ACT manufactured Loop Heat Pipes (LHP) can transport greater amounts of heat over longer distances than heat pipes. Loop Heat Pipes (LHP) are often used in conjunction with Constant Conductance Heat Pipes (CCHP) and Variable Conductance Heat Pipes (VCHP) to transfer waste heat from spacecraft payloads to radiators. Ammonia is the most widely used working fluid for temperatures between -40 and 70°C. Propylene and ethane are used for lower temperatures. ACT has also developed titanium/water Loop Heat Pipes (LHP) for temperatures between 70 and 250°C.
All ACT loop heat pipe parts, including primary and secondary wicks, are quality manufactured in the USA under strict AS9100 quality controls.
Typical applications for these ACT loop heat pipes include the following:
- Thermal management of payloads
- Heat transport
- Radiator panel enhancement
- Avionics cooling
- Aircraft de-icing