Thermal analysis of flight calorimeter instrument designs and calibration test methods
Abstract
A thermal analysis has been performed to evaluate the effectiveness of a particular calorimeter designed for use as a spacecraft contamination sensor. Methods for reducing the deviation of the calorimeter response from that of an ideal calorimeter are discussed, and a preferred design is suggested. For a sample absorptance of 0.11 and a temperature measurement accuracy of 0.5 C, analysis indicates that the preferred design is capable of achieving an accuracy of less than 0.004 in the absolute value of absorptance. Similarly, for an expected temperature measurement precision (repeatability) of 0.2 C, analysis indicates that the corresponding precision is 0.0005 in solar absorptance change. Some possible calibration tests for the calorimeter are compared, with reference to the objectives of the calorimeter design. The preferred test program includes a novel button heater test to verify the thermal resistance network of the calorimeter design, and a solar simulation test to evaluate the operational performance of the design.
- Publication:
-
AIAA, 22nd Thermophysics Conference
- Pub Date:
- June 1987
- Bibcode:
- 1987thph.confW....B
- Keywords:
-
- Calibrating;
- Calorimeters;
- Design Analysis;
- Flight Instruments;
- Spacecraft Contamination;
- Thermal Analysis;
- Absorptance;
- Optimization;
- Parameterization;
- Solar Flux;
- Spacecraft Temperature;
- Temperature Control;
- Spacecraft Instrumentation