Method for bonding a spherical tank to a heater

Abstract

The application relates to the field of aerospace technology, in particular to a method for pasting a spherical tank and a heater, which comprises the following steps: dividing a target pasting area on the spherical tank based on a corresponding drawing of the heater; scraping and coating silicone rubber on the pasting surface of the heater to obtain a scraped and coated heater; and pressing the scraped and coated heater and the target pasting area to paste the heater on the spherical tank. Since the method pastes the scraped and coated heater and the target pasting area divided on the spherical tank in advance, and presses the pasting part, compared with the edge lifting, deformation, bubble and other problems of the pasting surface existing in the traditional pasting method of the heater, which seriously affect the heating effect of the heater and even cause the heater to be out of circuit and fail, the pasting method of the spherical tank and the heater provided by the application avoids the above problems, so that the heater and the spherical tank can be closely attached without deformation.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of aerospace technology, and in particular to a method for bonding a spherical tank to a heater. Background Technology

[0002] As a component of a satellite, the spherical propellant tank meets the satellite's orbital maneuvering requirements during on-orbit operation. However, in actual satellite operation scenarios, satellites are subject to various complex external heat flows. Therefore, a reasonable thermal control design for the spherical propellant tank is necessary to ensure it operates at a suitable temperature level, thereby guaranteeing the normal operation of the satellite's propulsion system.

[0003] Traditional satellite thermal control designs rely on attaching heaters to spherical tanks for temperature control. However, existing methods often suffer from edge lifting, air bubbles, and deformation at the bonding surface due to the curved surface of the tank. These problems lead to uneven heat conduction during operation, causing some heating wires to overheat, potentially resulting in heater burnout, severely impacting heating efficiency, and even causing circuit breakage and failure. Therefore, resolving the issues of edge lifting, air bubbles, and deformation at the bonding surface when attaching spherical tanks to heaters has become a pressing problem in the industry.

[0004] The above content is only used to help understand the technical solution of the present invention and does not represent an admission that the above content is prior art. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The main objective of this invention is to provide a method for bonding a spherical storage tank and a heater, which aims to solve the technical problems of edge lifting, air bubbles, and deformation on the bonding surface when bonding the spherical storage tank and the heater.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a method for bonding a spherical storage tank to a heater, the method comprising the following steps:

[0007] Based on the drawings corresponding to the heater, the target pasting area is divided on the spherical storage tank;

[0008] Silicone rubber is applied to the bonding surface of the heater to obtain a coated heater.

[0009] The coated heater is pressed against the target bonding area to attach the heater to the spherical storage tank.

[0010] Optionally, the step of applying silicone rubber to the adhesive surface of the heater to obtain the coated heater includes:

[0011] The bonding surface of the heater is divided into a predetermined number of sub-bonding surfaces;

[0012] Using the geometric center of the heater as a reference point, calculate the reference distances between the sub-adhesive surfaces and the reference point;

[0013] Based on the reference distance, silicone rubber is applied to the sub-adhesive surface to obtain the coated heater.

[0014] Optionally, the step of applying silicone rubber to the sub-adhesive surfaces based on the reference distance to obtain the coated heater includes:

[0015] The amount of pre-coated silicone rubber corresponding to each of the sub-adhesive surfaces is determined according to the reference distance, and the amount of pre-coated silicone rubber is proportional to the reference distance.

[0016] Silicone rubber is applied to the sub-adhesive surface according to the pre-applied amount of silicone rubber to obtain the coated heater.

[0017] Optionally, the step of pressing the coated heater to the target bonding area includes:

[0018] After confirming that the lower edge of the coated heater is aligned with the lower edge of the target bonding area, the coated heater is then fully bonded to the target bonding area.

[0019] A pressing fixture wrapped with dry gauze is used to press the coated heater and the target bonding area together. The pressing operation is performed by performing an S-shaped pressing motion from left to right on the coated heater surface.

