Design Calculation of Ultra-High Temperature and High Pressure Helium-Xenon Mixed Gas Radiator

Abstract Helium-xenon mixed gas has higher heat transfer performance under a certain mixing ratio than pure helium. There are great limitations and uncertainties in applying existing theories and empirical models of helium-xenon mixed gases to ultra-high temperature and high pressure ranges. Therefore, it is necessary to build a loop and conduct experiments to verify the flow heat transfer characteristics of helium-xenon mixed gas under ultra-high temperature and high pressure conditions. The working conditions requires the radiator to have good heat dissipation efficiency under different pressures, temperatures and flows. Therefore, in this loop design, the radiator is a key device. So, it is necessary to perform thermal calculations before determining the structure of an ultrahigh temperature and high pressure radiator. Two radiator structural designs are currently proposed. Method of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) were used to study two radiators with different structures. Calculations are conducted for typical stable operating conditions. The calculation results show that under the same working conditions, the radiator designed with “fin - low temperature helium-xenon mixed gas” has higher heat dissipation efficiency and is an ideal design choice for ultra-high temperature and high pressure radiators. In addition, its performance under different operating conditions is also studied.