Thermal Power Distribution System (TPDS)

The DARPA seeks new concepts on reconfigurable thermal networks (RTN) for applications in thermal control of space satellites. The RTN concept described by DARPA could be achieved by employing a thermal switching system with common interfaces, whereby reconfiguring the system for each new satellite is made by connecting heat sources to the interface ports and modifying the control parameters. The plug-and-play approach works much like connecting different electrical components to a power supply, and adjusting each output channel to the desired voltage level. ISC proposes development of the Thermal Power Distribution System (TPDS). The TPDS takes advantage of the fact that while all satellites have many heat sources; each satellite only has one heat sink. The TPDS works by inserting a Variable Conductance (VC) thermal switch between each heat source and the system thermal sink. The VC thermal switch consists of an array of micro-switches that are electrically actuated by piezo-electric drivers. An initial thermal analysis of the VC thermal switch concept shows a low thermal resistance of .15 °C/W, and a conductance ratio of 91 between the switch full-on and full-off states. The smallest increment of change in thermal resistance is .015 °C/W.