HEAT EXCHANGE DEVICE FOR ARTIFICIAL SATELLITE, WALL AND ASSEMBLY OF WALLS COMPRISING SUCH A HEAT EXCHANGE DEVICE

• US 20180320983A1
• Filed: 11/16/2016
• Published: 11/08/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Airbus Defence & Space Sas (Airbus SE)
• Original Assignee: Airbus Defence & Space Sas (Airbus SE)
• Inventors: FLEMIN, Christian, COQUARD, Typhaine, WALKER, Andrew
• Granted Patent: US 10,677,533 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64G 1/503 Radiator panels
• CPC Class Codes: B64G 1/506 Heat pipes
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 15/0233 the conduits having a particular shape, e.g. non-circular cross-section, annular F28D15/0241, F28D15/0266 take precedence
• 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: F28D 15/04 with tubes having a capillary structure
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 2021/0021 for aircrafts or cosmonautics
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 13/00 Arrangements for modifying heat-transfer, e.g. increasing, decreasing F28F1/00 - F28F11/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 7/02 Blocks traversed by passages for heat-exchange media F28D7/0008 takes precedence

Abstract

Disclosed is a heat exchange device for effecting a heat exchange between a heat transfer fluid of a first network of capillary heat pipes and a heat transfer fluid of a second network of capillary heat pipes. The heat exchange device includes a solid block provided with a first channel and a second channel which are independent of one another, the first channel having at least one opening intended to be connected to a capillary heat pipe of the first network, the second channel having at least one opening intended to be connected to a capillary heat pipe of the second network, the first channel having a portion which lies near a portion of the second channel such that the heat transfer fluid of the first network is able to exchange heat with the heat transfer fluid of the second network via the heat exchanging portions.

Claims

1. Heat exchange device (2, 40, 50, 56, 60, 68, 69, 70, 76, 77, 78, 88, 90) for effecting a heat exchange between a heat transfer fluid of a first network (26) of capillary heat pipes (25, 27) and a heat transfer fluid of a second network (36) of capillary heat pipes (35, 37), the heat exchange device comprising a solid block (4) provided with at least a first channel (20) and a second channel (30) independent of the first channel (20), each channel (20, 30) having a capillary internal structure (18), the first channel (20) having at least one opening (22, 52) intended to be connected to a capillary heat pipe (25) of the first network (26), the second channel (30) having at least one opening (32, 54) intended to be connected to a capillary heat pipe (35) of the second network (36), the first channel (20) having a portion (28, 80) which lies near a portion (38, 82) of the second channel such that, when the heat exchange device (2, 40, 50, 56, 60, 68, 69, 70, 76, 77, 78, 88, 90) is connected to the first network (26) and to the second network (36), the heat transfer fluid of the first network (26) is able to exchange heat with the heat transfer fluid of the second network (36) via said heat exchanging portions (28, 38, 80, 82).

2. Heat exchange device (2, 40, 50, 56, 60, 68, 69, 77) according to claim 1, wherein the first channel (20) and the second channel (30) each comprise at least one side channel (28, 38) having a closed terminal end (29, 39), said at least one side channel (28) of the first channel extending parallel and adjacent to said at least one side channel (38) of the second channel, said side channels (28, 38) being said heat exchanging portions.

3. Heat exchange device (2, 40, 50, 56, 60, 68, 77) according to claim 2, wherein said at least one side channel (28, 38) extends perpendicularly to each channel (20, 30).

4. Heat exchange device (69) according to claim 2, wherein said at least one side channel (28, 38) extends in a direction forming an acute angle (a) with respect to a portion of each channel (20, 30).

5. Heat exchange device (2, 40, 56, 60, 68, 69, 70, 76, 77, 78, 88, 90) according to claim 1, wherein the first channel (20) and the second channel (30) comprise an additional opening (24, 34) intended to be connected to another capillary heat pipe (27, 37) of the first network (26) and respectively of the second network (36).

6. Heat exchange device (90) according to claim 5, wherein said opening (22, 32) is located on a first face (10) of said solid block (4), and said additional opening (24, 34) is located on a second face (6, 8) of said solid block, said first face (10) being perpendicular to said second face (6, 8).

