The objective of the activity is to develop and qualify new technologies and methods that would greatly simplify the integration of Capillary Driven heat transport systems. These new technologies and methods can range from connectors to ammonia charging rig allowing the purging and filling of capillary driven loops on the integration floor.

Capillary Driven Loops, as Loop Heat Pipes are currently assembled and filled at the loop heat pipe manufacturer. LHPs are used to transport heat from dissipative units where sometimes these units could be in an area that is difficult to access. In these cases, the LHP tubing routing could be very complex which makes the task of inserting these two-phase devices very challenging. Furthermore, the radiators used by LHPs could be an access panel which would need to be opened and closed multiple times. Flex lines could allow the panel to be opened but typically, more than one LHPs would share the same radiator increasing the number of flex lines. In addition, flex line has a negative impact in demanding additional volume of working fluid to be added in the LHP. This demand causes the compensation chamber volume to be increased which increases the overall mass of the system. If new technologies and methods are developed to allow the LHP to be dismantled at the LHP manufacturer and assembled within the spacecraft, then purged and filled on the integration floor while guaranteed the performance, the life time and safety , this would greatly simplify the design and integration of these products. Similar technologies and methods are currently being used for propulsion systems and the proposed activity is to apply something similar to Two-Phase heat transport systems. The activity would cover the developments of connectors, quick disconnects, valves, ground support equipment for emptying, purging, filling with ammonia, as well as covering all of the safety aspects of performing such an operations. It is important to note that there is some qualification needed on flight hardware since the LHP and MPL would need to be designed for charging on-site e.g.(connectors, ports, or even welding on site.) The activity would allow to repeat this filling process multiple times in order to verify that it is repeatable and reliable.