Inventors:
Charles W. Dingell - Friendswood TX, US
Clemente E. Quintana - Houston TX, US
Suy Le - League City TX, US
Michael R. Clark - LaPorte TX, US
Robert E. Cloutier - Webster TX, US
David Scott Hafermalz - Houston TX, US
Assignee:
The United States of America as represented by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration - Washington DC
International Classification:
B01D 5/00
Abstract:
A sublimator includes a sublimation plate having a thermal element disposed adjacent to a feed water channel and a control point disposed between at least a portion of the thermal element and a large pore substrate. The control point includes a sintered metal material. A method of dissipating heat using a sublimator includes a sublimation plate having a thermal element and a control point. The thermal element is disposed adjacent to a feed water channel and the control point is disposed between at least a portion of the thermal element and a large pore substrate. The method includes controlling a flow rate of feed water to the large pore substrate at the control point and supplying heated coolant to the thermal element. Sublimation occurs in the large pore substrate and the controlling of the flow rate of feed water is independent of time. A sublimator includes a sublimation plate having a thermal element disposed adjacent to a feed water channel and a control point disposed between at least a portion of the thermal element and a large pore substrate.