COOLING HYPERSONIC VEHICLE STRUCTURES

Finite difference and finite element based computational techniques are applied to the problem of predicting transient thermal behavior of hypersonic vehicle surfaces which are cooled by using internal liquid metal heat pipes in combination with active internal heat exchangers. Results include transient structural temperature distribution for various geometries, transient aerodynamic heat inputs and amounts of active cooling. It appears that heat pipes can be used to limit maximum skin temperatures for most operating conditions now under consideration. However, for short periods during some missions of some vehicles it is quite likely that cooling in addition to heat pipe action will be required.