Effects of PCM on power consumption and temperature control performance of a thermal control system subject to periodic ambient conditions

2021 ◽

pp. 36-51

Author(s):

Рустем Юсуфович Турна ◽

Артем Михайлович Годунов

Keyword(s):

Heat Transfer ◽

Control System ◽

Power Consumption ◽

High Power ◽

Single Phase ◽

Thermal Control ◽

Two Phase ◽

Thermal Control System ◽

Intensification Of Heat Exchange ◽

Large Heat

The progress of space technology is leading to more and more energy-equipped spacecraft. The International Space Station already has the capacity of solar panels of more than 100 kW. Autonomous spacecrafts and satellites (including stationary ones) have the capacity of power units of kW, in the nearest future - more than 10 kW. Forced heat transfer using single-phase liquid coolants is still considered as the main method of thermal control on high-power spacecraft (SC). Single-phase mechanically pumped fluid loop is a fully proven means of thermal control of spacecraft with a moderate heat load. A significant disadvantage of such systems is that the coolant temperature varies significantly within the loop. The temperature difference can be reduced by increasing the coolant flow rate, but for this, it is necessary to increase the pump capacity, which inevitably leads to an increase in power consumption, pipeline diameters, and weight of the system as a whole. In the case of spacecraft with high power capacity (more than 5-10 kW) and large heat transfer distances (10 m and more), a two-phase mechanically pumped fluid loop for thermal control is more preferable in terms of weight, the accuracy of thermoregulation, power consumption (and other parameters). The use of a two-phase loop (2PMPL) as a spacecraft thermal control system allows to reduce significantly mass and power consumption for own needs in comparison with a single-phase thermal control system (TCS). The effect is achieved due to the accumulation of transferred heat in the form of latent heat of vaporization and intensification of heat exchange at boiling and condensation of coolant. The article provides a critical review of published works on 2PMPL for spacecraft with high power (more than 5...10 kW) and a large heat transfer distance (more than 10...100 meters) from 1980 up to nowadays. As a result, a list of the main problems on the way of practical implementation of two-phase loops is formed.

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Modular integrated thermal control system in scientific experimental express rack on space station

MATEC Web of Conferences ◽

10.1051/matecconf/202030904013 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 309 ◽

pp. 04013

Author(s):

Dongcai Guo ◽

Qiang Sheng ◽

Yu Guo ◽

Jing Xue ◽

Ze Wang

Keyword(s):

Control System ◽

Temperature Control ◽

High Reliability ◽

Ambient Air ◽

Thermal Control ◽

Low Complexity ◽

Space Science ◽

Target Element ◽

Temperature Range ◽

Thermal Control System

As an important mission of space stations, space science experiment usually requires effective temperature control measures. Scientific experimental express rack (ER) is a general design for space science experiment. In some space scientific experiments, the temperature of local target element or surrounding exceed heat sink temperature range, effective heating and cooling measures are required. Thermoelectric cooler (TEC) has high reliability and low complexity, which is applicable for temperature control in low gravity conditions. In the ER, the entire surrounding is indirectly heated or cooled by the ambient air, local target element surface is heated or cooled by liquid, TEC is thermal competent for ER thermal control attributed to the low complexity and high reliability, which can enlarge the temperature range of air and liquid. In this paper, a modular integrated thermal control system (MITCS) is designed for a specific ER, which has liquid assembly (LA), TEC assembly (TECA), heat exchanger assembly (HXA) and air cycle assembly (ACA) to provide target surface cooling and heating, entire surrounding cooling and heating. The thermal performance of MITCS using TEC are analyzed, providing guides for the design of the scientific experimental ER and other thermal systems.

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