Molecular Contamination Modeling with CTSP

摘要

Spacecraft instruments and thermal control surfaces are generally highly sensitive to molecular and particulate contamination. Despite best efforts taken during assembly, integration, and test, it is impossible to completely eliminate all sources of contaminants. Contamination transport analysis then becomes of critical importance. It can be used to predict the end of life accumulation on critical surfaces from prescribed source rates. Conversely, given allowable deposition levels, contamination modeling can be used to determine the cleanliness requirements to be met prior to launch. This paper describes a recently developed code for modeling contamination transport. Unlike other tools used by the community, CTSP concurrently traces many simulation particles through small time steps. This allows the code to visualize contaminant partial pressures, and to also include aerodynamic, gravitation, or electrostatic forces. The code is demonstrated by simulating an outgassing characterization test in a bell jar.