Thermal management system for an aircraft avionics bay
A system for managing heat transfer is provided by the present disclosure, which in one form includes a cavity having an inner wall portion, at least one heat-generating component disposed within the cavity, and a plurality of heat conducting members disposed adjacent one another. Each heat conducting member includes a resilient core and an outer shell wrapped around at least a portion of the resilient core. The outer shell is made of a material having a relatively high thermal conductivity, and the plurality of heat conducting members are positioned between the heat-generating component and the inner wall portion of the cavity.
1. A system for managing heat transfer comprising:
a heat-generating component; and
a heat conducting member comprising a resilient core, and an outer shell wrapped around at least a portion of the resilient core, the outer shell comprising a material having a relatively high thermal conductivity, wherein the heat conducting member is positioned between the heat-generating component and an inner wall of an avionic cavity;
a structural member disposed proximate an opposing side of the inner wall of the avionic cavity, and comprising:
an upper skin;
a lower skin; and
a foam core disposed between the upper skin and the lower skin;
an undulating heat conducting array extending through the foam core and between the upper skin and the lower skin, the undulating heat conducting array defining a plurality of upper caps, a plurality of lower caps, and a plurality of wall portions, where each wall portion extends between one of the plurality of upper caps and one of the plurality of lower caps that are adjacent to one another, and wherein each wall portion defines a perforated portion,
wherein the heat conducting array is configured to dissipate heat from the heat-generating component by transferring heat from at least one of the plurality of upper caps, through the wall portion, to its adjacent lower cap, to a lower skin of the structural member, and out to an atmosphere.
2. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the lower skin is disposed proximate to the plurality of lower caps.
3. The system according to claim 1 , further comprising a circuit board disposed between the heat-generating component and the heat conducting member.
4. The system according to claim 1 , wherein there is an open space between a first and a second upper cap of the plurality of upper caps that are adjacent to one another.
5. The system according to claim 4 , wherein the first upper cap and the second upper cap that are adjacent to one another are spaced apart from one another.
6. The system according to claim 1 , wherein a surface area of each of the plurality of upper caps is not equal to a surface area of each of the plurality of lower caps.
7. The system according to claim 1 , wherein a surface area of each of the plurality of upper caps is equal to a surface area of each of the plurality of lower caps.
8. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the wall portion, that extends between an upper cap from the plurality of upper caps that is adjacent to a lower cap from the plurality of lower caps, is positioned at an incline.
9. The system according to claim 1 wherein the resilient core is thermally conductive.
10. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the resilient core comprises thermally conductive foam.
11. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the resilient core is configured to deform under load.
12. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the outer shell is wrapped completely around the resilient core.
13. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the outer shell is not wrapped completely around the resilient core.
14. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the structural member comprises an aircraft skin.
15. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the foam core is configured to flow through the perforated portion of the wall portions during forming of the structural member.