Thermally conductive metal shield is put in direct thermal contact with the mounting plate for the radiation detectors. External surfaces of the shield are insulated by an insulation blanket. The internal faces are covered with a thin layer of quartz with a metallic thermally conductive coating on the hidden faces

Smith, J. W.

English

NASA Technical Reports Server

Incident 
Environmental 
Heat Paths
\
-.-
onducted 
)etectors 
tion 
tors
Quartz 
Reflective 
Coating 
Bonding 
Cement 
Metal 
Support 
Structure 
Insulation 
Blanket 
September 1970	 Brief 70-10318 
NASA TECH BRIEF 
NASA Tech Briefs announce new technology derived from the U.S. space program. They are issued to encourage commercial 
application. Tech Briefs are available on a subscription basis from the Clearinghouse for Federal Scientific and Technical 
Information, Springfield, Virginia 22151. Requests for individual copies or questions relating to the Tech Brief program may 
be directed to the Technology Utilization Division, NASA, Code UT, Washington, D.C. 20546. 
Improved Heat Shield/Radiator 
Figure 1 a. Cross Section of Heat Shield 
The problem: 
To remove heat generated internally by an instru-
ment and to reject external heat loads such as direct 
solar and earth-reflected solar radiation. Conven-
tional blackbody radiators may be used for radiation 
of internal heat, but they are incapable of reflecting ex-
ternal heat (direct solar or earth-reflected solar radia-
tion). 
The solution: 
A thermally conductive metal shield in direct ther-
mal contact with the mounting plate for the radiation 
detectors. The external surfaces of the shield are
Figure lb. Detail of Cross Section 
thermally insulated by an insulation blanket. The in-
ternal faces of the shield are covered with a thin layer 
of quartz, on the hidden faces of which a metallic, 
thermally conductive coating has been applied. 
How it's done: 
A cross-sectional view of the composite shield/radi-
ator is presented in the illustration, together with a 
detail showing its construction. The slope of the side 
faces is set to achieve optimum outward reflection of 
direct solar radiation and minimize inward reflection 
to one of the other faces. 
This document was prepared under the sponsorship of the National 
Aeronautics and Space Administration. Neither the United States 
Government nor any person acting on behalf of the United States
Government assumes any liability resulting from the use of the 
information contained in this document, or warrants that such use 
will be free from privately owned rights.
https://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=19700000306 2020-03-17T00:20:52+00:00Z
The support structure is made of a metal such as 
aluminum and should be of integral structure, with 
all walls joined without seams to eliminate joint 
thermal resistance. The outer surfaces of the structure 
are covered with an insulation blaket and the inner 
surfaces are covered with a quartz sheet. A metal such 
as silver is vacuum deposited on the outward side of 
each sheet. This reflective coating is bonded to one of 
the inner faces of the support structure by a suitable 
cement, such as a high-thermal-conductivity silicone. 
This composite shield-radiator could be used in 
such meteorological applications as the measurement 
of the absolute temperature of air masses, since it 
should largely negate the effects of solar heating. The 
reflector should reject up to 95% of the direct incident 
solar radiation and up to 97% of the solar radiation 
reflected from clouds or air masses. The insulation 
should isolate the instrument from radiation either 
reflected or emitted from the earth, and should also
reduce convective heating or cooling of the instrument 
by air currents. The instrument would achieve thermal 
equilibrium with the air mass above it and would 
measure the air temperature during the day and the 
sky temperature at night. 
Note: 
Requests for further information may be directed to: 
Technology Utilization Officer 
NASA Pasadena Office 
4800 Oak Grove Drive 
Pasadena, California 91103 
Reference: B70-10318 
Patent status: 
No patent action is contemplated by NASA. 
Source: J. W. Smith of 
Caltech/JPL 
under contract to 
NASA Pasadena Office 
(NPO-1 1105) 
Brief 70-10318	 Category 03


Improved heat shield/radiator

Abstract

Similar works

Full text

Available Versions

NASA Technical Reports Server