The United States of America As Represented by the United States

Lockhead Corporation

William E Black

Ebrahim M Parekh

J Larry Pickering

William S Betts, Jr

A thermal protection system arrangement and method of manufacture for a carbon-carbon nose tip of a re-entry space vehicle that is expected to encounter very high heat fluxes upon re-entry into the earth's atmosphere. The arrangement includes a carbon-carbon nose tip which has a first sublimatable material infiltrated into the outer portion of the nose tip for release of thermal energy to the environment during the high heat fluxes of re-entry. A second sublimatable material which sublimates at heat fluxes materially less than that of the first sublimatable material is infiltrated into the inner portion of the nose tip so that the nose tip releases energy to the environment and erodes in a controlled manner thereby maintaining the interior of the nose tip at a desired temperature. The first sublimatable material is preferably a refractory element which has been partially converted to a sublimatable carbide during carbonization and graphitization of the carbon-carbon nose tip and is further converted to a carbide during re-entry. The second sublimatable material is preferably a fluorocarbon which sublimates at a lower temperature when the internal structure of the carbon-carbon nose tip reaches a predetermined temperature, thereby permitting the carbon-carbon nose tip to achieve temperatures well in excess of those presently obtainable by known other structures.

Sublimitable carbon-carbon structure for nose tip for re-entry space

A thermal barrier/core support for the fuel core of a nuclear reactor having a metallic cylinder secured to the reactor vessel liner and surrounded by fibrous insulation material. A top cap is secured to the upper end of the metallic cylinder that locates and orients a cover block and post seat. Under normal operating conditions, the metallic cylinder supports the entire load exerted by its associated fuel core post. Disposed within the metallic cylinder is a column of ceramic material, the height of which is less than that of the metallic cylinder, and thus is not normally load bearing. In the event of a temperature excursion beyond the design limits of the metallic cylinder and resulting in deformation of the cylinder, the ceramic column will abut the top cap to support the fuel core post.

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San Diego, CA, United States of America

William E Black