Results of calculation-theoretical study of the influence of main factors on the thermal conductivity of a three-layer honeycomb panel


Аuthors

Romanyak A. Y.1*, Puzyreva A. K.1, Kotovich I. V.2, Kiselev V. P.2**, Glazkov A. A.3, Motorin D. V.3

1. Baumann Moscow State Technical University, 105005, Moscow, 2nd Baumanskaya St., b. 5, c. 1
2. Moscow Aviation Institute (National Research University), 4, Volokolamskoe shosse, Moscow, А-80, GSP-3, 125993, Russia
3. Obninsk Research and Production Enterprise «Technologiya» named after A.G. Romashin, 249031, Russian Federation, Kaluga region, Obninsk, Kyiv highway, 15

*e-mail: romanyak@bmstu.ru
**e-mail: vladimir-kiselev@yandex.ru

Abstract

The paper presents the results of a three-dimensional numerical study of the thermal conductivity of a three-layer honeycomb panel, taking into account the influence of the face sheets, the adhesive bonding layer, and the surrounding air environment. The modeling was carried out using a three-dimensional finite element mesh built in the Siemens NX software suite. The research highlights the significant role played by the material properties and thicknesses of the face sheets in determining the overall heat transfer efficiency. It was found that at low thermal conductivity values of the face sheets, particularly those made of carbon fiber-reinforced plastics, the equivalent thermal conductivity of the honeycomb core and the total thermal conductivity of the panel are noticeably lower than the theoretical values predicted by conventional analytical models.
The classical one-dimensional heat transfer theories, typically used in engineering calculations, fail to account for the three-dimensional structure and anisotropic nature of honeycomb panels. Numerical simulations show that as the thermal conductivity and thickness of the face sheets increase, the heat transfer efficiency improves significantly. However, this enhancement is most evident at initial increases and gradually saturates with further growth of these parameters.
The study further investigates the role of the adhesive layer, which acts as an additional thermal bridge between the honeycomb core and the face sheets. It was observed that even small adhesive fillets with moderate thermal conductivity can considerably enhance the overall thermal conductivity, especially at low thicknesses and thermal conductivity values of the face sheets.
The contribution of the surrounding air was also examined. Despite the low thermal conductivity of air itself, the presence of air within the honeycomb structure resulted in up to an 11 % increase in the overall thermal conductivity due to the large contact surface area and the multi-directional nature of heat transfer.
Overall, the results demonstrate that the thermal conductivity of three-layer honeycomb panels can be substantially lower than theoretical predictions if the anisotropic and three-dimensional characteristics of the structure are not properly considered. These findings provide valuable insights for improving the design of composite materials with tailored thermal properties, especially for aerospace and high-performance engineering applications where precise thermal management is critical.

Keywords:

thermal conductivity coefficient, anisotropy, adhesive bonding, air environment, three-dimen-sional modeling

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