Innovative Packaging to Achieve Extremely Light Weight Sensor Pod Systems

Mentis Sciences, Inc. and the University of New Hampshire will establish the feasibility, as well as identify and track the primary technical risks, of an extremely lightweight electronics pod that is capable of supporting modular sensor components. Feasibility of the pod will be established through validated modeling and simulation.The planned structural approach for the electronics pod is to use a strong-back design with supporting frame work. The open frame will also maximize accessibility to the internal sensors and components. The proposed thermal management system will combine both passive and active thermal management strategies to maintain internal pod temperature. The sensor mounting system will incorporate acoustic streaming heat pipes to move heat away from high heat flux modular components. The cold side of the heat pipes will be embedded in a cold plate cooled by a refrigerant.To evaluate the feasibility of the concept, the design team will perform closed form and numerical analysis to on the thermal and mechanical/structural aspects of the system. A solid model of the system will be developed as the primary weight tracking tool.