Spacecraft radiator panels

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9403606-B2
Application number	US-201213490833-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 7, 2012
Priority date	Mar 6, 2012
Publication date	Aug 2, 2016
Grant date	Aug 2, 2016

Abstract

Spacecraft, radiator panels for spacecraft, kits for radiator panels, inserts associated with radiator panels, heat pipes associated with radiator panels, external structural reinforcement members associated with radiator panels, and methods of assembling radiator panels are disclosed herein. Some radiator panels include at least one insert that is positioned adjacent to a heat pipe between two spaced-apart face-sheets, with the insert being configured to secure a package to the inside face-sheet opposite of the heat pipe. Some radiator panels include at least one external structural reinforcement member that extends across an external side of the radiator panel.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A radiator panel for a spacecraft, the radiator panel comprising:
two spaced-apart face-sheets including an inside face-sheet and an outside face-sheet;
at least one heat pipe positioned between the two spaced-apart face-sheets and operatively engaged and in thermal communication with the two spaced-apart face-sheets, wherein the at least one heat pipe includes a side extension with a substantially planar extension surface that is perpendicular to the two spaced-apart face-sheets;
a core positioned between the two spaced-apart face-sheets;
an insert positioned adjacent to the at least one heat pipe, wherein the insert includes a substantially planar insert surface that is perpendicular to the two spaced-apart face-sheets and that is operatively engaged with the substantially planar extension surface of the at least one heat pipe, wherein the insert is configured with at least one feature useful in the operative securing of a package to the inside face-sheet opposite the at least one heat pipe and the insert so that heat from the package may operatively conduct from the package through the inside face-sheet to the at least one heat pipe, wherein the insert extends from the inside face-sheet to the outside face-sheet, wherein the insert engages the inside face-sheet and the outside face-sheet, wherein the insert includes a positioning structure extending adjacent to the substantially planar insert surface, wherein the positioning structure includes a lip that wraps around a first edge of the side extension of the at least one heat pipe, and wherein the insert includes a retaining structure extending adjacent to the substantially planar insert surface opposite the positioning structure relative to the planar extension surface and that includes a clip that engages a second edge of the side extension of the at least one heat pipe; and
at least one external structural reinforcement member extending across an external side of the outside face-sheet and substantially spanning an entire width of the radiator panel, wherein the at least one external structural reinforcement member defines a void between the at least one external structural reinforcement member and the outside face-sheet, wherein each of the at least one external structural reinforcement member has a longitudinal axis;
wherein the radiator panel is free of heat pipes that are directly opposite, relative to the outside face-sheet, and longitudinally aligned with the longitudinal axis of at least one of the at least one external structural reinforcement member.

2. The radiator panel of claim 1 , wherein the at least one structural reinforcement member includes a plurality of spaced-apart structural reinforcement members.

3. The radiator panel of claim 1 , wherein the at least one external structural reinforcement member includes an outer reflective surface that generally faces away from the outside face-sheet, wherein the outer reflective surface has means for reflecting 30%-90% of all incident light on the outer reflective surface away from the outside face-sheet.

4. The radiator panel of claim 3 , wherein the outer surface includes at least two planar surfaces.

5. The radiator panel of claim 3 , wherein the outer surface includes at least two planar surfaces that are angled greater than 180 degrees relative to each other.

6. The radiator panel of claim 3 , wherein the outer surface includes a first surface that is angled 120 degrees relative to the outside face-sheet, a second surface that is angled 210 degrees relative to the first surface and that is parallel to the outside face-sheet, and a third surface that is angled 210 degrees relative to the second surface and 120 degrees relative to the outside face-sheet.

7. The radiator panel of claim 3 , wherein the outer surface includes at least one curved surface.

8. The radiator panel of claim 1 , wherein a perpendicular cross-sectional profile of the void is a trapezoid.

9. The radiator panel of claim 1 , wherein the radiator panel has a natural frequency in the range of 30-40 hertz.

10. The radiator panel of claim 1 , wherein the radiator panel is free of internal structural reinforcement members coupled to the inside face-sheet.

11. The radiator panel of claim 1 , wherein the at least one heat pipe is sized to have a predetermined heat transfer rate associated with the radiator panel, wherein the predetermined heat transfer rate is no more than 120% of a requisite heat transfer rate for the radiator panel.

12. The radiator panel of claim 1 , wherein the void has a thickness that is greater than a thickness of the core.

13. A radiator panel for a spacecraft, the radiator panel comprising:
two spaced-apart face-sheets including an inside face-sheet and an outside face-sheet;
at least one heat pipe positioned between the two spaced-apart face-sheets and operatively engaged and in thermal communication with the two spaced-apart face-sheets, wherein the at least one heat pipe includes a side extension with a substantially planar extension surface that is perpendicular to the two spaced-apart face-sheets;
a core positioned between the two spaced-apart face-sheets;
an insert positioned adjacent to the at least one heat pipe, wherein the insert includes a substantially planar insert surface that is perpendicular to the two spaced-apart face-sheets and that is operatively engaged with the substantially planar extension surface of the at least one heat pipe, wherein the insert is configured with at least one feature useful in the operative securing of a package to the inside face-sheet opposite the at least one heat pipe and the insert so that heat from the package may operatively conduct from the package through the inside face-sheet to the at least one heat pipe, wherein the insert extends from the inside face-sheet to the outside face-sheet, wherein the insert engages the inside face-sheet and the outside face-sheet, wherein the insert includes a positioning structure extending adjacent to the substantially planar insert surface, wherein the positioning structure includes a lip that wraps around a first edge of the side extension of the at least one heat pipe, and wherein the insert includes a retaining structure extending adjacent to the substantially planar insert surface opposite the positioning structure relative to the planar extension surface and that includes a clip that engages a second edge of the side extension of the at least one heat pipe; and
a plurality of spaced-apart and parallel external structural reinforcement members extending across an external side of the outside face-sheet, wherein each of the external structural reinforcement members include an outer reflective surface that generally faces away from the outside face-sheet and that includes at least two planar surfaces that are angled greater than 180 degrees relative to each other, wherein the spacing of the external structural reinforcement members and the configuration of the outer reflective surfaces of the external structural reinforcement members define means for reflecting 30%-90% of all incident light on the outer reflective surfaces away from the outside face-sheet, wherein at least one of the plurality of spaced-apart and parallel external structural reinforcement members substantially spans an entire width of the radiator panel, wherein each of the plurality of spaced-apart and parallel external structural reinforcement members has a longitudinal axis;
wherein the radiator panel is free of heat pipes that are directly opposite, relative to the outside face-sheet, and longitudinally aligned with the longitudinal axis of at least one of the plurality of

Assignees

• Aston Richard William
• Langmack Michael J
• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Aston Richard William
• Langmack Michael J

Classifications

• F28F2275/08

  by clamping or clipping · CPC title

• B64G1/506

  Heat pipes · CPC title

• F28D15/02

  in which the medium condenses and evaporates, e.g. heat pipes {(heat pipes used in solar heat collectors F24S10/95; in radiators F28D1/0226; in nuclear reactors G21C15/257)} · CPC title

• B64G1/503 Primary

  Radiator panels · CPC title

• F28F2240/00

  Spacing means · CPC title