System and method for cooling a leading edge of a high speed vehicle
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsNicholas William Rathay, Gregory Alexander Natsui, Brian Magann Rush
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A hypersonic aircraft includes one or more leading edge assemblies that are designed to manage thermal loads experienced at the leading edges during high speed or hypersonic operation. Specifically, the leading edge assemblies may include an outer wall tapered to a leading edge or stagnation point. The outer wall may define a vapor chamber and a capillary structure within the vapor chamber for circulating a working fluid in either liquid or vapor form to cool the leading edge. In addition, a thermal enhancement feature can enhance a heat transfer from the outer wall at the leading edge to the outer wall within the condenser section of the vapor chamber.
Claims20
A leading edge assembly for a hypersonic vehicle, the leading edge assembly comprising:
- an outer wall defining a leading edge and including an inner surface defining at least in part a vapor chamber, the outer wall tapering from a condenser section of the vapor chamber to an evaporator section of the vapor chamber at the leading edge;
- a capillary structure positioned along the inner surface of the outer wall within the vapor chamber, the capillary structure forming a vapor chamber wick extending from the condenser section to the evaporator section to facilitate transportation of liquid cooling fluid within the vapor chamber from the condenser section to the evaporator section to cool the leading edge of the outer wall;
- and
- a thermal enhancement feature positioned at least in part on, or defined at least in part by, the inner surface of the outer wall for enhancing a heat transfer from the outer wall at the leading edge to the outer wall within the condenser section of the vapor chamber.
A hypersonic aircraft comprising a leading edge assembly comprising:
- an outer wall defining a leading edge and including an inner surface defining at least in part a vapor chamber, the outer wall tapering from a condenser section of the vapor chamber to an evaporator section of the vapor chamber at the leading edge;
- a capillary structure positioned along the inner surface of the outer wall within the vapor chamber, the capillary structure forming a vapor chamber wick extending from the condenser section to the evaporator section to facilitate transportation of liquid cooling fluid within the vapor chamber from the condenser section to the evaporator section to cool the leading edge of the outer wall;
- and
- a thermal enhancement feature positioned at least in part on, or defined at least in part by, the outer wall for enhancing a heat transfer from the outer wall at the leading edge to the outer wall within the condenser section of the vapor chamber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.