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Abstract:
Thermoelectric modules (TEMs) are used to precisely maintain the specified operating
temperature of photonics components which generate variable heat loads while being
subjected to a wide range of ambient temperatures. This setpoint temperature of a
photonics component is maintained by mounting it onto the controlled side of a TEM.
Normally, a conventional heat sink (CHS), of fixed ... read morethermal resistance, is mounted to the
uncontrolled side of a TEM. To minimize TEM power consumption, a CHS is replaced by a
variable conductance heat pipe (VCHP) which offers the ability to passively decrease its
thermal resistance as ambient temperature and/or heat load increase and vice versa. This
thesis presents detailed fabrication techniques for an as-built TEM-VCHP assembly, which
covers heat pipe wick construction, cleaning, leak testing and charging. Furthermore, a
means of interfacing a TEM to a heat pipe through an evaporator stackup is provided.
Next, specific details are provided for an experimental apparatus setup which allows
representative conditions of a photonics component application to be simulated (i.e.,
heat loads varying from 2 W to 7 W and ambient temperatures ranging from -5°C to
65°C). Finally, experimental results for a TEM-VCHP subjected to these conditions
are provided to demonstrate achievable power savings. TEM power consumption is shown to
be reduced by 38% on average across all examined conditions and up to 98% in one case
when compared to a TEM-constant conductance heat pipe
assembly.
Thesis (M.S.)--Tufts University,
2012.
Submitted to the Dept. of Mechanical
Engineering.
Advisor: Marc
Hodes.
Committee: Vincent Manno, and Martin
Cleary.
Keywords: Mechanical engineering, Energy,
and Engineering.read less
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