High thermal conductivity non-metallic honeycomb
AssigneeHexcel Corporation
InventorJohn L. Corden
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A non-metallic honeycomb structure wherein the thermal conductivity of the structure is increased by incorporating high thermal conductivity pitch-based carbon fibers into the non-metallic resin matrix. In addition to increasing thermal conductivity, the pitch-based carbon fibers are utilized to provide controlled directional heat conductance through the honeycomb structure.
Claims16
A high thermal conductivity non-metallic honeycomb structure comprising:
- a plurality of interconnected walls which define a plurality of interconnected honeycomb cells having a lengthwise direction which extends transversely relative to said walls and a thickness direction which extends parallel relative to said walls, said cell walls comprising;
- a plurality of non-metallic fibers having low thermal conductivity;
- a plurality of non-metallic fibers having high thermal conductivity;
- and
- a resin matrix in which said low and high thermally conductive fibers are impregnated to thereby provide a honeycomb structure, said high thermally conductive fibers within said resin matrix being oriented to provide directionally controlled heat conductance through said honeycomb structure.
In a non-metallic honeycomb structure comprising a plurality of interconnected walls which define a plurality of interconnected honeycomb cells having a lengthwise direction which extend transversely relative to said walls and a thickness direction which extend parallel relative to said walls, said cell walls comprising a plurality of non-metallic fibers having a low thermal conductivity which are impregnated within a resin matrix, the improvement comprising incorporating a plurality of non-metallic fibers having high thermal conductivity into said resin matrix to thereby provide a honeycomb structure, said high thermally conductive fibers within said resin matrix being oriented to provide directionally controlled heat conductance through said honeycomb structure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.