Transient Model of a Grooved Heat Pipe Embedded in the Honeycomb Structural Panel

The mathematical model of a grooved heat pipe is presented. This is a transient model developed for the conditions when neither number, nor location, nor size of evaporator and condenser sections are constant, and may eventually vary during the HP operation because, for instant, turning on and off some heat dissipating equipment, or by the change of heat-output conditions.

The total volume of liquid excess in the HP is calculated at each numerical time step. The liquid slugs at 0g and the puddle at the 1g conditions are properly tackled. The liquid charge of HP is the key input parameter of the model.