To assure satisfactory cooling for future JSF upgrades, the proposed solution is a vapor compression refrigeration system packaged with both a pumped PAO cooling loop and a thermal energy storage (TES) system in a standard avionics rack for the JSF. The vapor compression system, VCS, will provide the sub-ambient cooling required as avionics power is increased. A VCS gives the highest efficiency for sub-ambient cooling. The pumped PAO loop will interface to the avionics racks. PAO is already an approved coolant for aircraft. The TES will store additional thermal capacity for the cooling system for high power transient excursions. Including this feature will increase mission capability during extreme operating conditions. The Phase 1 work effort involves a system design and subscale prototype technology emonstration.
Benefit: This new unit is a small distributed cooling system for addressing avionics cooling upgrades for JSF as well as legacy aircraft (F-16, A-10, F/A-18 and AV-8B tactical fighter aircraft) where avionics upgrades are required or being implemented.
Keywords: Joint Strike Fighter, Joint Strike Fighter, thermal energy storage, F-35, Refrigeration, PAO, vapor compression refrigeration
