Energy Saving Thermal Management of Space Remote Sensor and Validation

Pan Lu (), Teng Gao, Quanwang Chen and Xiaohan Ren ()
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Pan Lu: Beijing Institute of Space Mechanics and Electricity, Beijing 100094, China
Teng Gao: Beijing Institute of Space Mechanics and Electricity, Beijing 100094, China
Quanwang Chen: Shandong Institute for Product Quality Inspection, Jinan 250102, China
Xiaohan Ren: Institute of Thermal Science and Technology, Shandong University, Jinan 250061, China

Energies, 2023, vol. 16, issue 2, 1-12

Abstract: An energy-efficient thermal control management method for space remote sensors using optical, mechanical, electrical, and thermal integration is proposed. The satellite power resources are insufficient, so an energy-efficient loop heat pipe (LHP) is designed for six intermittently operating detectors. The charge-coupled device (CCD) has a total heat generation of 72 W and operates for 8 min per orbital cycle. The LHP includes a capillary pump, six cold plates, and two radiators. The working fluid of the LHP is high-purity ammonia and the material of the wick is ceramic. The drive power on the capillary pump evaporator automatically switches between 30 W and 90 W depending on the operating mode of the remote sensor, resulting in an average power saving of about 58.2% compared to a conventional LHP. For the optical structure, a three-stage insulation technology was developed to save heater power and improve temperature stability. A transient numerical simulation model of the LHP was developed to study the vapor–liquid zone of two radiators under the condition of rapid power change. Vacuum thermal tests were conducted and the test data agreed well with the numerical simulation results. The in-orbit temperature data showed that the temperature fluctuations of the optical structure and CCD were less than ±0.2 °C and ±0.8 °C, respectively.

Keywords: thermal design; loop heat pipe; remote sensor thermal control (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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