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

An apparatus, comprising:

• a heat source;
• and
• an airframe supporting the heat source, at least a portion of the airframe between a heat-generating portion of the heat source and an ambient environment comprising a nanocomposite optical ceramic material;
• wherein the portion of the airframe between the heat-generating portion of the heat source and the ambient environment comprises a window within a grid of nanocomposite optical ceramic material windows each supported within a frame.

An apparatus, comprising:

• a heat source;
• and
• an airframe supporting the heat source, at least a portion of the airframe between a heat-generating portion of the heat source and an ambient environment comprising one of:
• a nanocomposite optical ceramic material;
• or
• an infrared-transmissive material configured to transmit a majority of heat from the heat source impinging on the infrared-transmissive material;
• wherein:
• the heat source comprises an inlet, an isolator containing an isolator shock train, a combustor, and a nozzle;
• and
• the portion of the airframe between the heat-generating portion of the heat source and the ambient environment is located between the ambient environment and at least one of the isolator and the combustor.

A method of dissipating heat in a propulsion-airframe integrated scramjet aircraft, the method comprising:

• supporting a scramjet engine with an airframe;
• and
• providing, within at least a portion of the airframe between a heat-generating portion of the scramjet engine and an ambient environment, an infrared-transparent material;
• wherein the portion of the airframe is configured to transmit a majority of heat from the scramjet engine impinging on the infrared-transparent material.

A method of dissipating heat in a propulsion-airframe integrated scramjet aircraft, the method comprising:

• supporting a scramjet engine with an airframe;
• and
• providing, within at least a portion of the airframe between a heat-generating portion of the scramjet engine and an ambient environment, a nanocomposite optical ceramic material;
• wherein the portion of the airframe between the heat-generating portion of the scramjet engine and the ambient environment comprises a window within a grid of nanocomposite optical ceramic material windows each supported within a frame.

A method of dissipating heat in a propulsion-airframe integrated scramjet aircraft, the method comprising:

• supporting a scramjet engine with an airframe;
• and
• providing, within at least a portion of the airframe between a heat-generating portion of the scramjet engine and an ambient environment, a nanocomposite optical ceramic material;
• wherein an enclosure for the scramjet engine comprises a second material supporting the nanocomposite optical ceramic material.

A method of dissipating heat in a propulsion-airframe integrated scramjet aircraft, the method comprising:

• supporting a scramjet engine with an airframe;
• and
• providing, within at least a portion of the airframe between a heat-generating portion of the scramjet engine and an ambient environment, one of:
• a nanocomposite optical ceramic material;
• or
• an infrared-transmissive material configured to transmit a majority of heat from the scramjet engine impinging on the infrared-transmissive material;
• wherein:
• the scramjet engine comprises an inlet, an isolator containing an isolator shock train, a combustor, and a nozzle;
• and
• the portion of the airframe between the heat-generating portion of the scramjet engine and the ambient environment is located between the ambient environment and at least one of the isolator and the combustor.

A method of dissipating heat in a propulsion-airframe integrated scramjet aircraft, the method comprising:

• supporting a plurality of scramjet engines of the propulsion-airframe integrated scramjet aircraft with a vehicle body of the propulsion-airframe integrated scramjet aircraft, the vehicle body comprising an airframe;
• and
• providing, within at least a portion of the airframe between a heat-generating portion of at least one of the scramjet engines and an ambient environment, one of:
• a nanocomposite optical ceramic material;
• or
• an infrared-transparent material configured to transmit a majority of heat from at least one of the scramjet engines impinging on the infrared-transparent material.