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CARBON-CARBON/REFRACTORY METAL HEAT PIPES FOR LEADING EDGE COOLING ON REUSABLE…

Award Information

Agency:
National Aeronautics and Space Administration 		Branch:
N/A 		Award ID:
16889 		Program Year/Program:
1992 / SBIR
Agency Tracking Number:
16889 		Solicitation Year:
N/A 		Solicitation Topic Code:
N/A 		Solicitation Number:
N/A
Small Business Information
Ultramet
12173 Montague Street Pacoima, CA -
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Woman-Owned: No
Minority-Owned: No
HUBZone-Owned: No
 
Phase 2
Fiscal Year: 1992
Title: CARBON-CARBON/REFRACTORY METAL HEAT PIPES FOR LEADING EDGE COOLING ON REUSABLE HYPERSONIC VEHICLES
Agency: NASA
Contract: N/A
Award Amount: $249,897.00
 

Abstract:

REUSABLE HYPERSONIC VEHICLES, OPERATING WELL BEYOND THE PERFORMANCE ENVELOPE OF CONVENTIONAL AIRCRAFT, WILL ENCOUNTER EXTREMELY HIGH TEMPERATURES; DURING REENTRY, THE NOSE WILL EXPERIENCE IN EXCESS OF 5000 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT, AND LEADING-EDGE SURFACES WILL FEEL NEARLY 3500 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT. CLEARLY, LIGHTWEIGHT LEADING-EDGE COOLING CONCEPTS ARE NEEDED TO WITHSTAND SUCH HIGH TEMPERATURES. THE HEAT PIPE--A QUASIPASSIVE, SELF-CONTAINED, LOW-MAINTENANCE DEVICE--SHOULD BE WELL-SUITED FOR LEADING-EDGE COOLING APPLICATIONS. THIS PHASE I PROJECT WILL DEMONSTRATE THE FEASIBILITY OF FABRICATING A STRAIGHT D-SHAPED HEAT PIPE BY CHEMICAL VAPOR DEPOSITION (CVD) AND INFILTRATION (CVI). THE WICK WILL BE A REFRACTORY-METAL-INFILTRATED CARBON FOAM, AND THE CONTAINER WALLS WILL BE A THIN REFRACTORY METAL SKIN OR SHELL. COMPATIBILITY OF THE CHOSEN REFRACTORY-METAL WITH CARBON-CARBON WILL BE ESTABLISHED, AND A CVD TECHNIQUE FOR PRODUCING CONTAINER WALLS OF MINIMUM THICKNESS FOR WEIGHT REDUCTION WILL BE DEFINED. AT THE END OF THE PROJECT, THE HEAT PIPE WILL BE FILLED WITH A WORKING FLUID AND TESTED FORISOTHERMAL OPERATION. THE RESULT WILL BE THE DEFINITION OF TECHNIQUES FOR FABRICATING ACTUAL LEADING-EDGE HEAT PIPE CONFIGURATIONS IN PHASE II AND BEYOND. REUSABLE HYPERSONIC VEHICLES, OPERATING WELL BEYOND THE PERFORMANCE ENVELOPE OF CONVENTIONAL AIRCRAFT, WILL ENCOUNTER EXTREMELY HIGH TEMPERATURES; DURING REENTRY, THE NOSE WILL EXPERIENCE IN EXCESS OF 5000 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT, AND LEADING-EDGE SURFACES WILL FEEL NEARLY 3500 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT. CLEARLY, LIGHTWEIGHT LEADING-EDGE COOLING CONCEPTS ARE NEEDED TO WITHSTAND SUCH HIGH TEMPERATURES. THE HEAT PIPE--A QUASIPASSIVE, SELF-CONTAINED, LOW-MAINTENANCE DEVICE--SHOULD BE WELL-SUITED FOR LEADING-EDGE COOLING APPLICATIONS. THIS PHASE I PROJECT WILL DEMONSTRATE THE FEASIBILITY OF FABRICATING A STRAIGHT D-SHAPED HEAT PIPE BY CHEMICAL VAPOR DEPOSITION (CVD) AND INFILTRATION (CVI). THE WICK WILL BE A REFRACTORY-METAL-INFILTRATED CARBON FOAM, AND THE CONTAINER WALLS WILL BE A THIN REFRACTORY METAL SKIN OR SHELL. COMPATIBILITY OF THE CHOSEN REFRACTORY-METAL WITH CARBON-CARBON WILL BE ESTABLISHED, AND A CVD TECHNIQUE FOR PRODUCING CONTAINER WALLS OF MINIMUM THICKNESS FOR WEIGHT REDUCTION WILL BE DEFINED. AT THE END OF THE PROJECT, THE HEAT PIPE WILL BE FILLED WITH A WORKING FLUID AND TESTED FORISOTHERMAL OPERATION. THE RESULT WILL BE THE DEFINITION OF TECHNIQUES FOR FABRICATING ACTUAL LEADING-EDGE HEAT PIPE CONFIGURATIONS IN PHASE II AND BEYOND.

Principal Investigator:


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Business Contact:

Small Business Information at Submission:

Ultramet
12173 Montague St Pacoima, CA 91331

EIN/Tax ID:
DUNS: N/A
Number of Employees: N/A
Woman-Owned: No
Minority-Owned: No
HUBZone-Owned: No