SPACECRAFT RADIATOR PANELS

• US 20130233516A1
• Filed: 06/07/2012
• Published: 09/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Aston, Richard William, Langmack, Michael J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,403,606 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 165/104.21
• CPC Class Codes: B64G 1/503 Radiator panels
• CPC Class Codes: B64G 1/506 Heat pipes
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 15/02 in which the medium condenses and evaporates, e.g. heat pipes heat pipes used in solar heat collectors F24S10/95; in radiators F28D1/0226; in nuclear reactors G21C15/257
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 15/0275 Arrangements for coupling heat-pipes together or with other structures, e.g. with base blocks; Heat pipe cores
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 2240/00 Spacing means
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 2275/08 by clamping or clipping

Abstract

Spacecraft, radiator panels for spacecraft, kits for radiator panels, inserts associated with radiator panels, heat pipes associated with radiator panels, external structural reinforcement members associated with radiator panels, and methods of assembling radiator panels are disclosed herein. Some radiator panels include at least one insert that is positioned adjacent to a heat pipe between two spaced-apart face-sheets, with the insert being configured to secure a package to the inside face-sheet opposite of the heat pipe. Some radiator panels include at least one external structural reinforcement member that extends across an external side of the radiator panel.

Claims

1. A radiator panel for a spacecraft, the radiator panel comprising:

two spaced-apart face-sheets including an inside face-sheet and an outside face-sheet;

at least one heat pipe positioned between the two spaced-apart face-sheets and operatively engaged and in thermal communication with the two spaced-apart face-sheets;

a core positioned between the two spaced-apart face-sheets; and

at least one external structural reinforcement member extending across an external side of the outside face-sheet.

2. The radiator panel of claim 1, wherein the radiator panel has a width and a height, and wherein the at least one external structural reinforcement member substantially spans the width of the radiator panel.

3. The radiator panel of claim 1, wherein the at least one structural reinforcement member includes a plurality of spaced-apart structural reinforcement members.

4. The radiator panel of claim 1, wherein the at least one external structural reinforcement member defines an outer surface that generally faces away from the outside face-sheet, wherein the outer surface is shaped to reflect 30%-90% of all incident light on the outer surface away from the outside face-sheet.

5. The radiator panel of claim 4, wherein the outer surface includes at least two planar surfaces.

6. The radiator panel of claim 4, wherein the outer surface includes at least two planar surfaces that are angled greater than 180 degrees relative to each other.

7. The radiator panel of claim 4, wherein the outer surface includes a first surface that is approximately angled 120 degrees relative to the outside face-sheet, a second surface that is approximately angled 210 degrees relative to the first surface and that is approximately parallel to the outside face-sheet, and a third surface that is approximately angled 210 degrees relative to the second surface and 120 degrees relative to the outside face-sheet.

8. The radiator panel of claim 4, wherein the outer surface includes at least one curved surface.

9. The radiator panel of claim 1, wherein the at least one external structural reinforcement member defines a void between the at least one external structural reinforcement member and the outside face-sheet, wherein a perpendicular cross-sectional profile of the void is a trapezoid.

10. The radiator panel of claim 1, wherein the radiator panel has a natural frequency of approximately 35 hertz.

11. The radiator panel of claim 1, wherein the two spaced-apart face-sheets define a panel thickness between the two spaced-apart face-sheets, wherein the radiator panel defines a panel stiffness that is at least approximately equal to a stiffness of a comparably stiff and sized radiator panel that does not include an external structural reinforcement member, and wherein the panel thickness is less than a thickness of the comparably stiff and sized radiator panel.

12. The radiator panel of claim 11, wherein the panel thickness is less than 90% of the thickness of the comparably stiff and sized radiator panel.

13. The radiator panel of claim 1, wherein the radiator panel has a panel mass, wherein the radiator panel defines a panel stiffness that is at least approximately equal to a stiffness of a comparably stiff and sized radiator panel that does not include an external structural reinforcement member, and wherein the panel mass is less than a mass of the comparably stiff and sized radiator panel.

14. The radiator panel of claim 13, wherein the panel mass is at least 10% less than the mass of the comparably stiff and sized radiator panel.

15. The radiator panel of claim 1, wherein the radiator panel is free of internal structural reinforcement members coupled to the inside face-sheet.

16. The radiator panel of claim 1, further comprising:

an insert positioned adjacent to the heat pipe, wherein the insert is configured with at least one feature useful in the operative securing of a package to the inside face-sheet opposite the heat pipe and the insert so that heat from the package may operatively conduct from the package through the inside face-sheet to the heat pipe.

17. The radiator panel of claim 1, wherein the at least one heat pipe is sized to have a predetermined heat transfer rate associated with the radiator panel, wherein the predetermined heat transfer rate is no more than 120% of a requisite heat transfer rate for the radiator panel.

18. A radiator panel for a spacecraft, the radiator panel comprising:

two spaced-apart face-sheets including an inside face-sheet and an outside face-sheet;

at least one heat pipe positioned between the two spaced-apart face-sheets and operatively engaged and in thermal communication with the two spaced-apart face-sheets;

a core positioned between the two spaced-apart face-sheets; and

a plurality of spaced-apart and parallel external structural reinforcement members extending across an external side of the outside face-sheet, wherein each of the external structural reinforcement members define an outer surface that generally faces away from the outside face-sheet and that includes at least two planar surfaces that are angled greater than 180 degrees relative to each other, and wherein the spacing of the external structural reinforcement members and the configuration of the outer surfaces of the external structural reinforcement members are configured to reflect 30%-90% of all incident light on the outer surfaces away from the outside face-sheet.

19. A method of assembling a radiator panel for a spacecraft, the method comprising:

operatively coupling an outside face-sheet and an inside face-sheet to a core;

positioning at least one heat pipe between the outside face-sheet and the inside face-sheet; and

operatively coupling at least one external structural reinforcement member to the outside face-sheet.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the operatively coupling includes operatively coupling a plurality of parallel and spaced-apart external structural reinforcement members to the outside face-sheet, wherein each of the external structural reinforcement members define an outer surface that generally faces away from the outside face-sheet and that includes at least two planar surfaces that are angled greater than 180 degrees relative to each other, and wherein the spacing of the external structural reinforcement members and the configuration of the outer surfaces of the external structural reinforcement members are configured to reflect 30%-90% of all incident light on the outer surfaces away from the outside face-sheet.