This paper presents the last developments which have been performed at SABCA under internal funding, and the application of this work on the Technological Telecommunication Satellite STENTOR.
The High Performance Capillary Pumped Loop ( HPCPL ) has been defined to get a reliable operation mode under a very wide range of operation conditions.
Preliminary results have been already presented (ref. (1)), showing the high performances and the reliable functional characteristics of the HPCPL. The present paper emphasises the last developments which have been performed at SABCA. Main target of these developments is to clearly define the operating range of the loop according to the various functional parameters, such as maximum, minimum and negative heat loads, 0g / 1g performance impact, maximum pumping characteristics, balanced / unbalanced heat loads, non-condensible gas, life-time impacts,…
After showing the different testing phases performed, the operational limits of the HPCPL are described, offering a big interest for any space application.
A first application will be on STENTOR; this satellite, sponsored by the French Space Agency CNES and with AEROSPATIALE as Thermal Control Subsystem Responsible, which aims to be a flight demonstrator for the technologies to be used on the future generation of telecommunication satellites.
Among others ( Active antenna, plasmic propulsion, deployable radiators,…) Capillary Pumped Loops and Loop Heat Pipes make use of STENTOR for their space qualification. The different thermal systems which will be used on board are detailed in terms of flight design, development tests already achieved, qualification philosophy as well as expected and predicted flight performances.