Micro/nano spacecraft thermal control using a MEMS-based pumped liquid cooling system

摘要

The thermal control of future micro/nano spacecraft will be challenging due to power densities which are expected to exceed 25 W/cm~2. Advanced thermal control concepts and technologies are essential to keep their payload within allowable temperature limits and also to provide accurate temperature control required by the science instruments and engineering equipment on board. To this end, a MEMS-based pumped liquid cooling system is being investigated at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). The mechanically pumped cooling system consists of a working fluid circulated through microchannels by a micropump. Microchannel heat exchangers have been designed and fabricated in silicon at JPL and currently are being tested for hydraulic and thermal performance in simulated microspacecraft heat loads using de ionized water as the working fluid. The microchannels are 50 microns deep with widths ranging from 50 to 100 microns. The hydraulic and thermal test data was used for numerical model validation. Optimization studies are being conducted using these numerical models on various microchannel configurations, working fluids, and micropump technologies. This paper presents background on the need for pumped liquid cooling systems for future micro/nano spacecraft and results from this ongoing numerical and experimental investigation.