High Heat Flux Thermal Management Technologies for Aluminum Decks

The proposed program seeks to develop a novel thermal management system to protect the Expeditionary Fast Transport’s (EPF) aluminum flight deck from MV-22 vertical takeoff and landing operations. The MV-22 Osprey aircraft is a critical asset for the Navy that is seeing expanded operational roles in military and humanitarian missions. Operations on amphibious maritime vessels and other Navy ships have led to concerns about the thermomechanical effects in the flight deck from exhaust plume impingement. At MV-22 exhaust plume temperatures, flight decks constructed from aluminum alloy suffer material degradation in addition to thermally induced stresses, presenting a unique challenge. Two concepts are proposed which have the potential to maintain deck temperatures below 100°C and whose footprint minimizes or eliminates impact to flight deck operations. The most promising concept will be down-selected for fabrication and subscale testing. A successful project will demonstrate thermal protection for unmitigated MV-22 operations on aluminum flight decks as well as identify ship integration pathways for EPF.