7. Heat exchange device (2, 40, 56, 60, 68, 69, 70, 76, 78, 77, 88) according to claim 5, wherein said opening (22, 32) is located on a first face (10) of said solid block (4), and said additional opening (24, 34) is located on a second face (12) of said solid block, said first face (10) being substantially parallel to said second face (12).

8. Heat exchange device (2, 40, 50, 56, 60, 68, 69, 70, 76, 77, 78, 88, 90) according to claim 1, wherein said heat exchanging portion (28) of the first channel is located at a distance of between millimeter and 3 millimeters from said heat exchanging portion (38) of the second channel.

9. Heat exchange device (2, 40, 56, 60, 68, 69, 70, 76, 78, 90) according to claim 1, wherein said solid block (4) comprises a bearing face (6, 8) intended to be fixed to a panel of an artificial satellite (94), and the first channel (20) and second channel (30) are arranged in one and the same plane, said plane being parallel to said bearing face (6, 8).

10. Heat exchange device (77, 88) according to claim 1, wherein said solid block (4) comprises a bearing face (6, 8) intended to be fixed to a panel (94) of an artificial satellite, and the first channel (20) and second channel (30) are arranged in two separate planes, said planes being parallel to said bearing face (6, 8).

11. Heat exchange device (70, 76) according to claim 1, wherein the first channel (20) and second channel (30) have a general shape forming one of the patterns among a Greek pattern, a tooth pattern, and a pattern of jagged lines, at least a portion (72) of said first channel (20) and at least a portion (74) of said second channel (30) being said heat exchanging portions.

12. Heat exchange device (78) according to claim 1, wherein the first channel (20) comprises a longitudinal axis (A-A) and a first cavity (80) extending in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (A-A), and wherein the second channel (30) comprises a longitudinal axis (B-B) and a second cavity (82) extending in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (B-B), said first cavity (80) and second cavity (82) being said heat exchanging portions.

13. Heat exchange device (88) according to claim 1, wherein said solid block (4) comprises a bearing face (6, 8) intended to be fixed to a panel of an artificial satellite, the first channel (20) and second channel (30) respectively comprising a first cavity (80) and a second cavity (82) which each extend in a plane parallel to said bearing face (6, 8), said first cavity (80) and second cavity (82) being said heat exchanging portions.

14. Heat exchange device (50) according to claim 1, wherein each channel (20, 30) has a single opening (52, 54) intended to be connected to a heat pipe.

15. Wall (92, 104) intended for mounting in an artificial satellite, said wall (92, 104) comprising:

a support panel (94),

a first network (26) of capillary heat pipes supported by said support panel (94),

a second network (36) of capillary heat pipes supported by said support panel (94);

further comprising at least one heat exchange device (2, 40, 50, 56, 60, 68, 69, 70, 76, 77, 78, 88) according to claim 1 supported by said support panel (94), each channel (20, 30) having two openings (22, 24) to the exterior, the first channel (20) of the heat exchange device being connected to capillary heat pipes (25, 27) of the first network (26), the second channel (30) of the heat exchange device being connected to capillary heat pipes (35, 37) of the second network (36).

16. Wall (92, 104) according to claim 15, comprising at least one electronic device fixed to said support panel, in direct or indirect thermal contact with said heat exchange device.

17. Wall (92) according to claim 15, further comprising angles (96), and wherein the capillary heat pipes (25, 27, 100, 102) of the first network (26) are fixed to said angles (96) so as to form a comb-shaped configuration.

18. Wall (104) according to claim 15, further comprising angles (96), and wherein the capillary heat pipes of the first network (26) are fixed to said angles (96) so as to form an S-shaped configuration.

19. Wall (92, 104) according to claim 15, further comprising angles (96), and wherein the capillary heat pipes of the first network (26) are fixed to said angles (96) so as to form a matrix-shaped configuration.

20. Assembly (106) of a first wall (108) and second wall (110), intended for mounting in an artificial satellite,

the first wall (108) comprising a first panel (112) and at least a first network (26) of capillary heat pipes,

the second wall (110) comprising a second panel (114) and at least a second network (36) of capillary heat pipes,

said assembly (106) further comprising a heat exchange device (90) according to claim 6 supported by one among said first panel (112) and second panel (114).