Thermal Numerical Analysis of the Primary Composite Structure of a CubeSat

Piedra, Saúl; Torres, Mauricio; Ledesma, Saul Ledesma

doi:10.3390/aerospace6090097

Cited by 15 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 26 publications

(34 reference statements)

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“…These quantities will determine the internal satellite temperature, yet it is not constant, since each of these amounts will vary dynamically as a function of orbit attitude. The sum of Q D , Q A and Q IR usually ranges up to 1400 W/m 2 during LEO, resulting in a temperature range of approximately +70 • C to −20 • C [16], neglecting significant internal heat. The power emitted by the radiator is described by the well-known equation [17]…”

Section: Theoretical Radiator Size Calculationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessing the Potential of Heat Pumps to Reduce the Radiator Size on Small Satellites

Bennett

Lim²

2023

Energies

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Future small satellites will demand high-performance on-board electronics, requiring sophisticated approaches to heat rejection beyond simply increasing the radiator surface area. An interesting alternative approach is to increase the surface temperature of the radiator, using a heat pump. In this study, calculations were carried out to compute the theoretical radiator size reduction potential enacted by having a heat pump as part of a satellite’s thermal management system. The practical likelihood of a ‘typical’ vapor compression cycle (VCC) heat pump satisfying theoretical requirements was considered. In agreement with theoretical calculations, employing a ‘typical’ VCC heat pump could either increase or decrease the required radiator surface area. The choice of heat pump and its design is therefore crucial. A heat pump with a large temperature lift is essential for satellite radiator cooling applications, with the coefficient of performance (COP) being less important. Even with a low COP, such as 2.4, a ‘typical’ heat pump providing a large temperature lift, close to 60 °C, could reduce the satellite’s radiator surface area by a factor close to 1.4. This is a significant potential reduction. The decision on whether to pursue this approach compared to alternatives, such as deployable radiators, should consider the relative complexity, cost, weight, size, reliability, etc., of the two options. The focus of this study is VCC heat pumps; however, the results provide performance targets for less mature heat pump technologies, e.g., caloric devices, which could ultimately be applied in space.

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Section: Theoretical Radiator Size Calculationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessing the Potential of Heat Pumps to Reduce the Radiator Size on Small Satellites

Bennett

Lim²

2023

Energies

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“…The CPU temperature was then calculated by adding this increase to the assumed initial temperature inside the payload, prior to the electronics becoming operational. The internal payload temperature would vary throughout orbit as a function of attitude, but for low-Earth orbit is typically in the range −20 • C to +70 • C [14]. In this study, this initial temperature was considered to be either 25 • C or 75 • C, since thermoelectric performance data was available for these temperatures.…”

Section: Calculating Cpu Temperaturementioning

confidence: 99%

Thermal Control of CubeSat Electronics Using Thermoelectrics

2023

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A feasibility study is presented exploring the possibility of using thermoelectric devices for the thermal control of CubeSat on-board electronics. A simple thermoelectric architecture is devised and an empirical model for how such a system would perform is constructed, using the performance data of a commercially available thermoelectric module. This is used to calculate the temperature to which the system could cool a computer chip, as a function of thermal resistance and heat rejection. As a baseline scenario, the temperature of the system without the thermoelectric device is compared and the benefit, or otherwise, of using a thermoelectric module is calculated. Analysis shows that in some circumstances introducing a thermoelectric device would actually increase the temperature of the electronics being cooled. This is most common when the quantity of heat being removed, or the thermal resistance of the system, is high. Nevertheless, thermoelectric cooling is beneficial for a range of conditions, such as for cooling the computer chip below ambient temperature, however a good quality radiator is required. This constraint could undermine the thermoelectric device’s potential benefit in many cases, due to the need for an unrealistically large radiator.

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“…Modenini et al [10] report the in-lab development of a dynamic testbed for nano-satellite attitude verification, placing focus on the thorough performance assessment of all the subsystems building up the facility. Piedra, Torres, and Ledesma [11] explore the viability, from a thermal point of view, of a composite material with ZnO nanoparticles to be employed in lieu of aluminum for the primary structure of a CubeSat, by performing finite element thermal analysis. After recognizing scalability as an effective approach towards rapid subsystems development times, while reducing the cost and failure rate, Gonzalez-Llorente et al [12] present a modular approach for the power generation within micro-satellites, called the Solar Module Integrated Converter (SMIC), using the Ten-Koh micro-satellite as a testbed to prove this concept.…”

Section: Contributionsmentioning

confidence: 99%