An active electronically scanned array (AESA) is a phased array antenna that may be used on vessels such as Naval ships. An AESA may generally include an array of antenna elements positioned at the top of the mast of a ship. The antenna elements include numerous electronic circuits which consume large amounts of power and produce high levels of heat. As phased array technology moves to higher power, smaller systems, a need has developed to develop means for cooling large amounts of dissipated heat in an array that is located a distance from the host.
A conventional method of cooling higher heat level electronic devices, such as those which may be used in an antenna system, is to directly couple the electronic device to a cold plate. The flow of coolant through tracks in the cold plate may dissipate the heat produced by the electronic circuits and thereby cool the antenna elements. Although refrigeration units of this type have been generally adequate for certain applications, they have not been satisfactory in all respects for vessel based antenna systems.
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