In the short term, traditional thermal control techniques, currently reaching their potential limit, will no longer meet the challenge imposed by the natural evolution in electronic packaging, characterized by an ever-increasing level of integration and power. In this context, new architectures must be developed, with thermal control based on high performance heat transfer devices.
The Integration of Miniature Heat Pipe (MHP) seems to be one of the most effective and promising solutions for the future. This paper summarizes the work, performed within the frame of a partnership with the CNES, aiming at contributing to develop and evaluate this technology.
Beyond theoretical and technological studies, we have manufactured or supplied several miniature heat pipe devices (MHPD) to constitute the elementary thermal control blocks, corresponding to the main packaging hierarchical levels (components, boards, equipment) of future generation of space vocation electronic units.
These devices have been thermally characterized in horizontal and vertical position (Evaporator over the Condenser). The measured maximum equivalent thermal conductivity exceeds 800 W/m.K. The ratios (ρ/λ) of these devices are far lower than those encountered commonly. These MHPD are diphasic components, enabling a substantial gain, in terms of both performance and mass versus traditional conduction solutions (Al or Cu). Moreover, the MHPD have followed a technological test file, including thermal cycles, random vibration and high temperature storage. They withstand without major degradation the various steps of the technological evaluation and demonstrate a good level of reliability through their stable behavior.
In addition, a protoflight was assembled and qualified, for the future CNES microsatellites and MAQSAT project. This scientific experiment will be integrated on a dummy satellite in the next ARIANE 5-ECA flight.