Advanced survivable radiator

• US 5,150,748 A
• Filed: 06/18/1990
• Issued: 09/29/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mcdonnell Douglas Corporation (The Boeing Co.)
• Original Assignee: Mcdonnell Douglas Corporation (The Boeing Co.)
• Inventors: Johnson, Dave, Jones, Nelson, Kirby, John S., Seaworth, Brian, Ingersoll, Thomas, Glover, Gary, Blackmon, James B., Drubka, Robert E., Gerrick, R. Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): DAVIS JR, ALBERT
• Application Number:
  US07/539,135
• Time in Patent Office: 834 Days
• Field of Search: 165/185, 165/41, 165/133, 165/904, 165/181, 244/158 R, 244/163
• US Class Current: 165/41
• CPC Class Codes: B64G 1/226 Special coatings for spacecraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64G 1/503 Radiator panels
• CPC Class Codes: B64G 1/506 Heat pipes
• CPC Class Codes: B64G 1/58 Thermal protection, e.g. heat shields
• 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: Y10S 165/904 Radiation

Abstract

A heat pipe radiator coating of a fibrous material provides protection for the radiator, such as a heat pipe, pumped loop, etc., while allowing good emissivity and heat rejection. Fibers are constructed from fiberglass, glass, quartz, saphire, diamond, carbon carbon, tantalum, stainless steel, aluminum, beryllium, and copper, and may be coated with a variety of metallic materials.

Claims

1. A spacecraft heat rejection system comprising:

a space vehicle having an excess of thermal energy;

a metallic surface attached to said space vehicle;

a braze material bonded to said metallic surface; and

,

a multiplicity of elongate fibers each having a first end secured within said braze material and a second end extending away from said braze material, and wherein said multiplicity of elongate fibers are made from a material selected from the group consisting of;

fiberglass;

glass;

quartz;

saphire;

tantalum;

diamond;

carbon carbon;

stainless steel;

aluminum;

beryllium; and

,

copper.

2. The survivable radiator of claim 1 wherein said fibers are clad with a material selected from the group consisting of:

beryllium;

copper;

aluminum;

steel;

stainless steel;

tantalum;

nickel;

tungsten;

titanium; and

,

gold.

3. A spacecraft heat rejection system comprising:

a section of the spacecraft from which section heat is to be removed;

a woven support matrix having an inner surface facing the section of the spacecraft and an outer surface;

a multiplicity of elongate fibers woven into said support matrix such that at least one end of each fiber extends outwardly away from the outer surface of the support matrix, wherein the fibers are made from a material selected from the group consisting of fiberglass, glass, quartz, sapphire, diamond, carbon carbon, stainless steel, aluminum, beryllium, copper and combinations thereof; and

a thermally conductive bonding layer attaching the support matrix to the section of the spacecraft.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the woven support matrix is selected from the group consisting of beryllium, aluminum, stainless steel, titanium, Nitinol, and combinations thereof.

5. The system of claim 3 wherein the elongate fibers are clad with a material selected from the group consisting of beryllium, copper, aluminum, steel, nickel, tantalum, stainless steel, tungsten, titanium, gold, and combinations thereof.