Expandable pulse power spacecraft radiator

Claim 1

A heat rejection system for temporarily storing and radiating heat generated by a source of heat on a spacecraft or like vehicle, comprising: (a) a fluid heat exchange medium for contacting said source in operative heat exchange relationship with said source, said medium comprising a fluid material for absorbing heat by conversion of said medium from the liquid phase of said medium to the vapor phase of said medium; (b) means defining an expandable and collapsible volume having an inlet and an outlet, said volume defining means including an extensible and retractable sleeve, said sleeve being coilable along the length thereof, and comprising a thin flexible film defining along a first edge of said sleeve a first passageway communicating with said inlet and along a second edge opposite said first edge a second passageway communicating with said outlet, said sleeve further defining between said first passageway and said second passageway and along said length of said sleeve a region of said volume defined by confronting inner surfaces of said film defining condensation surfaces for said medium, the outer surfaces of said film defining heat radiating surfaces for said sleeve; (c) means communicating with said first passageway through said inlet for conducting said medium in said vapor phase from said source to said first passageway; (d) means on said condensation surfaces for promoting condensation of said heat exchange medium from said vapor phase to said liquid phase and for facilitating flow by capillary action transversely along said condensation surfaces in a direction from said first passageway toward said second passageway of the liquid condensate formed by said condensation; and (e) means communicating with said outlet for conducting said liquid condensate from said outlet into said heat exchange relationship with said source.