Combined spacecraft propulsion and thermal control system
Combined spacecraft propulsion and thermal control system
Keywords Patents, Aerospace industry, Aircraft
In GB Patent 2327928 Motorola Inc. describe a spacecraft with a combined propulsion and active thermal control systems. A propellant storage tank is coupled to a pressurant storage tank. A working fluid resides in the pressurant storage tank and propels propellant when needed while concurrently acting as a thermal working fluid. The working fluid is expanded then routed to selected components to cool them. After passing by the cooled components the working fluid is compressed by a pump and passed by components to heat them. These components may include a thermal radiator panel to transfer excess heat to space. A controller monitors temperature sensors and controls valve assemblies to determine the components to which the working fluid is routed. A component may be both a cooled component and a heated component.
