# US 9,038,960 B2 · Absorbent dome for a radiating collector tube > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,038,960 B2 - Document ID: US9038960B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/214,527 - Filed: 2011-08-22 - Published: 2012-02-23 - Granted: 2015-05-26 - Earliest claimed: 2010-08-20 - Assignees: Airbus Defence and Space GmbH - Applicants: Christian Flemin; Andrew Walker - Inventors: Christian Flemin; Andrew Walker - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9038960B2 ## CPC - B64G 1/50: for temperature control - B64G 1/503: {Radiator panels} - B64G 1/58: Thermal protection, e.g. heat shields - H01J 23/033: Collector cooling devices - H01J 25/34: Travelling-wave tubes; Tubes in which a travelling wave is simulated at spaced gaps - B64G: COSMONAUTICS; VEHICLES OR EQUIPMENT THEREFOR - H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H) ## Abstract A device for thermal monitoring a piece of equipment, which is integrated on a craft placed in a forced vacuum environment, an outside part of the equipment projecting outside of a wall of the craft and being subjected to a solar radiation flux, includes an absorbent screen that is suitable for being placed between the outside part of the equipment and the wall of the craft, whereby this absorbent screen has—on at least one portion of its front face, designed to be placed on the side removed from the wall of the craft—an absorptivity αSOLAR that is the largest possible in the field of solar radiation, coupled to a low emissivity εIR in the infrared spectrum. The absorbent screen is made of a very heat-conductive material and has—on at least a portion of its rear face, suitable for being oriented toward the wall of the craft—a high emissivity εIR in the infrared spectrum, typically greater than or equal to 0.7. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A device for thermal monitoring for a piece of equipment, whereby said piece of equipment is integrated on a craft placed in a forced vacuum environment, an outside part of the equipment projecting outside of a wall of the craft and being subjected to a radiation flux by an external source, characterized in that the device comprises: first collection means of at least a portion of the radiation emitted by the external radiation source, whereby said collection means comprise an absorbent screen that is suitable for being placed between the outside part of the equipment and the wall of the craft, whereby this screen has—on at least one portion of its front face, designed to be placed on the side removed from the wall of the craft—an absorbent surface with an absorptivity αSOLAR in the field of solar radiation that is greater than or equal to 0.7, linked to an emissivity εIR in the infrared spectrum that is less than or equal to 0.2, at least one emission surface with an emissivity εIR in the infrared spectrum that is greater than or equal to 0.7, radiating toward the outside of the craft but not toward the outside part of the equipment, means for heat transport between the absorbent surface and the emission surfaces. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The according to claim 1, wherein the absorbent screen is made of a heat-conductive material and has—on at least one part of its rear face, suitable for being oriented to the wall of the craft—a high emissivity εIR in the infrared spectrum greater than or equal to 0.7. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The according to claim 1, wherein: the heat transport means comprise a fluid loop to which the absorbent screen is linked conductively at at least one evaporator, said fluid loop is itself linked conductively to a high-temperature radiator that forms radiation emission means. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The according to claim 1, wherein the absorbent screen has an overall concave shape configured to be placed around the outside part of the equipment. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The according to claim 4, wherein the absorbent screen comprises a first surface that is essentially flat and able to be placed parallel to the wall of the craft, equipped with two lateral flanges that are inclined according to an angle of approximately 20 to 50° relative to said first surface. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The according to claim 1, wherein the absorbent screen comprises a flat surface, the central part of said flat surface receiving an absorptive coating that has an absorptivity for solar radiation greater than or equal to 0.7 and emissivity εIR in the infrared spectrum lower than or equal to 0.2, whereby the edges of this surface receive a highly emissive coating in the infrared domain. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The according to claim 1, wherein the absorbent screen comprises means for attachment and conductive insulation so as to place it in an essentially perpendicular way to the primary axis of the outside part of the equipment. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The according to claim 1, wherein the absorbent screen consists of several parts that are suitable for being assembled around the outside part of the equipment when the latter is already installed on a craft. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The according to claim 1, wherein the absorbent screen is an absorbent, high-temperature multilayer insulating cover element that comprises a sheet with an absorptivity for solar radiation greater than or equal to 0.7 and an emissivity εIR in the infrared spectrum lower than or equal to 0.2. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) A satellite comprising at least one thermal monitoring device according to claim 1. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) A process for thermal layout of a satellite according to claim 10, comprising a stage for installation of the absorbent screen on at least one outside part of a piece of equipment, according to their maximum temperature that is estimated or measured during a test. ### Claim 12 (depends on 2) The according to claim 2, wherein: The heat transport means comprise a fluid loop to which the absorbent screen is linked conductively at at least one evaporator, said fluid loop is itself linked conductively to a high-temperature radiator that forms radiation emission means. ### Claim 13 (depends on 2) The according to claim 2, wherein the absorbent screen has an overall concave shape that can be placed around the outside part of the equipment.