Features of components of spacecraft thermal control systems

The main indicators of the spacecraft quality are their reliability and the period of active existence at orbit, and their temperature regime plays a significant role in this. One of the main tasks of the thermal control system is to ensure a given thermal regime, which ensures the stable operation of all systems within the spacecraft volume. For this, special aggregates are required: pumps for feeding a coolant along a given circuit, fans and others that regulate the collection, transfer and redistribution of heat. Both the thermal control system as a whole and all its aggregates that make it up are subject to high requirements, including in terms of weight and dimensions, guaranteed service life and reliability. We proposed the parameter of perfection of the thermal control system components. The main stages of design, development and experimental testing of spacecraft units are shown. We considered in details the principles of operation and the composition of thermal control systems, especially the basic parameters and the structure of their components which are various types of liquid pumps and low-flow gas fans with low power consumption that provide specified small flow rates and pressures with high reliability within the established period of continuous operation, including using redundancy. As a result of the improvement of the thermal regulation system, along with the improvement of other life support systems, the duration of the active existence of satellites currently reaches 15 years.