MECHANICAL DESIGN OF ELONGATED RADAR ANTENNA ARRAY FOR FLYING VEHICLE Russian patent published in 2007 - IPC H01Q1/28 

FIELD: antenna engineering; radar antenna equipment for flying vehicles, mainly for helicopters.

SUBSTANCE: proposed elongated radar antenna array for flying vehicle, for instance helicopter, is essentially set of printed-circuit antenna modules installed in array enclosure to form flat effective surface of antenna array by effective sides of module dipoles; antenna array is provided with enclosure-mounted suspension unit for its setting up from horizontal shipment position to vertical operating one and for rotating it in operating position by means of drives disposed in flying vehicle; antenna array has pressurized enclosure combined with antenna module dome whose function is performed by front electromagnetically transparent wall of antenna array enclosure. Antenna modules are installed on internal load-bearing partition of antenna array enclosure and disposed between this partition and mentioned front wall functioning as dome under conditions of forced air supply to antenna modules to abstract internal heat affording utmost use of external air flow during vehicle flight; its cooling facilities are disposed within enclosure, on its rear part, between its rear wall and mentioned load-bearing partition; cooling air is admitted through inlet holes of hollow longitudinal framework member built integral with load-bearing partition and positioned in parallel with antenna-module along antenna array curtain; distribution line; it is provided with inlet cooling air distribution holes on their disposition end to supply cooling air to antenna modules and to area of module clearances accommodating antenna module heat sinks forming cooling ducts for air passage through circulation ports of internal load-bearing partition to rear part of array enclosure; the latter is composite structure built of several (say, three) longitudinal parts joined together; capacity of cooling facilities is sufficient to ensure total flow not over 1.32 (l/s) x W^-1 per unit heat power released by antenna modules.

EFFECT: enhanced reliability, enlarged power range (also due to raising radiation intensity) by way of augmenting antenna module cooling; enhanced strength and reduced mass, as well as improved repairability of antenna array.

4 cl, 3 dwg, 1 tbl