Thermal power consumption calibration device and method for high-power refrigerator for space

Abstract

The invention discloses a thermal power consumption calibration device of a high-power refrigerator for space. The thermal power consumption calibration device comprises an environment simulation system, a refrigerator system and a calibration system, the refrigerator system comprises a refrigerator; the environment simulation system comprises a vacuum tank, an environment simulation bin and a heat dissipation module; the vacuum tank provides a vacuum environment; the environment simulation bin controls the temperature according to the radiation environment temperature of the refrigerator; the refrigerating machine is installed in the environment simulation cabin according to a real installation state. The calibration system comprises a temperature control electric heater and a power consumption simulation electric heater. The temperature control electric heater stabilizes the temperature of the refrigerator end at the working temperature when the refrigerator works normally; when the refrigerating machine is closed, the power consumption simulation electric heater reproduces the temperature of the refrigerating machine end and the heat dissipation module. The invention further discloses a thermal power consumption calibration method of the high-power refrigerator for the space, which is realized by utilizing the device. The thermal power consumption of the refrigerating machine is calibrated by simulating the working state of the refrigerating machine, and the method has wide application prospects in the technical field of spaceflight optical remote sensing.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a thermal power consumption calibration device and method for a high-power space refrigerator, belonging to the field of aerospace optical remote sensing technology. Background Technology

[0002] Using cryogenic refrigerators to achieve cryogenic temperatures in space is a common practice, initially used for cooling infrared camera detectors, and in recent years also applied to cryogenic optical systems. Cryo refrigerators generate cooling by consuming electrical power, but also generate additional heat. This heat must be dissipated promptly to avoid affecting the operation of the entire camera system. For thermal control systems, the heat consumption of the cryo refrigerator is a crucial design input, especially with the development of remote sensing technology, where cryo refrigerator power consumption is increasing and operating temperatures are decreasing. Therefore, the thermal control design results have an increasingly significant impact on key parameters such as the energy, weight, and size of remote sensors.

[0003] Previously, the thermal power consumption of a refrigerator was estimated by measuring the power consumption of the refrigerator system's power supply. This involved measuring the power consumption of the refrigerator's control circuit and connecting cables during testing to estimate the refrigerator's power consumption as a percentage of the total power supply power consumption, for example, 80%–85%. Then, based on empirically observed power distribution ratios between the refrigerator's expansion and compression ends, such as 7:3, the required thermal power consumption values ​​for each end were obtained. However, this process suffers from inaccuracies in thermal power consumption due to fluctuations in control circuit current and power consumption, as well as product variations. Furthermore, after the refrigerator is installed on a remote sensor, differences in installation conditions and ambient temperature can cause changes in its operating state, leading to distortions in the application scenario.

[0004] Therefore, it is necessary to develop a thermal power consumption calibration device for refrigerators to solve the problems of inaccurate estimation and distortion of application scenarios, thereby improving the thermal design level of refrigerators and ensuring the success of space missions. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to overcome the aforementioned shortcomings and provide a device and method for calibrating the thermal power consumption of high-power space refrigerators, solving the technical problems of inaccurate thermal power consumption estimation and distorted application scenarios for high-power space refrigerators. This invention calibrates the thermal power consumption of the refrigerator by simulating its operating state, yielding highly accurate results and showing broad application prospects in the field of aerospace optical remote sensing technology.

[0006] To achieve the above-mentioned objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution:

[0007] A thermal power consumption calibration device for a high-power space refrigerator includes: an environmental simulation system, a refrigerator system, and a calibration system;

[0008] A refrigeration system includes a refrigeration unit;

[0009] The environmental simulation system includes a vacuum tank, an environmental simulation chamber, a refrigerator installation fixture, and a heat dissipation module. The vacuum tank provides a vacuum environment and a cold black background. The environmental simulation chamber, refrigerator installation fixture, and heat dissipation module are located inside the vacuum tank. The environmental simulation chamber is temperature-controlled according to the actual radiant ambient temperature of the refrigerator. The refrigerator fixture is consistent with the actual support structure of the refrigerator, so that the refrigerator is installed in the environmental simulation chamber in a realistic installation state. The heat dissipation module is used to simulate the actual heat dissipation state of the refrigerator.

[0010] The calibration system includes a temperature-controlled electric heater and a power consumption simulation electric heater. The temperature-controlled electric heater is used to stabilize the temperature at the chiller terminal at the operating temperature when the chiller is working normally, and this state is defined as the steady state. The power consumption simulation electric heater is used to reproduce the temperature at the chiller terminal and the temperature of the heat dissipation module recorded in the steady state when the chiller is turned off, and the thermal power consumption of the chiller is obtained based on the electric power of the power consumption simulation electric heater.

[0011] Furthermore, the heat dissipation module of the environmental simulation system includes a refrigerator heat pipe and a radiant heat sink.

[0012] The radiant heat sink is located outside the environmental simulation chamber. The expansion and compression ends of the refrigerator are connected to the two radiant heat sinks through two sets of refrigerator heat pipes.

[0013] Furthermore, a heat dissipation coating is sprayed onto the front of the radiant heat sink.

[0014] Furthermore, the refrigerator and its heat dissipation heat pipes are respectively covered with multiple layers of heat insulation components.

[0015] Furthermore, a temperature-controlled electric heater is installed on the back of the radiant heat sink.

[0016] Furthermore, the power consumption simulation electric heater is attached to the evaporation section of the heat pipe of the refrigerator (the part where the heat pipe contacts the heat source), and the power consumption simulation electric heater is connected to the power supply outside the vacuum tank through a power supply cable.

