Visual Inspection of Liquid Film Formation around Bayonet Tube in an Evaporator of a Reservoir Embedded Loop Heat Pipe under Micro-gravity Environment

摘要

A Reservoir Embedded Loop Heat Pipe (RELHP) has been developed as a heat transport device having an evaporator combined with a liquid reservoir to enhance operational reliability. When a liquid film is generated around the bayonet tube in the reservoir, thermal conductance of the RELHP might be decreased. We conducted a flow visualization test to investigate the liquid film formation around the bayonet tube under micro-gravity. From the experiments, the following conclusions were obtained. (1) The circular liquid film was generated around the bayonet tube under micro-gravity. (2) Ribs that support the bayonet tube or a liquid film eliminator were effective to eliminate the liquid film generation around the bayonet tube.