[0020] Optionally, after the step of pressing the coated heater and the target bonding area together using a pressing fixture wrapped with dry gauze, the method further includes:

[0021] The bonding area between the coated heater and the target pasting area is inspected by irradiating it with a preset light source to determine whether there are air bubbles at the bonding area.

[0022] If present, the air bubble is squeezed out using the pressing fixture until no air bubble remains at the pressing point.

[0023] Optionally, after the step of pressing the coated heater to the target bonding area, the method further includes:

[0024] The coated heater is fixed to the spherical storage tank using masking tape. After a preset time, the masking tape is removed. The preset time is the time required for the silicone rubber to fully cure.

[0025] Optionally, before the step of applying silicone rubber to the adhesive surface of the heater to obtain the coated heater, the method further includes:

[0026] Clean the heater and the target bonding area using medical gauze soaked in anhydrous ethanol.

[0027] Optionally, before the step of dividing the target pasting area on the spherical tank based on the drawing corresponding to the heater, the method further includes:

[0028] The heater is inspected for any of the following defects: wrinkles, indentations, damage, or delamination.

[0029] If not, then proceed with the step of dividing the target pasting area on the spherical tank based on the drawing corresponding to the heater.

[0030] Optionally, the thickness of the silicone rubber is less than or equal to 0.1 mm.

[0031] Optionally, the total area of ​​the heater accounts for no less than 80% of the total area of ​​the spherical tank.

[0032] This invention divides a target bonding area on a spherical storage tank based on the corresponding drawing of the heater; silicone rubber is scraped onto the bonding surface of the heater to obtain a pre-coated heater; the pre-coated heater is then pressed together with the target bonding area to adhere the heater to the spherical storage tank. Because the above method of this invention adheres the silicone rubber-coated heater to the pre-divided target bonding area on the spherical storage tank and presses the bonded portion together, it avoids the problems of edge lifting, deformation, and air bubbles that occur in traditional heater bonding methods. These problems lead to uneven heat conduction during operation, causing some heating wires to overheat, resulting in heater burnout, severely affecting the heating effect, and even causing the heater to open circuit and fail. The bonding method of the spherical storage tank and heater provided by this invention avoids the above problems, thus achieving a tight and deformation-free bond between the heater and the spherical storage tank. Attached Figure Description

[0033] Figure 1 This is a schematic flowchart of the first embodiment of the bonding method between the spherical storage tank and the heater of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 2 This is a schematic flowchart of the second embodiment of the bonding method between the spherical storage tank and the heater of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 3 This is a schematic flowchart of the third embodiment of the bonding method between the spherical storage tank and the heater of the present invention;

[0036] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the heater structure in the bonding method between the spherical storage tank and the heater of the present invention;

[0037] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the bonding of the heater and the spherical storage tank in the bonding method of the present invention.

[0038] The realization of the objective, functional features and advantages of the present invention will be further explained in conjunction with the embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings. Detailed Implementation

[0039] It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.

[0040] This invention provides a method for bonding a spherical storage tank to a heater, as described in the following embodiment. Figure 1 , Figure 1 This is a schematic flowchart of the first embodiment of the bonding method between the spherical storage tank and the heater of the present invention.

[0041] In this embodiment, the method of bonding the spherical storage tank to the heater includes the following steps:

[0042] Step S10: Divide the target pasting area on the spherical tank based on the drawing corresponding to the heater.

[0043] It should be noted that the aforementioned heater is a device capable of heating the spherical storage tank of a satellite. In order to reduce the impact of various complex external heat flows on the satellite during its on-orbit operation and thus meet the satellite's orbital change requirements, the total area of ​​the aforementioned heater accounts for no less than 80% of the total area of ​​the aforementioned spherical storage tank, and the corresponding drawing file for the aforementioned heater is the outline drawing file of the heater.

[0044] It should be understood that the aforementioned target bonding area can be the target area for bonding the heater to the spherical tank.

[0045] In practice, a pencil can be used to draw the position lines of the heater to be pasted on the spherical tank to delineate the target pasting area.

