Temperature control of star sensor baffle using 3D printing and PCM thermal energy storage technology

Abstract The complex space environment brings big challenge to the thermal control of star sensor baffle. In this work, the three-dimensional (3D) printing and thermal energy storage (TES) technology were combined to address the temperature control of the star senor baffle. The baffle body was 3D printed using aluminum with lattice structure, and tetradecane was chosen as the phase change material (PCM) for thermal storage. Extensive ground experiments in a thermal vacuum chamber (TVC) were conducted. The temperature control strategy under both normal and severe conditions was acquired. The thermal control measures should be applied according to the PCM state in the baffle, and the temperatures could be kept between -2 and 11 °C. A detailed model of the 3D printed baffle was established, and the simulation results were compared with the experiments. According to the simulation results, the thermal control measures on the outer wall is necessary to keep the PCM in the baffle at the two-phase state. The effects of PCM on the 3D printed baffle were simulated with actual external heat flux. Furthermore, the temperature distribution of the baffle with and without PCM was compared and analyzed, reaching a maximum temperature difference of 10.9 and 16.5 °C, respectively. This work validated experimentally the feasibility and effectiveness of the combination of the 3D printing and thermal energy storage technology for the temperature control of star sensor baffle in space applications.