Optimizing the Design of Space Radiators for Thermal Performance and Mass Reduction
Publication: Journal of Aerospace Engineering
Volume 30, Issue 3
Abstract
In this paper, a spacecraft radiator formed in a honeycomb structure is designed to enhance the thermal performance while reducing its mass. Examples of design guidelines for radiator configurations, such as the distance between heat pipes, facesheet thickness, and honeycomb core density, are suggested. To derive the analytic solution of the governing equation, a linear approximation is used and the accuracies of the solutions are verified with a fourth-order finite-difference method. There exist optimal combinations of design parameters that minimize the radiator mass while maintaining its heat rejection capacity. The heat rejection rate that minimizes the mass per unit heat rejection and the pertinent radiator shape also is presented. The combinations of optimal design are different among the three surface treatments and their characteristics are investigated.
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Acknowledgments
Support from the Korea Aerospace Research Institute is gratefully acknowledged. The article is a result of the research project, “Development of the Verification Technology on the GOCI-II Thermal Design Loaded in the GEO Multi-Purpose Satellite.”
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Aerospace Engineering
Volume 30 • Issue 3 • May 2017
Copyright
© 2016 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Nov 30, 2015
Accepted: Jun 2, 2016
Published online: Oct 14, 2016
Discussion open until: Mar 14, 2017
Published in print: May 1, 2017
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