[0046] Step S20: Apply silicone rubber to the adhesive surface of the heater to obtain the coated heater.

[0047] It should be noted that the aforementioned silicone rubber refers to rubber whose main chain is composed of alternating silicon and oxygen atoms, with two organic groups typically attached to each silicon atom. This type of rubber is used to achieve a tight, deformation-free bond between the heater and the spherical storage tank's adhesive surface. Specifically, the thickness of this silicone rubber can be less than or equal to 0.1 mm.

[0048] In practice, silicone rubber can be repeatedly applied to the bonding surface of the heater using a scraping jig until the surface is completely covered. The scraping jig can be a silicone rubber scraper or brush with appropriate rigidity to ensure uniform application and avoid bubbling or uneven thickness. Furthermore, the consistency and flowability of the silicone rubber can be adjusted based on the material of the spherical storage tank to better control the thickness and uniformity of the coating layer.

[0049] Step S30: Press the coated heater against the target bonding area to attach the heater to the spherical storage tank.

[0050] In a specific implementation, the above-mentioned coated heater can be aligned with the target pasting area and then vertical pressure can be applied to press it together. The vertical pressure can be applied manually or by mechanical equipment (such as a robotic arm), and this embodiment does not limit this.

[0051] Furthermore, in this embodiment, in order to better fix the coated heater and prevent it from falling off, the step S30 may further include:

[0052] Step S40: Use masking tape to fix the coated heater onto the spherical storage tank, and then remove the masking tape after a preset time, the preset time being the time required for the silicone rubber to fully cure.

[0053] It should be noted that the aforementioned masking tape is made primarily from masking paper and pressure-sensitive adhesive. It is a roll of adhesive tape made by coating the masking paper with pressure-sensitive adhesive and the other side with a release agent. It features high temperature resistance, excellent resistance to chemical solvents, high adhesion, softness, and leaves no residue after removal. It is also known as masking paper pressure-sensitive adhesive tape.

[0054] It should be understood that the physical and chemical properties of the cured silicone rubber are significantly improved, making it more stable and durable. Since the adhesion between the silicone rubber and spherical tanks made of different materials may vary, the preset time can be set based on the material of the spherical tank; this will not be elaborated upon in this embodiment.

[0055] This embodiment divides the target bonding area on the spherical storage tank based on the corresponding drawing of the heater; silicone rubber is scraped onto the bonding surface of the heater to obtain the coated heater; the coated heater is pressed together with the target bonding area to adhere the heater to the spherical storage tank; masking tape is used to fix the coated heater to the spherical storage tank, and the masking tape is removed after a preset time, which is the time required for the silicone rubber to fully cure. Because the above method in this embodiment adheres the silicone rubber-coated heater to the pre-defined target bonding area on the spherical storage tank, presses the bonded part together, and then uses masking tape for fixation, it avoids the problems of edge lifting, deformation, and air bubbles that occur in traditional heater bonding methods. These problems cause uneven heat conduction during operation, leading to overheating of some heating wires, resulting in heater burnout, severely affecting the heating effect, and even causing the heater to fail due to open circuit. The bonding method between the spherical storage tank and the heater provided by this invention avoids the above problems, thus achieving a tight and deformation-free bond between the heater and the spherical storage tank.

[0056] refer to Figure 2 , Figure 2 This is a schematic flowchart of the second embodiment of the bonding method between the spherical storage tank and the heater of the present invention.

[0057] Furthermore, in order to ensure the coating effect of the silicone rubber and thus better fix the heater to the spherical tank, step S20 above may include:

[0058] Step S201: Divide the adhesive surface of the heater into a preset number of sub-adhesive surfaces.

[0059] It should be noted that since the surface of the spherical tank is curved, the bonding surface between the heater and the spherical tank will also be curved. This bonding method will result in different stress conditions at different points in the curved area; for example, the stress effect near the two ends of the curve may be greater than that in the middle of the curve. Therefore, in this embodiment, the bonding surface of the heater is divided into sub-bonding surfaces for bonding.

