Project Information for 2017 – 2018

• Project ID#

  TBD

• Course Code

  19268

• Project Type

  Research

• Field of Interest

  Spacecraft Thermal Control, Variable Emissivity Devices, Electro chromic thin films formation techniques

• Description

  The environmental conditions experienced by orbiting spacecraft are extreme due to the wide temperature range and vacuum conditions. These environmental variations pose a demanding design constraint on the engineers creating the thermal management systems for spacecraft. Most operating satellites today come equipped with radiators to reject heat from onboard electronics into space. A radiator that rejects heat efficiently into the cold vacuum of space, consequently will absorb radiation as heat very readily when exposed to direct sunlight. These are two key situations in which the satellite radiator must successfully operate.

  The primary function of the satellite radiator is to reject the heat generated by the electronic components through infrared radiation to space. The heat generated by the electronic components is conducted through the structures of the satellite, then rejected by radiation from the outer surface using a high-emissivity material. The problem occurs when this surface is exposed to direct sunlight; it will readily absorb the Sun’s radiation and transfer it back into the satellite, heating the internal components. The Variable Emissivity Radiator being researched and designed at UCI provides control to lower the outer surface emissivity during sunlight exposure, and increase it again to dissipate internal heat, all while using minimal power and no moving components.

• Maximum Number of Students

  20

• Requirements

  Junior or Senior engineering students who would like to work on design and application research.

• Additional Information

  Interdepartmental Senior Design Project offered by the departments of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering and Materials Science & Chemical Engineering Departments by Prof. Martha Mecartney, Prof. John LaRue, and Dr. Khalid Rafique.

• Contact Method

  Email Professor Khalid Rafique at krafique@uci.edu or Calvin Belcher at cbelcher@uci.edu