Enhanced thermal management for directed energy weapon
AssigneeHamilton Sundstrand Corporation
InventorsRajiv Ranjan, Charles E. Lents, Brian St. Rock
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Described herein is a thermal management system and methodology for a directed energy weapon on an aircraft. The thermal management system includes an evaporator in thermal communication with the directed energy weapon and operatively configured to cool the directed energy weapon by evaporating a refrigerant therein. The thermal management system also includes a refrigerant storage tank in fluid communication with the evaporator and a pump in fluid communication with the refrigerant storage tank and the evaporator configured to pump substantially liquid refrigerant to the evaporator.
Claims17
A thermal management system for a directed energy weapon on an aircraft the thermal management system comprising:
- an evaporator in thermal communication with the directed energy weapon and operatively configured to cool the directed energy weapon by evaporating a refrigerant therein;
- a refrigerant storage tank in fluid communication with the evaporator, the refrigerant storage tank configured to separate liquid refrigerant and vapor refrigerant;
- and
- a pump in fluid communication with the refrigerant storage tank and the evaporator and configured to pump substantially liquid refrigerant to the evaporator.
A method removing heat from a directed energy weapon on an aircraft, the method comprising:
- evaporating a refrigerant in an evaporator in thermal communication with the directed energy weapon and operatively configured to cool the directed energy weapon by evaporating a refrigerant therein;
- separating vapor refrigerant and liquid refrigerant in a refrigerant storage tank in fluid communication with the evaporator;
- condensing vapor refrigerant in the refrigerant storage tank;
- and
- pumping substantially liquid refrigerant from the refrigerant storage tank with a pump in fluid communication with the refrigerant storage tank and the evaporator.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.