Aerospace and Defence

The aerospace and defence sectors impose exceptionally stringent requirements on equipment performance, reliability and durability, encompassing critical components such as aircraft electronic systems, radar communications, navigation and control, power conversion, satellite payloads and military computers. These systems frequently operate under demanding conditions such as high altitudes, vacuum environments, extreme temperature variations, intense vibrations, and electromagnetic interference. Characterised by high power density and concentrated thermal loads, thermal management design directly impacts equipment stability and mission success. Efficient, reliable, and lightweight thermal management solutions constitute a vital component of aerospace and defence equipment design.

Aerospace equipment thermal management confronts multiple challenges. The extremely low atmospheric pressure at high altitudes or in outer space virtually eliminates natural convection, significantly reducing the effectiveness of traditional air-dependent cooling. Consequently, highly efficient thermal conduction and radiative cooling solutions are imperative. Aircraft and satellites are highly weight-sensitive, necessitating lightweight heat sink designs. Materials such as high-thermal-conductivity aluminium alloys or copper-aluminium composites are selected to minimise weight while maintaining thermal performance. Defence electronics demand exceptional reliability. Heat sinks must withstand extreme thermal cycling, shock, vibration, and electromagnetic environments to ensure long-term, fault-free operation.

Common thermal management solutions for aerospace and defence applications include heat pipes, heat spreaders, liquid cooling plates, and radiative dissipation systems. Heat pipes and heat spreaders rapidly distribute localised high heat across larger areas, enhancing radiative efficiency. For satellites and space probes, heat sinks often direct heat to external dissipation surfaces, releasing thermal energy into space via infrared radiation. For high-power heat sources such as airborne radars, power amplifiers, and aviation power supplies, liquid-cooled plates integrated with pump circulation systems are frequently employed to achieve efficient heat dissipation and control temperature fluctuations. Certain weapon systems additionally utilise phase-change materials or active temperature control technologies to ensure rapid cooling of critical components following short-duration, high-power operation.

Structurally, aerospace heat sinks are typically manufactured through extrusion, cold forging, CNC precision machining, and brazing processes to guarantee high strength, thermal conductivity, and dimensional consistency. Surface treatments predominantly involve anodizing, blackening, or high-emissivity coatings to enhance radiative heat dissipation efficiency and withstand corrosive external environments.