Reusable high-temperature heat pipes and heat pipe panels

• Main Authors: RANSONE; PHILIP O, CAMARDA; CHARLES J
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 13.06.1989
• Subjects: BLASTING; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; HEAT EXCHANGE IN GENERAL; HEAT-EXCHANGE APPARATUS, NOT PROVIDED FOR IN ANOTHER SUBCLASS,IN WHICH THE HEAT-EXCHANGE MEDIA DO NOT COME INTO DIRECT CONTACT; HEATING; LIGHTING; MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ARTCOLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS; WEAPONS

A reusable, durable heat pipe which is capable of operating at temperatures up to about 3000 DEG F. in an oxidizing environment and at temperatures above 3000 DEG F. in an inert or vacuum environment is produced by embedding a refractory metal pipe within a carbon-carbon composite structure. A reusable, durable heat pipe panel is made from an array of refractory-metal pipes spaced from each other, each refractory-metal pipe being embedded within a carbon-carbon composite structure. The reusable, durable, heat-pipe panel is employed to fabricate a hypersonic vehicle leading edge and nose cap.