Abstract: A method for cooling a structure includes flowing a saturated refrigerant through one or more passageways in the structure while maintaining the refrigerant at a substantially constant pressure. The method also includes evaporating at least a portion of the refrigerant at a substantially constant temperature throughout the passageways in the structure.

Abstract: A plated substrate comprises a plating layer disposed outwardly from a substrate. The substrate comprises a substrate material, where the substrate material comprises a metal. The plating layer comprises a plating material and blocking particles. The plating material comprises grains, and the blocking particles are disposed within interstices between the grains. The blocking particles are scattered substantially uniformly throughout at least a portion of the plating layer, and contribute to formation of boundaries.

Abstract: A lid includes a frame, a window which is transmissive to radiation and has a peripheral edge sealingly coupled to the frame, and thermal insulating structure which thermally insulates the peripheral edge of the window. In one embodiment, the thermal insulating structure includes a ring which is made of a thermal insulating material, and extends around the window. In a different embodiment, the thermal insulating structure includes an annular gap between the window and frame, the gap extending around the window. The lid may be part of a housing with a sealed chamber therein, where the window facilitates travel of radiation between the chamber and a location external to the housing.

Abstract: A system (2) predicts the behavior of a component using refinements in both space and time. The system (2) includes a steady-state engine (14) that generates a steady-state stencil (16) that defines successively refined meshes (58, 60, 90, 118, 122) in space. A transient engine (18) adopts the spatial framework of the steady-state stencil (16) to predict the behavior of the component over time. The transient engine (18) may adjust a time interval (356) to refine the predictions in time.

Abstract: A cold plate for use in a thermal management system and a method of thermal management which comprises an inlet channel having coolant fluid disposed therein at a substantially uniform pressure throughout the inlet channel and an outlet channel having coolant fluid disposed therein at a substantially uniform pressure lower than the pressure in the inlet channel throughout the outlet channel. The cold plate includes a highly thermally-conductive metallic porous matrix filling the fluid passage, preferably of aluminum. The porous matrix is preferably from about two percent to about 15 percent percent solid.

Abstract: A thermal management system using an expendable liquid which undergoes phase change to a vapor as waste heat is absorbed and also possesses a high latent heat of vaporization. The vapor is expelled, carrying with it the waste heat. A vacuum source lowers the vapor pressure to lower the vaporization temperature. In first embodiments, regulated fluid flows into a heat exchanger wherein a vacuum system lowers the pressure. Waste heat transported to the heat exchanger by a coolant loop causes the liquid to boil at a desired temperature. A flow regulator controls the rate of fluid flow from the pressurized reservoir to the heat exchanger. The refrigeration effect is produced by the liquid being converted from the liquid to the vapor phase and absorbing heat from the coolant fluid during the phase change. The vacuum system provides a system pressure that results in a suitable temperature at which vaporization occurs. The fluid flow is controlled, based upon the demand from the heat load produced.

Abstract: A thermal control system in which a boiling liquid refrigerant is vaporized by heat addition from the system electronics. The pressure on the boiling liquid refrigerant and the vaporized refrigerant thereover is maintained constant so that the temperature of vaporization is maintained constant. For this reason, the boiling liquid refrigerant rapidly vaporizes and concomitantly removes from the system the very large amount of heat required for the refrigerant to pass from the liquid to the gaseous phase. The heat transfer rates under these conditions are extremely high. In addition to heat addition to the liquid before vaporization, the mass of liquid vaporized absorbs heat during vaporization of the liquid. The transition from liquid to vapor occurs at a constant temperature which is controlled by controlling the pressure at which the vaporization takes place.

Abstract: An aircraft weapon system including a component mounted on a wing of an aircraft and a radiation source and sensor arrangement for measuring changes in the alignment of the component with respect to a reference axis fixed with respect to the main body of the aircraft.

Abstract: Improvement in a water powered jump rope device having a pair of standards and a hollow water-conducting jump rope rotatably supported by and between the standards, the improvement comprising each standard being free standing and consisting of a hollow base and a water-conducting upright pipe supported on the base, the base having a threaded fill opening for receiving a ballast, the lower end of the upright pipe threadably engaged in the fill opening, the standard having a liquid inlet therefor, a water-conducting swivel joint carried on a side of the upright pipe near the upper end thereof, the swivel joint comprising a threaded boss formed in a side of the upright pipe, a threaded hollow gland threadably engaged in th boss, a second water-conducting pipe, the second pipe rotatably carried in the interior of the gland, a flange in the inner end of the second pipe, a radial surface on the inner end of the gland which serves as a bearing surface for the flange during rotation of the second pipe, the radial sur

Abstract: Improvement in sports watercraft having a floatable hull, a propeller system including a rotatable propeller shaft and propeller for propelling the watercraft in water, a motor for driving the propeller, a throttle for controlling the speed of the motor and steering mechanism for rotating the propeller shaft to steer the watercraft in water, the improvement comprising a water ski disposed beneath and joined to the hull so that at low speeds the water craft floats in the water by means of the hull and at high speeds the hull is lifted entirely out of the water by means of the water ski, whereby at high speeds the watercraft rides on top of the water, the hull having a flat deck portion for supporting an occupant of the watercraft in a straddling position, a foot rest on both sides of the hull for supporting the feet of the occupant, the water ski joined to the hull by a rib structure which spaces the water ski from the bottom of the hull.