High-Efficiency Waste Heat Removal System (WHRS) for Low-Observable Heat Rejection from Aircraft

ABSTRACT: We propose to develop for the Air Force a high-efficiency Waste Heat Removal System (WHRS) that removes large amounts of waste heat from aircraft with negligible impacts on signature and aerodynamic performance. Our WHRS absorbs heat from aircraft thermal loads, including a Thermal Energy Storage (TES) system that absorbs and stores heat from the cooling system of a High Energy Laser (HEL). Our WHRS consumes no electrical power, so our WHRS adds no additional electrical loads to aircraft generators. Our WHRS requires no heat exchangers to reject heat, so our WHRS has negligible impacts on signature and aerodynamic performance. In Phase I, we will generate a preliminary design of our WHRS and project its performance. In Phase II, we will build and demonstrate a subscale prototype WHRS. In Phase III, we will demonstrate our prototype WHRS on a compatible aircraft with a suitable directed energy system or surrogate heat source. BENEFIT: Our high-efficiency Waste Heat Removal System (WHRS) is attractive for rejecting heat from aircraft heat loads, including waste heat from the cooling systems of High Energy Lasers (HELs). Our WHRS is also attractive for rejecting heat from condensers of VCSs on Air Force tactical aircraft and for similar applications on commercial aircraft. Our WHRS is also an attractive alternative to VCSs for Air Force tactical aircraft and commercial aircraft, because our WHRS is compact and lightweight, and our WHRS requires no heat exchangers to reject heat to the ambient environment.