Heat exchange means for space vehicles

Claim 1

A HEAT EXCHANGER OF THE SHELL AND TUBE TYPE FOR REDUCING THE TEMPERATURE OF A FLUID CIRCULATED THROUGH THE EXCHANGER COMPRISING A SHELL; AN INLET TO AND AN OUTLET FROM THE SHELL DISPOSED ON OPPOSITE ENDS THEREOF TO PROVIDE FOR THE CIRCULATION OF THE FLUID THROUGH THE SHELL; A PAIR OF SPACED TUBE SHEETS WITHIN THE SHELL; A CLOSED CHAMBER ADJACENT ONE TUBE SHEET ON THE END OF THE SHELL HAVING THE INLET FOR THE SHELL FLUID; A CHAMBER ADJACENT THE OPPOSITE TUBE SHEET OPENING INTO THE AMBIENT; A PLURALITY OF TUBES OF PREDETERMINED LENGTH EXTENDING BETWEEN THE TUBE SHEETS ESTABLISHING COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE CLOSED CHAMBER AND THE OPPOSITE OPEN CHAMBER; A CONTAINER TO STORE A COOLING FLUID; MEANS TO MAINTAIN THE FLUID IN THE CONTAINER AT A PREDETERMINED PRESSURE; FLUID PASSAGE MEANS BETWEEN THE CONTAINER AND THE CLOSED CHAMBER; A CONTROL VALVE IN THE FLUID PASSAGE MEANS; AND A METERING ORIFICE IN EACH TUBE ADJACENT THE CLOSED CHAMBER TO PROVIDE FOR THE FLOW OF COOLING FLUID FROM THE CLOSED CHAMBER TO THE TUBES, THE ARRANGEMENT OF THE PARTS BEING SUCH THAT THE COOLING FLUID MAINTAINED AT A PREDETERMINED PRESSURE IN THE CONTAINER AND DELIVERED TO THE METERING ORIFICES UNDERGOES A PRESSURE DROP IN PASSING THROUGH THE ORIFICES SUFFICIENT TO INITIATE VAPORIZATION OF THE FLUID AT ITS AMBIENT TEMPERATURE AS IT PASSES INTO THE TUBES AND TO CAUSE COMPLETE VAPORIZATION OF THE FLUID AS IT PASSES ALONG THE LENGTH OF THE TUBES IN HEAT EXCHANGE RELATION WITH THE SHELL SIDE FLUID.