Active Thermal Control System Optimization

Continuing development and integration of high power electronics devices with smaller footprints, higher power densities, electronic propulsion, weapon, and sensor systems, requires efficient thermal management strategies. The US Navy has identified two-phase cooling systems as a viable candidate approach for heat removal from for such devices that can experience high power electronics loads during pulsed operations. DynSAN proposes to develop an innovative, fast and efficient software toolkit for the design and optimization of two-phase thermal management in current and future warships. For design efficiency, the toolkit will allow parametric specification of heat exchanger layout and will account for differences in heat transfer coefficients induced by placement orientations and variable body forces due to wave action. It will also allow the minimization of component and system weight and volume. Multi-resolution simulations will allow system-level analysis with selective focusing on component-level dynamics. For example, the approach will allow detailed (2D-3D) CFD simulations of warship interior and variable-fidelity (1D) reduced model simulations in the cooling system flow loop. Controller design will allow for the optimal selection of control strategy to maximize the heat rejection process. The key innovative features of this our approach include the use of co-simulations to couple the dynamics of the different system components at selected resolutions and the innovative Modified State Observer (MSO) adaptive controller, capable for compensating for the controlled system uncertainties.