Flat heat pipes thermal performance in body force environment

This study reports on the effects of transient acceleration forces with constant input power on the thermal performance of copper/water flat heat pipe. Transient accelerations are generated using a centrifuge table to simulate acceleration forces typifying high performance aircraft maneuvering. These transients consist of three acceleration forces types: a single waveform with a peak value of 10 g with a duration of about 190 seconds, step changes with peak value of 10 g with a duration of about 300 seconds, and step changes of 1 g magnitude after thermal stabilization in the heat pipe operation. Partial depriming of the heat pipe and pooling of the working fluid are found to have an impact on the heat transport capability and transient behavior of the heat pipe. Repriming of the heat pipe under thermal load while being subjected to transient accelerations is also demonstrated.