Advanced Cooling Methods for Naval Laser Directed Energy Weapons

This paper reflects a research study that was undertaken on behalf of the UK Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL) to improve understanding of the cooling challenges posed by novel Laser Directed Energy Weapons (LDEWs) in the maritime domain. The aim was to characterise the thermal demands of near-term and future LDEW systems, identifying & comparing candidate cooling technologies and analysing the performance of the perceived best available cooling approaches. This paper first provides comment on the scope of the near-term and future cooling challenge for LDEW integration. It then looks at the factors which affect the cooling methodology and considers potential design solutions that were developed as part of an options study. The study assessed the performance of current (High Technology Readiness Level) (TRL) and developing (Low TRL) cooling technologies, in order to provide recommendations for near-term cooling solutions, whilst also providing a roadmap for the technologies and manufacturing techniques which were considered to pose specific advantages in cooling the high-powered LDEW weapons of the future. Finally the paper will consider a number of the developed concepts for LDEW cooling, discussing the feasibility of modular cooling approaches for configurable mission-bays and integrated cooling methods which utilise Thermal Energy Storage (TES) and Phase-Change materials (PCM) and the challenges associated with deploying these within in-service platforms.