Contact Information Email: info@tmtsdl.com Related Information Thermal Management Technologies website Thermal Links Brochure (PDF 447 KB) Download Adobe® Acrobat Reader® to view PDF files Related Programs DITP SABER SPIRIT III WIRE

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SDL is a world leader in sensor thermal management with expertise encompassing expendable and mechanical cooling systems and numerous innovative technologies. In addition to delivering many firsts in the field of cryogenic cooling, SDL has led the development of systems such as autonomous thermal switches, improved thermal link designs, and thermal and vibration isolation techniques used with mechanical refrigeration systems.

SDL has teamed with USU's Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (MAE) Department in a symbiotic research relationship that has resulted in the Thermal Management Technologies (TMT) Center of Excellence, the new development and marketing division of SDL for these innovative technologies.

Thermal Management Technologies website

Thermal Links

Thermal links provide a means of transferring heat from a warm component to a cooler reservoir with minimal temperature drop. The standard soldered approach is time consuming and adds thermal impedance to the link, degrading performance. To maximize performance, SDL has developed a solderless thermal link design.

SDL’s improved solderless thermal link technology enables an extremely efficient thermal connection while maintaining a high degree of mechanical flexibility and adaptability to new design parameters. Using a solderless process to attach a stack of aluminum foils into aluminum end blocks, SDL’s design essentially removes any contact resistance between the metals.

SDL’s solderless thermal link design:

• Allows more flexibility
• Minimizes weight
• Conducts heat with minimal temperature loss
• Protects fragile cryo-cooler cold fingers
• Decreases contamination risks associated with previous thermal link technologies

Thermal Switches

SDL’s autonomous thermal switches enable multiple cryogenic cooling systems such as cryo-coolers to redundantly control sensitive IR sensors, providing adjustability for precise calibration and variable activation temperature. The switches require no electronics to control the switching mechanism and are actuated by a temperature difference across the switch. Additionally, the simplified thermal switch movement design decreases tolerancing requirements and improves reliability.

Fiber Support Technology (FiST)

SDL’s advanced cryo-mechanical mounting technology, FiST, uses high performance fibers in tension to mechanically support and thermally isolate cooled components from warm environments. Opto-thermal testing demonstrated that FiST outperforms the conventional mounting approach thermally, mechanically, and optically. Extensive qualification testing shows that the FiST mounting structure is mechanically and optically robust, and provides superior thermal isolation compared to conventional mounting approaches. FiST was initially developed to support the focal plane assembly for SDL’s SABER flight experiment (pictured) which, after two years on orbit, has performed flawlessly.