Raytheon Company

Adam C Wood

Charles J Bersbach

Chad E Boyack

Jeremy Thomas Evans

Andrew J Pitts

Leonel A Olivarez

Richard Piekarski

A thermal testing system includes a mirror array, having tiltable mirror elements, that reflects thermal radiation output from a radiative heat source. The mirror elements can be tilted as required to achieve a desired radiative heating profile, for example on an object to be tested. The thermal testing system may also have additional mirror arrays, and/or a heat sink. The radiative heat source may be stationary, and may have different zones (for example with different bulbs) that may be controlled separately, for example by having separate illumination intensity control for the different zones. The testing system may be configured for different tests, and/or to provide time-varying heating profiles.

Configurable thermal testing system and method

An apparatus includes a thermal actuator switch configured to control a transfer of thermal energy through the thermal actuator switch. The thermal actuator switch includes first and second plates and a piston movable laterally between the first and second plates. The thermal actuator switch also includes a phase change material configured to (i) expand to move a surface of the piston into a first position and (ii) contract to allow the surface of the piston to move into a second position. The surface of the piston thermally contacts the first plate and increases thermal energy transfer between the first and second plates when in one of the first and second positions. The surface of the piston is spaced apart from the first plate and decreases thermal energy transfer between the first and second plates when in another of the first and second positions.

Phase change material (PCM)-based conductive thermal actuator switches and associated stacked and arrayed systems

An apparatus includes multiple layers of phase-stable material, where adjacent layers of the phase-stable material are separated by multiple spaces. The apparatus also includes liquid phase change material in the spaces between the adjacent layers of the phase-stable material. The liquid phase change material is configured to become gaseous phase change material based on thermal energy absorbed by the liquid phase change material. The apparatus further includes at least one release configured to block passage of the liquid phase change material out of the spaces between the adjacent layers of the phase-stable material. The at least one release is also configured to allow passage of the gaseous phase change material out of the spaces between the adjacent layers of the phase-stable material.

Multi-function thermal absorber and isolator using liquid-to-gas phase change material

Passive reduction of internal jet engine component temperature in supersonic and hypersonic vehicles results from use of nanocomposite optical ceramic materials between the heat-generating portions of each jet engine and the ambient environment, allowing heat dissipation from the jet engine components directly to the ambient environment. A propulsion-airframe integrated scramjet aircraft includes a jet engine and an airframe supporting the jet engine, with at least a portion of the airframe between a heat-generating portion of the jet engine and an ambient environment comprising a nanocomposite optical ceramic material in the form of a panel or a grid of windows each supported within a frame. The nanocomposite optical ceramic material portion of the airframe disposed between the heat-generating portion of the jet engine and the ambient environment is infrared-transparent, and may transmit at least 75% of heat energy from the heat-generating portion of the jet engine to the ambient environment.

Use of infrared transparent airframe materials for passive cooling of internal components

A thermal interface is provided. The thermal interface includes a shape memory material and a thermally-conductive material. The thermal interface is configured to be formed as a compressed thermal interface and as an expanded thermal interface. The compressed thermal interface is configured to partially fill a thermal gap between a first component and a second component. The expanded thermal interface is configured to substantially fill the thermal gap between the first and second components.

Shape memory material based thermal coupler/decoupler and method

According to an embodiment of the disclosure, an encapsulated phase change material (PCM) heat sink is provided. The encapsulated PCM heat sink includes a lower shell, an upper shell, an encapsulated phase change material, and an internal matrix. The internal matrix includes a space that is configured to receive the encapsulated phase change material. Thermal energy is transferrable between the encapsulated phase change material and at least one of the lower shell and the upper shell. For a particular embodiment, the upper shell is coupled to the lower shell at room temperature and room pressure.

Encapsulated phase change material heat sink and method

A heat sink is provided that includes a lower shell, an upper shell and an internal matrix. The lower shell, the upper shell and the internal matrix are formed as a single component using additive manufacturing techniques. The internal matrix includes a space that is configured to receive a phase change material.

Phase change material heat sink using additive manufacturing and method

A method includes absorbing heat generated at a flight vehicle using a heat sink, where the heat sink includes a matrix. The matrix includes a porous structure having multiple pores at least partially filled with one or more phase change materials. The method also includes converting the matrix into an insulator as the one or more phase change materials change state and exit the porous structure due to the absorbed heat. The matrix with the one or more phase change materials could include an alcogel, and the insulator could include an aerogel. The matrix could reside within a pressurized container that includes at least one seal. The at least one seal can fail due to increased pressure within the pressurized container as the heat is absorbed by the heat sink in order to allow the one or more phase change materials to exit the porous structure.

In-flight insulation generation using matrix-based heat sink for missiles and other flight vehicles

Technology for a thermal switch is described. The thermal switch can include a first conducting layer. The thermal switch can include a second conducting layer. The thermal switch can include a material layer in between the first conducting layer and the second conducting layer. The material layer can be a conductor when above a defined temperature and a dielectric when below the defined temperature. The thermal switch can be operable to close an electrical circuit when the material layer is a conductor and open the electrical circuit when the material layer is the dielectric.

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Oro Valley, AZ, United States of America

Adam C Wood