System and method for thermal emission control using segmented array

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11971225-B2
Application number	US-202117234211-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 19, 2021
Priority date	Apr 19, 2021
Publication date	Apr 30, 2024
Grant date	Apr 30, 2024

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a thermal emissivity control system. The system may have a segmented array that makes use of a thermally conductive base layer configured to be connectable to an external heat generating subsystem, with the base layer including a thermally emissive surface. The array may also have a plurality of actuation elements at least one of positioned on or adjacent to the thermally emissive surface. A plurality of movable shutter elements is disposed adjacent one another in a grid pattern, and controlled in movement by the actuation elements to create gaps of controllably varying dimension therebetween. The shutter elements control at least one of a magnitude of, or direction of, thermal radiation through the gaps.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A thermal emissivity control system, comprising:
a segmented array including:
a thermally conductive base layer configured to be connectable to an external heat generating subsystem, the base layer including a thermally emissive surface;
a plurality of actuation elements at least one of:
positioned on the base layer; or
disposed adjacent to the thermally emissive surface of the base layer;

a plurality of movable shutter elements disposed adjacent one another in a grid pattern, and controlled in movement by the actuation elements to create gaps of controllably varying dimension therebetween, to control at least one of a magnitude of thermal radiation through the gaps or a direction of emission of the thermal radiation through the gaps; and

wherein at least one of the actuation elements enables both a tipping motion and a tilting motion along a tipping axis and a tilting axis, respectively, where the tipping axis and the tiling axis are arranged non-parallel to one another.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the actuation elements are configured to position the shutter elements in an orientation such that the shutter elements form a substantially planar surface, minimizing a dimension of each of the gaps separating adjacent ones of the shutter elements, such that the segmented array substantially blocks all thermal radiation from the base layer when the shutter elements are in a closed position, and such that a dimension of the gaps is maximized when the shutter elements are in a fully open orientation, to enable maximum emission of thermal radiation through the gaps.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein each one of the actuation elements is uniquely associated with a single one of the shutter elements.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the actuation elements are controlled independently of one another such that each one of the shutter elements is controlled independently in movement.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the actuation elements are configured to move the shutter elements in about two perpendicular axes of movement.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the actuation elements are configured to translate the shutter elements about an axis orthogonal to the thermally emissive surface of the base layer.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the actuation elements are configured to move the shutter elements in:
the tilting motion about a first axis of rotation;
the tipping motion about a second axis of rotation orthogonal to the first axis of rotation;
a translating motion along a third axis, which is orthogonal to both the first and second axes of rotation, towards and away from the thermally emissive surface of the base layer; and
a rotational movement about the third axis.

8. The system of claim 1 , further comprising an electronic control system for generating control signals to control movement of the actuation elements, and thus movement of the shutter elements.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the electronic controller is configured to apply the control signals in parallel to the actuation elements.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein each actuation element is uniquely associated with a single one of the shutter elements, and the actuation elements are controlled independently, in parallel, using the control signals.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein each of the shutter elements comprises at least one of:
a hexagonal shape;
a rectangular shape;
a square shape;
an octagonal shape;
a pentagonal shape;
a triangular shape; or
a round shape.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
an emissivity of the thermally emissive surface is near 1 to maximize an ability of the base layer to transfer heat out of the segmented array; and
a bottom surface of each one of the shutter elements, which face the base layer, are constructed to have an emissivity near 1 to help cool the shutter elements.

13. A thermal emissivity control system, comprising:
an electronic control system;
a segmented array responsive to control signals from the electronic control system, the segmented array including:
a thermally conductive base layer configured to be connectable to an external heat generating subsystem, the base layer including a thermally emissive surface;
a plurality of actuation elements responsive to the control signals, the actuation elements being at least one of:
positioned on the base layer; or
disposed adjacent to the thermally emissive surface of the base layer; and

a plurality of movable shutter elements disposed adjacent one another in a grid pattern, and in a flat plane, and controlled in movement by the actuation elements to create gaps of controllably varying dimension therebetween, to control at least one of a magnitude of thermal radiation through the gaps or a direction of emission of the thermal radiation through the gaps; and
wherein movement of the movable shutter elements is carried out along two orthogonal axes.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein each one of the actuation elements is uniquely associated with a single one of the shutter elements, and controls its associated said shutter element independently of other ones of the shutter elements.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the shutter elements comprise at least one of:
a hexagonal shape;
a rectangular shape;
a square shape;
an octagonal shape;
a pentagonal shape;
a triangular shape; or
a round shape.

16. The system of claim 13 , wherein the actuation elements are configured to move the shutter elements in:
a tilting motion about a first axis of rotation;
a tipping motion about a second axis of rotation orthogonal to the first axis of rotation;
a translating motion along a third axis, which is orthogonal to both the first and second axes of rotation, towards and away from the thermally emissive surface of the base layer; and
a rotational movement about the third axis.

17. The system of claim 13 , where an emissivity of the thermally emissive surface is near 1 to maximize an ability of the base layer to transfer heat out of the segmented array; and
a bottom surface of each one of the shutter elements, which face the base layer, are constructed to have an emissivity near 1 to help cool the shutter elements.

18. A thermal emissivity control system, comprising:
a segmented array including:
a thermally conductive base layer configured to be connectable to an external heat generating subsystem, the base layer including a thermally emissive surface;
a plurality of actuation elements at least one of:
positioned on the base layer; or
disposed adjacent to the thermally emissive surface of the base layer;

a plurality of movable shutter elements disposed adjacent one another in a grid pattern, and controlled in movement by the actuation elements to create gaps of controllably varying dimension therebetween, to control at least one of a magnitude of thermal radiation through the gaps or a direction of emission of the thermal radiation through the gaps;

the actuation elements further being configured to move the shutter elements in:
a tilting motion about a first axis of rotation;
a tipping motion about a second axis of rotation orthogonal to the first axis of rotation;
a translating motion along a third axis, which is orthogonal to both the first and second axes of rotation, towards and away from the thermally emissive surface of the base layer; and
a rotational movement about the third axis.

19. A thermal emissivity control system, comprising:
a segmented array including:

Assignees

• L Livermore Nat Security Llc
• Bright Silicon Tech Inc

Inventors

• Panas Robert Matthew
• Panas Cynthia Dawn Walker
• Mchenry Robert

Classifications

• B64G1/503

  Radiator panels · CPC title

• F28F13/02 Primary

  by influencing fluid boundary (boundary-layer control in general F15D) · CPC title

• F15D1/007

  comprising surfaces being moved by external supplied energy · CPC title

• F28F27/00

  Control arrangements or safety devices specially adapted for heat-exchange or heat-transfer apparatus (control arrangements in general G05) · CPC title

• F28F2280/105

  with hinged connections · CPC title