Heat Pipes for Space Applications (Axial, Arterial, Diode)
Arquimea
Space-qualified axial grooved, arterial, and diode heat pipes in aluminum or stainless steel for satellite thermal control, carrying 5–500 W over temperatures from -130°C to +145°C with 1,800 units in orbit.
Technical specifications
- Heat pipe types
- Axial grooved, arterial, diode
- Materials
- 6063 aluminum alloy (axial); stainless steel (arterial)
- Working fluids
- Ethane, propylene, ammonia, toluene
- Temperature operating range
- -130°C to +145°C
- Power range
- 5 W to 500 W
- Maximum length
- Up to 6 m (axial); up to 1.4 m (arterial)
- Axial AxHP diameters
- 6 mm to 20 mm outer diameter
- Arterial ArHP diameters
- 12 mm and 16 mm external diameter
- Units in orbit
- 1,800
- Units awaiting launch
- 1,180
About
ARQUIMEA designs, manufactures, and commercializes three families of passive heat transfer devices for space thermal control: axial grooved, arterial, and diode heat pipes. These devices combine the principles of thermal conductivity and phase transition to efficiently transfer heat between two solid interfaces, maintaining satellite electronics within required temperature bounds throughout the mission life.
Axial Grooved Heat Pipes (AxHP) are manufactured by extrusion with a longitudinal axial grooved wick structure. They are available in outer diameters from 6 mm to 20 mm with single and dual bore configurations, made of 6063 aluminum alloy, with lengths up to 6 meters and custom 3D bending capability. Flight programs include AMS-02, Galileo FOC, Sentinel missions, BepiColombo, MTG, and Jupiter 2 (EchoStar 19).
Arterial Heat Pipes (ArHP) use a metallic mesh artery to pump working fluid. These are made of stainless steel (for low CTE applications) in 12 mm and 16 mm external diameters and up to 1.4 m length. Flight programs include Sentinel 1A, Sentinel 2A, and EDRS-A. ARQUIMEA has 1,800 heat pipe units in orbit and a further 1,180 waiting to be launched.
Documentation
No public datasheet yet — request the datasheet / ICD from the supplier.
