Integrated fin-heat pipe

• US 5,803,159 A
• Filed: 05/23/1997
• Issued: 09/08/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The United States of America As Represented By The Secretary of Agriculture
• Original Assignee: The United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Army
• Inventors: Reynolds, Richard A., Nourse, Roswell W. III
• Primary Examiner(s): Ferensic, Denise L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ATKINSON, CHRISTOPHER MARK
• Application Number:
  US08/862,678
• Time in Patent Office: 473 Days
• Field of Search: 165/104.26, 165/41, 165/42, 244/158 A, 244/121, 244/3.24
• US Class Current: 165/41
• 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: F42B 15/34 Protection against overheating or radiation, e.g. heat shields; Additional cooling arrangements thermal protection fitted in or to cosmonautic vehicles B64G1/58

Abstract

To remove excess heat from the fin of a flying object that is driven by a opulsion means, heat pipe principle is integrated into the structure of the fin. The heat from hot exhaust gases that flow over the evaporator section of the fin is absorbed by a working fluid within the fin, such as water, which then vaporizes. The resulting vapors flow to the condenser section of the fin where it releases the heat to the ambient air that flows over the condenser section. As heat escapes into the ambient air, the vapors condense, becoming a liquid again. The liquid travels back to the evaporator section where the heat absorption/vaporization process is repeated.

Claims

1. A system for cooling a fin of a flying object, the fin having a given shape and the object being motivated by a propulsion means, the fin consisting of a first portion under the influence of hot exhaust gases from the propulsion means and a second portion in contact with cool ambient air, said cooling system comprising:

A wick located within the fin, said wick being suitable for guiding therethrough the flow of a pre-selected fluid while allowing vapors to escape therefrom upon vaporization of said fluid in the first portion of the fin, said wick being adjacent to and concentric with the interior surface of the fin and an internal wall, said wall mimicking the shape of the fin and being positioned so as to create a vapor channel between said wall and said wick, said channel receiving the vapors escaping from said wick and allowing the vapors to travel to the second portion where the vapors liquidate as heat dissipates into the ambient air, thereby cooling the entire fin.

2. A cooling system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said wick is a fine wire mesh.

3. A cooling system as set forth in claim 2, wherein the fluid, upon liquidation from the vapors, returns via said wick to the first portion of the fin where the fluid is susceptible to repeated vaporization.

4. A cooling system as set forth in claim 3, wherein said pre-selected fluid is water.