal tests have been carried out in a vacuum chamber with LN...