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Deployable radiators for spacecraft
   
Document Number
US Patent 6439297
Issued Date
August 27, 2002
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Abstract
A limiting feature in spacecraft such as communication satellites is becoming the amount of surface such as 5, 6 available for dissipating waste heat from the electrical equipment in the satellite. The invention provides a deployable radiator 11 which carries a number of capillary pumped loops consisting of an evaporator, an outward limb and a return limb. The panel 11 is rolled up to coil the elements prior to launch, and unrolled when in orbit. The outward and return lengths of tube act as condenser for the capillary pumped loop, transport the heat over the radiating panel 11 and also provide the spring force for the panel to unroll.
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Number of Claims:
11
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Owner
Published
August 27, 2002
Application Number
08/896,332
Filed
July 17, 1997
US Classification
165/46   165/41 244/171.8 244/172.6
Int'l Classification
B64G   1/46   (20060101)   B64G   1/50   (20060101)   F28D   15/04   (20060101)  
Attorney/Law Firm
Priority Data
Jul 31, 1996 [GB] 9616016
USPTO Field of Search
165/46   165/104.21   165/41   165/104.26   244/158R   244/159  
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A heat transfer device includes a capillary-pumped first fluid loop including an evaporator situated on a satellite in the vicinity of a source of dissipated heat and a condenser connected by heat transfer members to the evaporator and situated on a deployable radiator panel of the satellite. The deployable radiator comprises at least two panels, and the heat transfer device itself further comprises at least one second capillary-pumped fluid loop. The fluid loops are connected in cascade with each other so that the evaporator of each fluid loop other than the first fluid loop is on the same panel as the condenser of the preceding loop and the condenser of each fluid loop other than the first fluid loop is on the panel next to that carrying the condenser of the first loop. The evaporator of one loop is connected to the condenser of the same loop by flexible heat transfer members.

6854510 - Spacecraft radiator system and method using cross-coupled deployable thermal radiators - Owned by Space Systems/Loral, Inc. (Palo Alto, CA)

A spacecraft, along with a spacecraft radiator system and spacecraft heat dissipation method are disclosed. The spacecraft comprises a body, a plurality of solar arrays, and the spacecraft radiator system. The spacecraft radiator system comprises first and second opposite facing payload radiators, first and second opposite facing deployable radiators, and one or more coupling or loop heat pipes cross coupling opposite facing payload and deployable radiators so that they function in tandem. By cross-coupling the opposite facing payload and deployable radiators, one of the two radiators acting in tandem is always in the shade during solstice seasons. Consequently, the solar load processed by the radiator system is minimized, thereby, increasing the thermal dissipation capability of the radiator system by approximately 15%.

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Description
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