Air Force wants new electronics
thermal management techniques
for fighter aircraft
August 4, 2015
WRIGHT-PATTERSON AFB, 4 Aug. 2015. U.S. Air Force electronics
thermal management experts are asking industry for new ideas on how
to cool the electronics on future fighter aircraft, which could be at least
10 times more demanding than they are today.
Officials of the Air Force Research Laboratory at Wright-Patterson Air
Force Base, Ohio, issued a broad agency announcement Friday
(BAA-AFRL-RQKP-2015-0002) for the Hybrid-Cycle Power and Thermal
Management System (PTMS) project.
The Air Force Research Lab's Power and Control Division, Mechanical &
Thermal Systems Branch are asking industry for electronics cooling ways
to blend air-cycle cooling, vapor-cycle cooling, chilled fuel, and other
thermal energy storage mechanisms to keep electronics cool on future
jet fighters.
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Next-generation fighter aircraft will require an unprecedented level of advanced
capabilities to operate in contested environments, including advanced electronic
attack, high-power lasers, and low-observability features, researchers say.
These systems will require as much as 10 times more power than today's fighters do.
On these future power-hungry aircraft, thermal management may be an even
bigger concern than generating power because component efficiencies and waste
heat qualities will be low, researchers say.
Compounding the electronics-cooling problem will be modern jet fighter design
factors like composite aircraft skins, high-efficiency engines, and deeply embedded
aircraft systems compound these challenges. Other challenges involve varied
duty cycles of power loads on these future aircraft, which on a typical mission
can change from continuous to less than 5 percent. This will require a wide thermal
management system.
Conventional air cycle systems offer relatively high temperature lifts over
comparable vapor cycle systems, yet vapor cycle systems generally are 10 times
more efficient at moving heat, which could reduce heat-rejection demands on
vehicle thermal sinks.
Vapor cycle systems also could reduce shaft power requirements, and engine-cycle
cooling is more efficient than bleed-air-driven air cycle systems. Researchers also
are interested in using chilled fuel or other thermal energy storage mechanisms
for electronics cooling.
In sum, researchers are interested in the ability to use available heat sinks
selectively in the most optimal way to ensure sufficient and efficient
electronics cooling.
The Hybrid-Cycle Power and Thermal Management System project could be
worth as much as $24 million and involve as many as six companies through 2019.
Companies interested should notify the Air Force of their intent to propose no
later than 19 Aug. 2015. Full proposals are due no later than 11 Sept. 2015.
Email intents and proposals to the Air Force's Sally Roliff at Sally.Roliff@us.af.mil.
For technical questions contact the Air Force's Capt. Daniel Hatzung by email atdaniel.hatzung@us.af.mil, or by phone at 937-255-6214.
For contracting questions contact Sally Roliff by email at
Sally.Roliff@us.af.mil, or by phone at 937-713-9954; or Sarah Chaffe by email at sarah.chaffe@us.af.mil or by phone at 937-713-9952, sarah.chaffe@us.af.mil.
More information is online at
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