SPACECRAFT HEAT REJECTION METHODS: ACTIVE AND PASSIVE HEAT TRANS FER FOR ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS

IT IS PROPOSED TO INVESTIGATE THE APPLICATION OF AN INNOVATIVE METHOD FOR SPACECRAFT THERMAL ENERGY MANAGEMENT AS WELL AS ENHANCED HEAT TRANSFER AND STORAGE IN ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS USING A TWO-COMPONENT SLURRY CONTAINING A MICROENCAPSULATED, PHASE-CHANGE MATERIAL (PCM). A DEMONSTRATION MODEL OF A THERMAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM CONTAINING BOTH A PRIMARY BUSS AND A SECONDARY LOOP WILL BE DESIGNED, FABRICATED, AND USED TO EVALUATE A PROTOTYPE ISOLATING, HIGH HEAT FLUX THERMAL CONNECTOR AS WELL AS A SLURRY SUITABLE FOR MICROELECTRIC COOLING. IN ADDITION, SOME NOVEL MATERIALS CONTAINING A MICROENCAPSULATED PCM WILL BE PREPARED TO INVESTIGATE BOTH ENHANCED PASSIVE THERMAL MANAGEMENT IN ELECTRONIC COMPONENTS AS WELL AS LAMINTED THERMAL SHIELDING FOR POTENTIAL PROTECTION FROM PULSED DIRECT LASER ENERGY RADIATION. THIS PROJECT WILL UTILIZE TECHNOLOGY ALREADY UNDER DEVELOPMENT UNDER A NASA PHASE II SBIR FOR HEAT TRANSFER AND STORAGE FROM SPACECRAFT.