US 11,971,225 B2
System and method for thermal emission control using segmented array
Robert Matthew Panas, Dublin, CA (US); Cynthia Dawn Walker Panas, Dublin, CA (US); and Robert Mchenry, San Francisco, CA (US)
Assigned to Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC, Livermore, CA (US); and Bright Silicon Technologies, Inc., San Francisco, CA (US)
Filed by Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC, Livermore, CA (US); and Bright Silicon Technologies, Inc., San Francisco, CA (US)
Filed on Apr. 19, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/234,211.
Prior Publication US 2022/0333879 A1, Oct. 20, 2022
Int. Cl. F28F 27/00 (2006.01); F15D 1/00 (2006.01); F28F 13/02 (2006.01)
CPC F28F 13/02 (2013.01) [F15D 1/007 (2013.01); F28F 27/00 (2013.01); F28F 2280/105 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A thermal emissivity control system, comprising:
a segmented array including:
a thermally conductive base layer configured to be connectable to an external heat generating subsystem, the base layer including a thermally emissive surface;
a plurality of actuation elements at least one of:
positioned on the base layer; or
disposed adjacent to the thermally emissive surface of the base layer;
a plurality of movable shutter elements disposed adjacent one another in a grid pattern, and controlled in movement by the actuation elements to create gaps of controllably varying dimension therebetween, to control at least one of a magnitude of thermal radiation through the gaps or a direction of emission of the thermal radiation through the gaps; and
wherein at least one of the actuation elements enables both a tipping motion and a tilting motion along a tipping axis and a tilting axis, respectively, where the tipping axis and the tiling axis are arranged non-parallel to one another.