ESA Open Invitation to Tender AO10252
Open Date: 20/04/2020
Closing Date: 16/06/2020 13:00:00

Status: ISSUED
Reference Nr.: 20.127.02
Prog. Ref.: Technology Developme
Budget Ref.: E/0901-01 – Technology Developme
Special Prov.: AT+BE+CH+CZ+DE+DK+EE+ES+FR+FI+GB+GR+HU+IT+IE+LU+NO+NL+PL+PT+RO+SE
Tender Type: C
Price Range: 200-500 KEURO
Products: Satellites & Probes / Thermal Control / Cryogenic and Refrigeration / Other / Satellites & Probes / Thermal Control / Thermal control – C&P / Coatings (black paints, sulphuric oxidation, aluminium, gold, …)
Technology Domains: Thermal / Cryogenics and Refrigeration / Passive Coolers and Stored Cryogens
Establishment: ESTEC
Directorate: Directorate of Tech, Eng. & Quality
Department: Mechanical Department
Division: Thermal Division
Contract Officer: Magne-Lie, Karine
Industrial Policy Measure: N/A – Not apply
Last Update Date: 20/04/2020
Update Reason: Tender issue

Objective(s) of the Activity: This activity aims at characterising a vapour cooling technique, using the return line with an operating 4He Joule-Thomson Cooler (can be in open loop), in order to determine the ideal parameters for mass flow and cooling temperature, as well as its transient behaviour, upon cool-down or transient heat load. The activity shall start by designing and manufacturinga test setup with a JT circuit (e.g. in open loop), a temperature-regulated heat exchanger for vapour cooling at an intermediate temperature, a pre-cooling stage with the possibility to accurately measure the heat flow, and a tuneable parasitic heat load in the incoming line, e.g. via heaters. This initial phase for test setup design and test predictions shall take place, with elementary tests performed in case necessary (e.g. validating heat flow measurement techniques, tuning calibrated orifices). A subsequent phase will consist of the testing of the operating JT and vapour cooling , all the relevant parameters shall be swept in a comprehensive way,such as shield temperature, mass flow, pre-cooling temperature, parasitic heat loads on incoming line, return pressure, heat load on the JT expansion, and others etc.