Additively Manufactured, Structurally-Integrated, Passive Two-Phase Heat Sink for Electrified Aircraft Propulsion Systems

To provide significant improvements in aircraft fuel/energy economy and emissions, electric aircraft are being developed with a current commercial market of $7.9 Billion in 2021 with predicted growth to $27.7 Billion by 2030. Per NASA 2020-I SBIR A1.04 Electrified Aircraft Propulsion (EAP), thermal management systems (TMS) are needed which can be scaled to high power required to make EAP technologies compelling. In Phase I, ThermAvant (TAT) demonstrated a novel additively manufactured (AM) TMS based on company's flagship product the structurally embedded Oscillating Heat Pipe (OHP). The key advantages of this AM-OHP are (1) Exceptional passive thermal transport capacity (> 4kW/kg) as compared with alternative solutions, (2) 50% mass reduction compared with solid control, significantly more when compared with active cooling alternatives, (3) >3x reduction in design cycle and manufacturing time, (4) performance independent of gravity, and (5) thermal performance insensitivity to variable distribution of heat sources (electronics) provides flexibility to EAP electronic systems design.

Advanced Air Transport Technology (AATT) program within Aero Research Mission Directorate (ARMD) NASA JSC

Minute Man Missile Small eVTOL aircraft

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