Passive Cooling for Aircraft Carrier Jet Blast Deflectors (JBD)

The Mark 7 Jet Blast Deflector (JBD) Systems function to dissipate jet exhaust of aircraft undergoing catapult launch, but are cooled by active cooling systems that tap the fire mains to circulate seawater through water lines within the deflector panel, causing corrosion, very high temperatures/exhaust plumes, and high maintenance costs. Passively cooled JBD systems would reduce operating and maintenance costs and prevent limiting deck lifetimes. Solution strategies to minimize deck thermal loading via a passively cooled JBD system during VTOL aircraft operations are the focus of this proposal. In this proposal, we envision the implementation of a novel high-strength, high-conductivity, and lighter-weight cerium-aluminum decking combined structurally and thermally with a highly conductive graphite foam used in conjunction with a low-conduction carbon foam or other inexpensive insulator to thermally protect the flight deck. This unique assembly of new materials is currently being applied to novel thermal management challenges across a broad spectrum of applications. The objective of this project is to fully simulate the assembly of passive thin cerium-aluminum decking combined with carbon foam fill that can be bolted to the surface of the JBD on combat ships in order to reduce temperatures to threshold requirements and protect from injury.