[0060] Step S202: Using the geometric center of the heater as a reference point, calculate the reference distances between the sub-adhesive surfaces and the reference point.

[0061] It should be understood that the heater described above can be regarded as, or approximately regarded as, a symmetrical figure in two-dimensional space, and the geometric center described above is the point at the very center of this symmetrical figure.

[0062] It is understood that the above-mentioned reference distance can be the vertical distance from the reference point to the center point of the sub-adhesive surface, or it can be the straight-line distance from the reference point to the center point of the sub-adhesive surface. This embodiment does not limit this.

[0063] Step S203: Apply silicone rubber to the sub-adhesive surface based on the reference distance to obtain the coated heater.

[0064] It should be understood that silicone rubber of different specifications can be applied to the sub-adhesive surfaces corresponding to different reference distances to obtain a coated heater.

[0065] Furthermore, in order to improve the fit between the heater and the spherical tank, and thus better prevent problems such as edge lifting, deformation, and air bubbles from occurring on the bonding surface, in this embodiment, step S203 may include:

[0066] Step S2031: Determine the amount of pre-coated silicone rubber corresponding to each of the sub-adhesive surfaces according to the reference distance, wherein the amount of pre-coated silicone rubber is proportional to the reference distance.

[0067] It should be understood that when the aforementioned reference distance is at its maximum, it indicates that the sub-adhesive surface is located at both ends of the heater, and the force it experiences during adhesion is relatively maximum. Therefore, the corresponding amount of pre-coated silicone rubber can be relatively maximum. Conversely, when the aforementioned reference distance is at its minimum, it indicates that the sub-adhesive surface is located at the center of the heater, and the force it experiences during adhesion is relatively minimum. Therefore, the corresponding amount of pre-coated silicone rubber can be relatively minimum. Thus, the aforementioned amount of pre-coated silicone rubber is directly proportional to the aforementioned reference distance.

[0068] Step S2032: Apply silicone rubber to the sub-adhesive surface according to the pre-applied amount of silicone rubber to obtain the coated heater.

[0069] In practical implementation, since the stress conditions in different areas may differ when the heater is bonded to the spherical tank, the amount of silicone rubber to be pre-coated can be determined based on a reference distance, specifying the amount of silicone rubber to be applied to each area of ​​the heater (i.e., the sub-adhesive surface). For example, 0.1 mm thick silicone rubber can be applied to the sub-adhesive surfaces at both ends of the heater, while 0.05 mm thick silicone rubber can be applied to the sub-adhesive surface in the middle of the heater. Of course, the above-mentioned amount of silicone rubber is only used to illustrate this embodiment and is not intended to limit the scope. The specific amount of silicone rubber can be set based on the actual coating scenario (e.g., scenarios with different materials in the spherical tank, scenarios with different temperatures and humidity, etc.), which will not be elaborated upon in this embodiment.

[0070] Furthermore, in order to make the heater fit more tightly with the spherical tank, in this embodiment, step S30 above may include:

[0071] Step S301: After confirming that the lower edge of the coated heater is aligned with the lower edge of the target pasting area, the coated heater is completely adhered to the target pasting area.

[0072] Step S302: Use a pressing fixture wrapped with dry gauze to press the coated heater and the target bonding area together. The pressing operation is performed by performing an S-shaped pressing motion from left to right on the coated heater surface.

[0073] Furthermore, to prevent air bubbles from forming on the bonding surface between the heater and the spherical tank, thus affecting the bonding effect, in this embodiment, after step S302, the following may also be included:

[0074] Step S303: Use a preset light source to irradiate and inspect the bonding area between the coated heater and the target bonding area to determine whether there are air bubbles at the bonding area.

[0075] It should be understood that when the above-mentioned preset light source is used to inspect the bonding area between the above-mentioned coated heater and the above-mentioned target pasting area, if a ring-shaped or other shaped shadow area appears at the bonding area, it indicates that there may be air bubbles there.

[0076] Step S304: If present, use the pressing fixture to squeeze out the air bubbles until there are no air bubbles at the pressing point.

