THERMAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AND METHOD OF ASSEMBLING THE SAME
First Claim
1. A thermal management system for cooling a heat source onboard an aircraft having a frame and a skin coupled to the frame such that the skin includes a first segment and a second segment, said thermal management system comprising:
- a first network of heat pipes coupled in conductive heat transfer with the heat source and the first segment of the skin, said first network of heat pipes configured to heat the first segment of the skin using heat from the heat source; and
a second network of heat pipes coupled in conductive heat transfer with the heat source and the second segment of the skin, said second network of heat pipes configured to heat the second segment of the skin using heat from the heat source, wherein said thermal management system is configured to selectively deactivate said first network of heat pipes and said second network of heat pipes.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A thermal management system for cooling a heat source onboard an aircraft that has a frame and a skin coupled to the frame such that the skin has a first segment and a second segment includes a first network of heat pipes coupled in conductive heat transfer with the heat source and the first segment of skin. The first network of heat pipes is configured to heat the first segment of skin using heat from the heat source. The thermal management system further includes a second network of heat pipes coupled in conductive heat transfer with the heat source and the second segment of skin. The second network of heat pipes is configured to heat the second segment of skin using heat from the heat source. The thermal management system is configured to selectively deactivate the first network of heat pipes and the second network of heat pipes.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A thermal management system for cooling a heat source onboard an aircraft having a frame and a skin coupled to the frame such that the skin includes a first segment and a second segment, said thermal management system comprising:
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a first network of heat pipes coupled in conductive heat transfer with the heat source and the first segment of the skin, said first network of heat pipes configured to heat the first segment of the skin using heat from the heat source; and a second network of heat pipes coupled in conductive heat transfer with the heat source and the second segment of the skin, said second network of heat pipes configured to heat the second segment of the skin using heat from the heat source, wherein said thermal management system is configured to selectively deactivate said first network of heat pipes and said second network of heat pipes. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method of assembling a thermal management system for cooling a heat source onboard an aircraft having a frame and a skin coupled to the frame such that the skin includes a first segment and a second segment, said method comprising:
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coupling a first network of heat pipes in conductive heat transfer with the heat source and the first segment of the skin, the first network of heat pipes configured to heat the first segment of the skin using heat from the heat source; coupling a second network of heat pipes in conductive heat transfer with the heat source and the second segment of the skin, the second network of heat pipes configured to heat the second segment of the skin using heat from the heat source; and coupling a processing unit to the first network of heat pipes and the second network of heat pipes, the processing unit configured to selectively deactivate the first network of heat pipes and the second network of heat pipes.
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20. A thermal management system for cooling a heat source onboard an aircraft having a frame and a skin coupled to the frame, said thermal management system comprising a network of heat pipes configured to transfer heat from the heat source to the skin by conductive heat transfer between adjacent heat pipes.
Specification