Modular integrated thermal control system in scientific experimental express rack on space station

Key Laboratory of Space Utilization, Technology and Engineering Center for space Utilization, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100094 China

^* Corresponding author: guodongcai@csu.ac.cn

Abstract

As an important mission of space stations, space science experiment usually requires effective temperature control measures. Scientific experimental express rack (ER) is a general design for space science experiment. In some space scientific experiments, the temperature of local target element or surrounding exceed heat sink temperature range, effective heating and cooling measures are required. Thermoelectric cooler (TEC) has high reliability and low complexity, which is applicable for temperature control in low gravity conditions. In the ER, the entire surrounding is indirectly heated or cooled by the ambient air, local target element surface is heated or cooled by liquid, TEC is thermal competent for ER thermal control attributed to the low complexity and high reliability, which can enlarge the temperature range of air and liquid. In this paper, a modular integrated thermal control system (MITCS) is designed for a specific ER, which has liquid assembly (LA), TEC assembly (TECA), heat exchanger assembly (HXA) and air cycle assembly (ACA) to provide target surface cooling and heating, entire surrounding cooling and heating. The thermal performance of MITCS using TEC are analyzed, providing guides for the design of the scientific experimental ER and other thermal systems.