[0077] This embodiment divides the bonding surface of the heater into a preset number of sub-bonding surfaces; using the geometric center of the heater as a reference point, the reference distance between each sub-bonding surface and the reference point is calculated; the amount of pre-coated silicone rubber corresponding to each sub-bonding surface is determined according to the reference distance, and the amount of pre-coated silicone rubber is proportional to the reference distance; silicone rubber is applied to each sub-bonding surface according to the pre-coated silicone rubber amount to obtain a coated heater; after confirming that the lower edge of the coated heater is aligned with the lower edge of the target bonding area, the coated heater is completely adhered to the target bonding area; a pressing jig wrapped with dry gauze is used to press the coated heater and the target bonding area together, and the pressing operation is performed by performing an S-shaped pressing action from left to right on the surface of the coated heater; a preset light source is used to irradiate and inspect the pressed area between the coated heater and the target bonding area to determine whether there are air bubbles; if so, the pressing jig is used to squeeze out the air bubbles until there are no air bubbles at the pressed area. Because this embodiment uses different dosages of silicone rubber to bond the sub-bonding surfaces at different reference distances, compared with existing heater bonding methods, the above method in this embodiment can ensure that the bonded silicone rubber layer is as thin as possible without affecting its adhesion, thereby avoiding problems such as edge lifting, bubbles, and deformation on the bonding surfaces of the spherical tank and the heater.

[0078] refer to Figure 3 , Figure 3 This is a schematic flowchart of the third embodiment of the bonding method between the spherical storage tank and the heater of the present invention.

[0079] Based on the above embodiments, in order to further improve the bonding effect between the heater and the spherical tank, the following steps may be included before step S10:

[0080] Step S1: Check whether the heater has any of the following conditions: wrinkles, indentations, damage, or delamination.

[0081] refer to Figure 4 , Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the heater structure in the bonding method between the spherical storage tank and the heater of the present invention. In a specific implementation, the heater can be inspected by machine initial inspection and manual re-inspection. Figure 4 Does the heater have any of the following conditions: wrinkles, indentations, damage, or delamination?

[0082] Step S2: If not, then perform the step of dividing the target pasting area on the spherical tank based on the drawing corresponding to the heater.

[0083] It should be understood that if the heater does not have any of the following conditions: wrinkles, dents, damage, or detachment, then the heater can be glued on.

[0084] Furthermore, based on the above embodiments, in order to ensure that the heater and the spherical storage tank can be tightly bonded during the bonding process, the following steps may be included before step S20:

[0085] Step S11: Clean the heater and the target bonding area using medical gauze soaked in anhydrous ethanol.

[0086] It should be understood that cleaning the target bonding area in the aforementioned heater and spherical tank can prevent dust, dirt, and other foreign matter on the heater and spherical tank from affecting the bonding process. The bonding operation can only be carried out after the cleaning operation is completed.

[0087] refer to Figure 5 , Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the bonding of the heater and the spherical storage tank in the bonding method of the present invention. Figure 5 In the middle, the spherical storage tank is divided into several sections. Figure 4 For heaters with the same shape as the target pasting area, paste the heater coated with silicone rubber onto the target pasting area to complete the entire pasting process of this embodiment.

[0088] This embodiment detects whether the heater has any of the following defects: wrinkles, indentations, damage, or detachment. If not, it proceeds to the step of dividing the target bonding area on the spherical storage tank based on the corresponding heater drawing. The heater and the target bonding area are then cleaned using medical gauze soaked in anhydrous ethanol. Because this embodiment performs some checks and cleaning on the heater and spherical storage tank before the bonding process begins, compared to traditional heater bonding methods, the bonding method for the spherical storage tank and heater provided by this invention avoids rework or even scrapping due to defective heaters, foreign objects in the heater or spherical storage tank, etc., thereby improving the bonding efficiency and pass rate of the spherical storage tank and heater bonding.

[0089] It should be noted that, in this document, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or system that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or system. Unless otherwise specified, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or system that includes that element.

