A removable battery to provide motive power for an aircraft includes a battery frame and removable, interchangeable battery modules. Each of the battery modules defines module common space through which liquid heat transfer fluid flows during charging of the battery when the battery is removed from the aircraft and through which air as a heat transfer fluid flows during discharge of the battery, as during flight. The module common space also defines a combustion conduit to convey heated air and products of combustion safely outside the battery in the event of a cell fire during flight. The removable battery frame is a structural component of the aircraft.

A vehicle is provided including a structure including a skin defining an outside surface exposed to ambient cooling flow and an inside surface. The structure includes a first structural member extending from the inside surface of the skin and a second structural member extending from the inside surface of the skin; and a thermal management system including a heat exchanger assembly positioned adjacent to, and in thermal communication with, the inside surface of the skin, the heat exchanger assembly positioned at least partially between the first and second structural members of the structure.

An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) includes a fuselage, electronics disposed with the fuselage, a heat sink, and a solar shield. The heat sink is thermally connected to the electronics and includes a cooling plate disposed on or extends through an exterior surface of the fuselage. The cooling plate is exposed to an external environment of the UAV to conduct heat from the electronics to the external environment via convection. The solar shield extends over the cooling plate and defines an air scoop within which the cooling plate is disposed. The air scoop directs airflow from the external environment across the cooling plate. The solar shield shades the cooling plate from solar radiation to prevent or reduce solar heating of the cooling plate.

A hypersonic aircraft includes one or more leading edge assemblies that are designed to manage thermal loads experienced at the leading edges during high speed or hypersonic operation. The leading edge assembly includes a plurality of structural layers and a plurality compliant layers alternately stacked with each other to facilitate thermal expansion and movement between the plurality of structural layers, while also providing a thermal break between the plurality of structural layers.

An aircraft includes a first outer surface exposed to a hot air flow flowing in a flow direction and a device for generating a film of cold air in contact with a region to be protected of the first outer surface. The device includes a cold air outlet arranged upstream of the region to be protected as seen in the flow direction, and an inlet arranged at a second outer surface of the aircraft in contact with cold air. The inlet is arranged such that a pressure gradient exists between the inlet and the outlet so as to generate a natural flow of cold air from the inlet to the outlet as well as means to cause said inlet to communicate with said outlet.

The invention concerns an avionics bay (1) for the installation of at least one electrical module (M), comprising a fluid cooling system and a housing (2) that is complementary to the electrical module (M) and that comprises an open front face (21) through which the module (M) can be removably installed inside said housing (2), and a rear face (20) on which there are arranged electrical connectors suitable for being connected to the electrical module (M), characterised in that the fluid cooling system comprises a cold plate (3) that is disposed on the rear face (20) of the housing (2) that is suitable for cooling the electrical module (M) when said electrical module (M) is installed inside the housing (2).

In an aircraft, a cooling target having a different amount of heat depending on a situation is sufficiently cooled. An aircraft (10) is provided with a cooling facility (40a) having a first cooling circuit (42a) and a second cooling circuit (42b) that are independent of each other. The first cooling circuit (42a) includes a first circulation flow path (44a) that allows a first cooling medium to sequentially and repeatedly pass through a cooling target (34a, 34b). Similarly, the second cooling circuit (42b) includes a second circulation flow path (44b) that allows a second cooling medium to sequentially and repeatedly pass through the cooling target. Here, the first circulation flow path (44a) and the second circulation flow path (44b) do not communicate with each other. Therefore, the first cooling medium and the second cooling medium do not merge or split.

One embodiment of the present disclosure is a unique airborne electrical power and thermal management system. Another embodiment is a unique aircraft. Other embodiments include apparatuses, systems, devices, hardware, methods, and combinations for aircraft and electrical power and thermal management systems. Further embodiments, forms, features, aspects, benefits, and advantages of the present application will become apparent from the description and figures provided herewith.

A rotor mounting boom assembly includes a rotor mounting boom releasably attachable to a wing of the personal aircraft, one or more vertical lift rotors, and one or more rotor controller assemblies. Controller assemblies for each rotor are positioned on the rotor mounting booms such that downwash from the rotor causes increased airflow across the controller assembly to cool the controller assembly components. A rotor controller enclosure includes an air inlet and an air outlet to allow airflow through the enclosure to cool the controller components. The air inlet is positioned relative to the path of the rotor blades such that the downwash from the rotor that flows into the air inlet is maximized. The structure of the enclosure includes features for increasing the airflow through the enclosure.

The present invention provides a vehicle (100) comprising: a body (4) having a skin; a heat source (12); and a thermal management system. The thermal management system comprises: a heat pipe (14) comprising: an evaporator end (close to 12) and a condenser end (close to heat exchanger 22a, 22b); a vapour arranged to flow from the evaporator end to the condenser end; and a working fluid arranged to flow from the condenser end to the evaporator end, wherein the heat pipe (14) is arranged such that the evaporator end is arranged in proximity to the heat source to absorb heat from the heat source; and one or more heat exchangers arranged in proximity to the condenser end and integrated with the skin. The present invention also provides a method of managing temperature in a vehicle.