Design of a convective cooling system for a Mach 6 hypersonic transport airframe.

The design of a convective cooling system for an aluminum alloy airframe was established to verify preliminary weight estimates and to define future development requirements. A water glycol coolant was circulated through a closed loop network of supply and return lines to absorb incident aerodynamic heating from structural skin panels with integral passages and to transfer this heat input to a heat exchanger where it is rejected to the hydrogen fuel. Partial shielding of the aluminum alloy structure reduced heat loads to levels compatible with engine fuel flow requirements.