[0090] The sequence numbers of the above embodiments of the present invention are merely for description and do not represent the superiority or inferiority of the embodiments. Through the above description of the embodiments, those skilled in the art can clearly understand that the methods of the above embodiments can be implemented by means of software plus necessary general-purpose hardware platforms. Of course, they can also be implemented by hardware, but in many cases the former is a better implementation method. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of the present invention, in essence, or the part that contributes to the prior art, can be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product is stored in a storage medium (such as read-only memory / random access memory, magnetic disk, optical disk) and includes several instructions to cause a terminal device (which may be a mobile phone, computer, server, or network device, etc.) to execute the methods described in the various embodiments of the present invention.

[0091] The above are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention and do not limit the scope of the patent. Any equivalent structural or procedural transformations made based on the description and drawings of the present invention, or direct or indirect applications in other related technical fields, are similarly included within the scope of patent protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for bonding a spherical storage tank to a heater, characterized in that, The method includes the following steps: Based on the drawings corresponding to the heater, the target pasting area is divided on the spherical storage tank; Silicone rubber is applied to the bonding surface of the heater to obtain a coated heater. The coated heater is pressed against the target bonding area to attach the heater to the spherical storage tank; The step of applying silicone rubber to the bonding surface of the heater to obtain a coated heater includes: The bonding surface of the heater is divided into a predetermined number of sub-bonding surfaces; Using the geometric center of the heater as a reference point, calculate the reference distances between the sub-adhesive surfaces and the reference point; The amount of pre-coated silicone rubber corresponding to each of the sub-adhesive surfaces is determined according to the reference distance, and the amount of pre-coated silicone rubber is proportional to the reference distance. Silicone rubber is applied to the sub-adhesive surface according to the pre-applied amount of silicone rubber to obtain the coated heater.

2. The method for bonding the spherical storage tank and the heater as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The step of pressing the coated heater to the target bonding area includes: After confirming that the lower edge of the coated heater is aligned with the lower edge of the target bonding area, the coated heater is completely bonded to the target bonding area. A pressing fixture wrapped with dry gauze is used to press the coated heater and the target bonding area together. The pressing operation is performed by performing an S-shaped pressing motion from left to right on the coated heater surface.

3. The method for bonding the spherical storage tank and the heater as described in claim 2, characterized in that, After the step of pressing the coated heater and the target bonding area together using a pressing fixture wrapped with dry gauze, the method further includes: The bonding area between the coated heater and the target pasting area is inspected by irradiating it with a preset light source to determine whether there are air bubbles at the bonding area. If present, the air bubble is squeezed out using the pressing fixture until no air bubble remains at the pressing point.

4. The method for bonding the spherical storage tank and the heater as described in claim 1, characterized in that, After the step of pressing the coated heater to the target bonding area, the method further includes: The coated heater is fixed to the spherical storage tank using masking tape. After a preset time, the masking tape is removed. The preset time is the time required for the silicone rubber to fully cure.

5. The method for bonding the spherical storage tank and the heater as described in claim 1, characterized in that, Before the step of applying silicone rubber to the bonding surface of the heater to obtain the coated heater, the method further includes: Clean the heater and the target bonding area using medical gauze soaked in anhydrous ethanol.

6. The method for bonding the spherical storage tank and the heater as described in claim 1, characterized in that, Before the step of dividing the target pasting area on the spherical storage tank based on the drawing corresponding to the heater, the method further includes: The heater is inspected for any of the following defects: wrinkles, indentations, damage, or delamination. If not, then proceed with the step of dividing the target pasting area on the spherical tank based on the drawing corresponding to the heater.

7. The method for bonding the spherical storage tank and the heater as described in any one of claims 1-6, characterized in that, The thickness of the silicone rubber is less than or equal to 0.1 mm.

8. The method for bonding the spherical storage tank and the heater as described in any one of claims 1-6, characterized in that, The total area of ​​the heater accounts for no less than 80% of the total area of ​​the spherical storage tank.

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