Extendable Thermal Conductor for Planetary Surface Heat Transfer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hardware operating in extreme temperature environments, such as the lunar or Martian surfaces, face challenges in regulating temperature within operational ranges due to wide fluctuations between cold and hot conditions, leading to potential failure or damage.
Innovation Solution
An extendable conductor assembly is used to thermally couple hardware with a thermal target, such as the planetary surface, allowing for heat transfer to manage temperature extremes by extending or retracting the conductor to regulate heat flow.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If hardware operates in extreme temperature environments without thermal management, then the hardware can function in a wider range of environments, but the temperature fluctuations cause mechanical components to seize and electronic components to fail
Solution Approach 1:
A thermal conductor assembly acts as an intermediary between the hardware and the planetary surface, facilitating controlled heat transfer. The conductor physically couples the hardware to the surface, enabling thermal management without direct thermal contact that would be insufficient, while avoiding the complexity of active thermal control systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The system utilizes the planetary surface itself as the thermal reservoir, allowing the surface to absorb excess heat from hardware during hot periods and release heat during cold periods. This self-regulating mechanism eliminates the need for external thermal control systems while maintaining hardware within operational temperature ranges.
2Reliability
If a thermal conductor is used to transfer heat between hardware and planetary surface, then temperature management is improved, but the conductor may need to be extended or retracted to optimize thermal coupling
Solution Approach 1:
The thermal conductor assembly incorporates an extendable and retractable mechanism that dynamically adjusts the conductor's deployment based on thermal management needs. The conductor can be extended to increase thermal coupling with the planetary surface when cooling is required, and retracted when thermal input is needed, providing adaptive thermal control.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the physical state and position parameters of the thermal conductor to optimize thermal coupling. By adjusting the conductor's extension length and contact pressure with the planetary surface, the thermal conductivity and heat transfer rate are dynamically modified to match operational requirements.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution enables effective thermal management, enhancing the longevity and operability of hardware by maintaining temperatures within operational ranges, even in extreme conditions.
Implementation Method 1
A conductor of the extendable conductor assembly may be extended (e.g., into a thermal target, such as a preexisting or a newly created feature of a planetary body) and used to thermally couple a rover, vehicle, fixed installation, or other hardware with the thermal target. Thus, the temperature of the hardware may be managed via heat transfer to/from the thermal target.
Data Source
AI summary
A conductor of the extendable conductor assembly may be extended (e.g., into a thermal target, such as a preexisting or a newly created feature of a planetary body) and used to thermally couple a rover, vehicle, fixed installation, or other hardware with the thermal target. Thus, the temperature of the hardware may be managed via heat transfer to/from the thermal target. For instance, heat may be transferred from the thermal target to maintain the temperature of the hardware under cold conditions, while excess heat may be transferred to the thermal target under hot conditions. A rover forms a borehole in the lunar surface, in which a conductor is extended to facilitate heat transfer between the rover and the Moon accordingly.