Publication detail

Thermo-vacuum test chamber development for heat switch testing in simulated Martian conditions

MAŠEK, J. BROŽEK, P. HORÁK, M.

Original Title

Thermo-vacuum test chamber development for heat switch testing in simulated Martian conditions

Type

conference paper

Language

English

Original Abstract

In the fall of 2014 the Institute of Aerospace Engineering had been awarded by contract to perform Miniaturized Heat Switch testing. The Miniaturized Heat Switch was the unique technology developed by Italian company Aero Sekur for European Space Agency's missions to Mars. The aim of the project was to develop an innovative but simple experimental thermo-vacuum test chamber to simulate Martian atmospheric conditions. Conditions such as vacuum of 50 Pa absolute, temperatures in the range from -125 degrees C to + 60 C and pure CO2 environment of 1000 Pa absolute. The vacuum tightness of the chamber, deep cooling of the specimen under vacuum environment, thermal insulations or heat transfer paths had to be precisely considered. Important decision was to use the liquid nitrogen as the most appropriate cooling medium and copper rods for heat transfer outside the chamber. Later, elementary calibration vacuum-tightness test of the facility showed that the pressure increased from initial value of 220 Pa absolute to 450 Pa absolute within 16.5 hours and thus proved excellent chamber design. Therefore in the future, the test chamber modular design can be easily modified to allow testing of other space equipment in different simulated conditions.

Keywords

Space technology; Thermo-vacuum test chamber; Martian conditions; Miniaturized Heat Switch; Vacuum-cryogenic insulation

Authors

MAŠEK, J.; BROŽEK, P.; HORÁK, M.

Released

15. 5. 2017

Publisher

Brno University of Technology

Location

Engineering Mechanics 2017, Svratka, ČR

ISBN

978-80-214-5497-2

Book

Engineering Mechanics 2017

Edition

1

ISBN

1805-8248

Periodical

Engineering Mechanics ....

State

Czech Republic

Pages from

622

Pages to

625

Pages count

4

URL

http://www.engmech.cz/improc/2017/0622.pdf

Full text in the Digital Library

http://hdl.handle.net/11012/84173

BibTex

@inproceedings{BUT140880,
  author="Jakub {Mašek} and Petr {Brožek} and Marek {Horák}",
  title="Thermo-vacuum test chamber development for heat switch testing in simulated Martian conditions",
  booktitle="Engineering Mechanics 2017
",
  year="2017",
  series="1",
  journal="Engineering Mechanics ....",
  pages="622--625",
  publisher="Brno University of Technology",
  address="Engineering Mechanics 2017, Svratka, ČR",
  isbn="978-80-214-5497-2",
  issn="1805-8248",
  url="http://www.engmech.cz/improc/2017/0622.pdf"
}