Abstract
The present paper proposes optimization procedures for loop heat pipe (LHP) designed to cool the lithium-ion battery for airborne high energy electric lasers (HEL) without power consumption. The LHP is more efficient than the air cooling device using bleed air. The battery temperature rising enlarges the permanent loss of its capacity and makes it unusable and unsafe. Cold speedy air around a flying aircraft becomes a good heat sink for dissipating the battery heat. The design objective is to reduce the weight of the LHP, considering the range of battery operating temperature and operational reliability. For numerical analysis, the total system of the LHP is analyzed through a thermohydraulic model and the heat transfer of the porous wick is predicted by the thin liquid film model. The thermal characteristics of the groove section are found by an analytical solution and a finite difference method. The design optimization is executed by using approximation models for the cases of (1) a fixed heat load, (2) a varied heat load without uncertainty consideration, and (3) a varied heat load with uncertainty consideration about the generated heat of the battery. As result of the optimization process, the weight of the LHP was reduced significantly. The optimized LHP for the varied heat load with uncertainty consideration case is most reliable and robust with slight increase of the weight.
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This paper was recommended for publication in revised form by Associate Editor Do Hyung Lee
YongJin Park has been a Ph.D candidate of Seoul National University since 03/2006 and received a Master’s degree in 2001 at Yonsei University. The research topic of interest is a reliability based design optimization of a thermal system and a multi-criteria decision making.
Sangook Jun has been a Ph.D candidate (The integrated MA/Ph.D Course) since 03/2008 and received a Bachelor’s degree in 2002 at Seoul National University. The research topic of interest is a robust design optimization and a reduced order model.
Sanghun Kim has been a Ph.D candidate since 03/2004 and received a Master’s degree in 2004 at Seoul National University. The research topic of interest is a reliability design optimization of a helicopter.
Dongho Lee is a professor of Seoul National University and a member of The National Academy of Engineering of Korea. He was a director of IAAT (Institute of Advanced Aerospace Technology). He is interested in Computational Fluid Dynamics, wind tunnel test and Multidisciplinary Design Optimization for large and complex systems (e.g. aircraft, helicopter, high speed train, compressor and wind turbine).
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Park, Y., Jun, S., Kim, S. et al. Design optimization of a loop heat pipe to cool a lithium ion battery onboard a military aircraft. J Mech Sci Technol 24, 609–618 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12206-009-1214-6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12206-009-1214-6