Heat control device

Abstract

A small size, light weight heat control device feasible for an artificial satellite or a spacecraft is disclosed. The heat control device uses an optical property particular to a substance itself in place of a mechanical principle applied to a conventional thermal louver. In addition, the device of the present invention is highly reliable and long life because it needs no movable portions which would bring about wear, fatigue and other problems.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . In a heat control device, a variable-phase substance exhibiting a property of an insulator or a property of metal in a high temperature phase or a low temperature phase, respectively, and radiating a great amount of heat or a small amount of heat in the low temperature phase or the high temperature phase, respectively, controls a temperature of an object.  
     
     
         2 . A heat control device as claimed in    claim 1   , wherein said variable-phase substance comprise an oxide of perovskite Mn.  
     
     
         3 . A heat control device as claimed in    claim 2   , wherein the oxide of perovskite Mn comprises an oxide of Mn-containing perovskite represented by A 1-X B X MnO 3  where A is at least one of La, Pr, Nd and Sm rare earth ions, and B is at least one of Ca, Sr and Ba alkaline rare earth ions.  
     
     
         4 . A heat control device as claimed in    claim 3   , wherein said variable-phase substance is affixed to the object by powder coating, evaporation, crystalline adhesion or adhesion of a film formed of a variable-phase substance containing a binder.  
     
     
         5 . A heat control device as claimed in    claim 4   , further comprising either one of a plate and a film mounted on said phase-variable substance for transmitting infrared rays and reflecting visible rays.  
     
     
         6 . A heat control device as claimed in    claim 5   , wherein the object comprises either one of an artificial satellite and a spacecraft.  
     
     
         7 . A heat control device as claimed in    claim 1   , wherein the oxide of perovskite Mn comprises an oxide of Mn-containing perovskite represented by A 1-X B X MnO 3  where A is at least one of La, Pr, Nd and Sm rare earth ions, and B is at least one of Ca, Sr and Ba alkaline rare earth ions.  
     
     
         8 . A heat control device as claimed in    claim 7   , wherein said variable-phase substance is affixed to the object by powder coating, evaporation, crystalline adhesion or adhesion of a film formed of a variable-phase substance containing a binder.  
     
     
         9 . A heat control device as claimed in    claim 8   , further comprising either one of a plate and a film mounted on said phase-variable substance for transmitting infrared rays and reflecting visible rays.  
     
     
         10 . A heat control device as claimed in    claim 9   , wherein the object comprises either one of an artificial satellite and a spacecraft.  
     
     
         11 . A heat control device as claimed in    claim 1   , wherein said variable-phase substance comprises an oxide of Cr-containing corundum vanadium.  
     
     
         12 . A heat control device as claimed in    claim 1   , wherein said variable-phase substance comprises (V 1-X Cr X ) 2 O 3 .  
     
     
         13 . A heat control device as claimed in    claim 12   , wherein said variable-phase substance is affixed to the object by powder coating, evaporation, crystalline adhesion or adhesion of a film formed of a variable-phase substance containing a binder.  
     
     
         14 . A heat control device as claimed in    claim 13   , further comprising either one of a plate and a film mounted on said phase-variable substance for transmitting infrared rays and reflecting visible rays.  
     
     
         15 . A heat control device as claimed in    claim 14    wherein the object comprises either one of an artificial satellite and a spacecraft.  
     
     
         16 . A heat control device as claimed in    claim 1   , wherein said variable-phase substance comprises (V 1-X Cr X ) 2 O 3 .  
     
     
         17 . A heat control device as claimed in    claim 16   , wherein said variable-phase substance is affixed to the object by powder coating, evaporation, crystalline adhesion or adhesion of a film formed of a variable-phase substance containing a binder.  
     
     
         18 . A heat control device as claimed in    claim 17   , further comprising either one of a plate and a film mounted on said phase-variable substance for transmitting infrared rays and reflecting visible rays.  
     
     
         19 . A heat control device as claimed in    claim 18   , wherein the object comprises either one of an artificial satellite and a spacecraft.  
     
     
         20 . A heat control device as claimed in    claim 1   , wherein said variable-phase substance is affixed to the object by powder coating, evaporation, crystalline adhesion or adhesion of a film formed of a variable-phase substance containing a binder.  
     
     
         21 . A heat control device as claimed in    claim 20   , further comprising either one of a plate and a film mounted on said phase-variable substance for transmitting infrared rays and reflecting visible rays.  
     
     
         22 . A heat control device as claimed in    claim 21   , wherein the object comprises either one of an artificial satellite and a spacecraft.  
     
     
         23 . A heat control device as claimed in    claim 1   , further comprising either one of a plate and a film mounted on said phase-variable substance for transmitting infrared rays and reflecting visible rays.  
     
     
         24 . A heat control device as claimed in    claim 23   , wherein the object comprises either one of an artificial satellite and a spacecraft.  
     
     
         25 . A heat control device as claimed in    claim 23   , wherein the object comprises either one of an artificial satellite and a spacecraft.  
     
     
         26 . In a method of controlling a temperature of an object, a variable-phase substance exhibiting a property of an insulator or a property of metal in a high temperature phase or a low temperature phase, respectively, and radiating a great amount of heat or a small amount of heat in the low temperature phase or the high temperature phase, respectively, is affixed to said object.  
     
     
         27 . A method as claimed in    claim 26   , wherein the object comprises either one of an artificial satellite and a spacecraft.  
     
     
         28 . A method as claimed in    claim 26   , wherein said variable-phase substance comprises either one of an oxide of perovskite Mn and an oxide of Cr-containing corundum vanadium.  
     
     
         29 . A method as claimed in    claim 28   , wherein the object comprises either one of an artificial satellite and a spacecraft.