SPACECRAFT HEAT DISSIPATION SYSTEM

• US 20100243817A1
• Filed: 03/24/2010
• Published: 09/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Inventors: McKinnon, Douglas V., Moran, Timothy P.
• Granted Patent: US 8,820,684 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 244/171.800
• CPC Class Codes: B64G 1/50 for temperature control
• CPC Class Codes: B64G 1/503 Radiator panels
• CPC Class Codes: B64G 1/506 Heat pipes
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 15/0275 Arrangements for coupling heat-pipes together or with other structures, e.g. with base blocks; Heat pipe cores

Abstract

A spacecraft is provided. The spacecraft comprises a plurality of heat generating electrical components. A first thermal radiator panel and a second thermal radiator panel are provided on the spacecraft, each panel being thermally coupled to the heat generating electrical components. Heat pipes are also provided. At least one first heat pipe is externally attached to the first thermal radiator panel and at least one second heat pipe is externally attached to the second thermal radiator panel. The at least one first heat pipe is thermally coupled to the at least one second heat pipe.

Claims

1. A spacecraft comprising:

a plurality of heat generating electrical components;

a first thermal radiator panel and a second thermal radiator panel, each panel thermally coupled to said heat generating electrical components;

at least one first heat pipe externally attached to said first thermal radiator panel and at least one second heat pipe externally attached to said second thermal radiator panel, said at least one first heat pipe thermally coupled to said at least one second heat pipe.

2. The spacecraft of claim 1, including a first plurality of said first heat pipes on said first thermal radiator panel are interleaved with a second plurality of said second heat pipes on said second thermal radiator panel and form a first heat dissipation sub-zone.

3. The spacecraft of claim 2, including a first plurality of said first heat pipes on said first thermal radiator panel are interleaved with a second plurality of said second heat pipes on said second thermal radiator panel and form a second heat dissipation sub-zone.

4. The spacecraft of claim 1, wherein said at least one first heat pipe and said at least one second heat pipe are generally two-dimensional in shape.

5. The spacecraft of claim 4, wherein said at least one first heat pipe and said at least one second heat pipe are generally L-shaped.

6. The spacecraft of claim 1, wherein said first thermal radiator panel and a second thermal radiator panel each include at least one opening therethrough, said at least one first heat pipe extending through said at least one opening in said first thermal radiator panel, said at least one second heat pipe extending through said at least one opening in said second thermal radiator panel, said at least one first heat pipe thermally coupled to said at least one second heat pipe between said first radiator thermal radiator panel and said second thermal radiator panel.

7. The spacecraft of claim 6, including at least one third heat pipe externally attached to said first thermal radiator panel and at least one fourth heat pipe externally attached to said second thermal radiator panel, said at least one third heat pipe thermally coupled to said at least one fourth heat pipe.

8. The spacecraft of claim 7, wherein said at least one third heat pipe extends through said at least one opening in said first thermal radiator panel and said at least one fourth heat pipe extends through said at least one opening in said second thermal radiator panel.

9. The spacecraft of claim 7, wherein said at least one third heat pipe extends through a second opening in said first thermal radiator panel and said at least one fourth heat pipe extends through a second opening in said second thermal radiator panel, said third heat pipe thermally connected to said first heat pipe on said first thermal radiator panel and said fourth heat pipe is thermally connected to said second heat pipe on said second thermal radiator panel.

10. The spacecraft of claim 1, including at least one third heat pipe externally attached to said first thermal radiator panel and at least one fourth heat pipe externally attached to said second thermal radiator panel.

11. The spacecraft of claim 10, wherein said at least one third heat pipe is thermally coupled to said at least one fourth heat pipe.

12. The spacecraft of claim 10, wherein said third heat pipe is thermally connected to said first heat pipe on said first thermal radiator panel and said fourth heat pipe is thermally connected to said second heat pipe on said second thermal radiator panel.

13. The spacecraft of claim 1, wherein said first thermal radiator panel includes at least one first embedded heat pipe and said second thermal radiator panel includes at least one second embedded heat pipe, said at least one first heat pipe thermally coupled to said at least one first embedded heat pipe and said at least one second heat pipe thermally coupled to said at least one second embedded heat pipe.

14. The spacecraft of claim 1, wherein said at least one first heat pipe and said at least one second heat pipe includes mounting flanges for externally attaching said at least one first heat pipe and said at least one second heat pipe to an outer face of said first and said second thermal radiator panels.

15. A radiator system for a spacecraft comprising:

a first thermal radiator panel and a second thermal radiator panel;

at least one first heat pipe externally attached to an outer face of said first thermal radiator panel and at least one second heat pipe externally attached to an outer face of said second thermal radiator panel, said at least one first heat pipe thermally coupled to said at least one second heat pipe;

at least one third heat pipe externally attached to said outer face of said first thermal radiator panel and at least one fourth heat pipe externally attached to said outer face of said second thermal radiator panel, said at least one third heat pipe is thermally coupled to said at least one fourth heat pipe and said at least one third heat pipe is thermally coupled to said at least one first heat pipe at said first thermal radiator panel and said at least one fourth heat pipe is thermally connected to said at least one second heat pipe at said second thermal radiator panel.

16. The radiator system of claim 15, wherein said at least one first heat pipe extends through a first opening in said first thermal radiator panel and said at least one second heat pipe extends through a first opening in said second thermal radiator panel.

17. The radiator system of claim 16, wherein said at least one third heat pipe extends through a second opening in said first thermal radiator panel and said at least one fourth heat pipe extends through a second opening in said second thermal radiator panel.

18. The radiator system of claim 15, including a first plurality of said first heat pipes on said first thermal radiator panel are interleaved with a second plurality of said second heat pipes on said second thermal radiator panel and form a first heat dissipation sub-zone.