Experimental evaluation of multilayer insulation with indigenous shields and spacers

摘要

Multi Layer Insulation (MLI) blankets are used as the prime thermal control element for the efficient temperature control of satellites. The effective thermal conductance of the MLI blanket with indigenous shields and spacers was experimentally evaluated under vacuum and normal room environments. Steady state, unguarded, flat plate calorimetric technique was established for this measurement. For each cold boundary temperature (173K, 233K, 298K) the hot boundary temperature was varied in the range of 305K to 375K and the MLI's thermal conductance was evaluated. The thermal conductance increases with temperature and varies from 3.1 to 6.5 ×10{sup}(-6) W/Cm{sup}2K in the measured temperature range. Measurement technique, test setup details, effective conductance calculation approach, experimental results and flight performance are presented in this paper.