Originally Posted by
MSOCS
OAP, there are few (if any) alternatives for managing heat and heat dissipation in stealth aircraft. By design they are pretty tightly closed up. Heat exchanger inlets are difficult to design without compromising the stealth needs - as always, the design is a balance on weighted characteristics.
Engines is right though, the issues so widely publicised and spread regarding chilled fuel etc, were specific to test conditions. Yes there are fleet operating limits but are rarely approached. I'd mention Tornado engine ground operating time limits as a comparison here.
Designers made/make similar bleats for non LO aircraft. The trouble is, the designer is lured towards a 6T heatsink but, tries to forget the implications when there is only 1T left!
Unless the fuel can be utilised for cooling without limitations or compromising the min fuel state, other methods for cooling should be used. For instance, IMO it would be better to use an optimised consumable cooling medium other than fuel (if the fuel option implies limitations). Minimum fuel limitations for heat limits, require the lugging around of additional weight till shutdown. Whereas an optimised consumable cooling medium that is consumed by shutdown represents an increasingly positive bonus through the flight.
OAP