Experimental Validation of a 50-kW Thermal Management System for High Power Density Systems

OSD is currently seeking compact and lightweight thermal management systems (TMS) for airborne and ground-based high-power microwave (HPM), high-energy laser (HEL), and directed energy weapons (DEW) systems that are capable of dissipating extremely high heat fluxes at temperatures potentially below the heat rejection temperature. Therefore, Mainstream proposes demonstrating a vapor-compression-cycle TMS that is capable of simultaneously dissipating 40 kW at 500 W/cm2 and 30°C and 10 kW at 200 W/cm2 and 100°C. At the completion of the Phase I contract, Mainstream will have experimentally demonstrated a sub-scale TMS and used the results to confidently design a full-scale system. In Phase II, Mainstream will construct and experimentally demonstrate the full-scale 50-kW TMS. In addition, Mainstream will perform an evaluation of cold-plate fabrication techniques, an optimization study on the cold plates, and will fabricate and test optimized/second generation cold plates with the full-scale system. In Phase III, the TMS will be transitioned to DEW manufacturers and integrators for government and commercial use.