Applicability analysis of heaters with a positive temperature coefficient in local thermal control systems of spacecraft equipment blocks

Аuthors

Kotlyarov E. Y.^*, Tulin D. V., Finchenko V. S.

Lavochkin Research and Production Association, NPO Lavochkin, 24, Leningradskay str., Khimki, Moscow region, 141400, Russia

*e-mail: evgeny-1@list.ru

Abstract

In this work, the possibilities of using PTC-heaters (PTC is Positive Temperature Coeffi- cient) in order to ensure the temperature mode of peripherally located instruments of spacecraft were analyzed. The useful effect of the self-tuning PTC-heaters is manifested in the fact that in order to maintain a stable temperature, it is not necessary to use a temperature sensor and con- nect the power supply system to the controller. In the course of the study, the authors created a Demonstrator of a thermal management system based on an PTC-heater. With the help of this Demonstrator (in atmospheric conditions) it was shown how is possible to organize thermosta- ting of the device without feedback and without a control unit. Further, a mathematical model was developed, with the help of which an atmospheric laboratory experiment was simulated. The mathematical model made it possible to reproduce the actual characteristics of the PTC- heater, its thermal connections with other elements of the system, as well as its interaction with the environment. Then, with a verified computer model, the behavior of the Demonstrator in a vacuum was studied. A computational experiment made it possible to study the effect of various parameters on the characteristics of the system. The authors give recommendations for the pre- paration of an experienced flight demonstrator of the temperature control system of an instru- ment containing an PTC-heater. The results obtained may be of interest to specialists involved in ensuring the temperature mode of spacecraft equipment.

Keywords:

equipment thermal mode, electrical heater, positive temperature coefficient, computational experiment, thermal mathematical model.

References

1. Spacecraft thermal control handbook: Fundamental technolo- gies. Ed. Gilmore D.G. The Aerospace Corporation, 2002. 836 р.

2. Аktual’nye voprosy proektirovaniya avtomaticheskikh kos- micheskikh apparatov dlya fundamental’nykh i prikladnykh nauchnykh issledovanij [Actual issues of designing automatic spacecraft for basic and applied scientific research]. Khimki: Lavochkin Association, 2015. 350 p. In Russ.

3. Smislov I.I. Novye vozmozhnosti peredovoj tekhnologii. Pozistornye nagrevateli [New opportunities for advanced technology. Posistor Heaters]. Elektronika: Nauka, Tekhnologiya, Biznes — Electronics: Science, Technology, Business, 2002, no. 4, pp. 18–21. In Russ.

4. Kuzmin K.S. Trubchatyj samoreguliruyushhijsya pozistornyj nagrevatel’ [Tubular self-regulating posistor heater]. Patent RF, no. 159872, 2015.

5. Technical specification: PTC thermistors as heating elements, Disk shaped, 12 V, Series/Type: B59060, EPCOS AG, 2016. 9 p.

6. 
   Tallerchik B.A. Pozistornye nagrevateli s avtostabilizatsiej temperatury [Posistor heaters with temperature autostabili- zation]. Datchiki i sistemy — Sensors & Systems, 2005, no. 4, pp. 42–46. In Russ.

7. Finchenko V.S., Kotlyarov E.Yu., Ivankov A.A. Sistemy obespecheniya teplovykh rezhimov avtomaticheskikh mezhplanetnykh stantsij. Pod red. V.V. Efanova, V.S. Fin- chenko [Thermal control systems of interplanetary space- crafts. Eds. V.V. Efanov, V.S. Finchenko]. Khimki, Lavochkin Association, 2018. 400 p. In Russ.

8. Altov V.V., Zaletaev, S.V. et al. Raschet teplovogo rezhi- ma kosmicheskikh apparatov v orbital’nom polete. Paket prikladnykh programm «TERM» [Calculation of the thermal regime of spacecraft in orbital flight. Application package

9. «TERM»]. Reference number FAP 4151, data 18.10.2011. Korolyov: TsNIImash, 2011.

10. ESATAN-TMS Thermal User Manual, ESATAN-TMS Workbench User Manual. ITP Engines UK, Ltd., Whet- stone, Leicester, UK, 2012.