[0017] Furthermore, the refrigeration system also includes a refrigeration control box and a ground inspection station;

[0018] The refrigeration control box is connected to the refrigeration unit via a can-through cable;

[0019] The refrigeration control box receives control signals from the ground inspection station and controls the working status of the refrigeration unit according to the control signals.

[0020] A method for calibrating the thermal power consumption of a high-power space refrigerator, implemented using the aforementioned thermal power consumption calibration device for a high-power space refrigerator, includes:

[0021] S1 controls the vacuum level and temperature inside the vacuum tank to achieve the vacuum level and background temperature of the simulated space environment, respectively;

[0022] S2 controls the power supply to the refrigeration unit according to its on-orbit operating status;

[0023] When the refrigerator operates normally through the temperature-controlled electric heater, the temperature at the refrigerator terminal stabilizes at the operating temperature, and this state is defined as a steady state.

[0024] S4 records the temperature at the chiller end and the temperature of the heat dissipation module when the state is steady.

[0025] S5 shuts down the chiller and uses power consumption to simulate the electric heater to reproduce the steady-state recorded temperature at the chiller end and the temperature of the heat dissipation module.

[0026] S6 calculates the thermal power consumption of the refrigerator by simulating the electrical power of the electric heater.

[0027] Furthermore, when the refrigerator is powered on in step S2, the refrigerator's cooling target is made to work normally, providing a real cooling load.

[0028] Furthermore, step S6, the method for obtaining the thermal power consumption of the refrigerator based on the power consumption of the simulated electric heater, includes:

[0029] Record the output voltage and current of the power supply that powers the power consumption simulation electric heater, and calculate the electric power of the power consumption simulation electric heater based on the resistance value of the power consumption simulation electric heater and the output voltage and current of the power supply.

[0030] The heat dissipation of the refrigeration unit is equal to the power consumption of the electric heater.

[0031] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has at least one of the following advantages:

[0032] (1) This invention creatively proposes a device and method for calibrating the thermal power consumption of a high-power refrigerator for space use, which actually measures the thermal power consumption value at the refrigerator end and improves the accuracy of the data.

[0033] (2) This invention improves the accuracy of simulating the working state of the refrigeration unit by simulating the installation state of the refrigeration unit and controlling the ambient temperature;

[0034] (3) This invention cleverly obtains the heat consumption of the refrigeration machine by designing a calibration system to reproduce the working temperature of the refrigeration machine;

[0035] (4) The calibration method of the present invention is easy to implement and has high accuracy and reliability, which has important guiding significance for the development of space telemetry technology. Attached Figure Description

[0036] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the power calibration device of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0037] The features and advantages of the present invention will become clearer and more apparent from the following detailed description.

[0038] The term “exemplary” as used herein means “serving as an example, embodiment, or illustration.” Any embodiment illustrated herein as “exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as superior to or better than other embodiments. Although various aspects of embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale unless specifically indicated otherwise.

[0039] This invention simulates the installation and environmental conditions of a space-based refrigerator on a remote sensor. Utilizing the characteristic that the refrigerator's temperature is related to its power consumption after thermal control measures are implemented, a thermal equilibrium state for refrigerator operation is first established, followed by a thermal equilibrium state for power supply. This ensures that the temperature of the heat source is consistent in both thermal equilibrium states, thereby replacing the actual heat consumption of the refrigerator with the direct power consumption of the power supply, thus achieving the calibration of the refrigerator's operating heat consumption.

[0040] The calibration device proposed in this invention includes an environmental simulation system, a refrigeration system, and a calibration system.

[0041] The environmental simulation system includes a vacuum tank, an environmental simulation chamber, a refrigerator installation fixture, refrigerator heat pipes, and a radiant heat sink. It is used to establish a vacuum state and simulate the refrigerator's installation status on the remote sensor and ambient temperature conditions.

[0042] The refrigeration system includes a high-power refrigeration unit, a refrigeration unit control box, a ground inspection platform, and connecting cables; it is used to realize the working status of the refrigeration unit.

[0043] like Figure 1 The calibration system of this invention includes a power consumption simulation electric heater, a temperature control electric heater, a power supply, and a power supply cable;

[0044] The high-power refrigerator is covered with multiple layers of thermal insulation and installed on a refrigerator installation fixture according to its installed configuration. The installation fixture consists of an expansion end support simulation fixture and a compression end support simulation fixture, which are installed in the environmental simulation chamber according to the refrigerator's radiant ambient temperature. The environmental simulation chamber is temperature-controlled according to the refrigerator's radiant ambient temperature. The refrigerator is connected to a radiant heat sink via heat pipes, with the heat pipes covered with multiple layers of insulation. The radiant heat sink has a heat dissipation coating sprayed on the front and a temperature-controlled electric heater attached to the back. Both the environmental simulation chamber and the radiant heat sink are placed in a vacuum tank.

[0045] The refrigeration control box is connected to the refrigeration unit via a can-penetrating cable, and then connected to the ground inspection station via a connecting cable to control the operation of the refrigeration unit.

[0046] The power consumption simulation electric heater is attached to the evaporation section of the heat pipe, close to the installation position of the refrigeration unit, and connected to the external power supply via a power cable.

[0047] The working steps of the power calibration device are as follows:

[0048] 1) Control the vacuum tank to achieve the vacuum level of the simulated space environment, and the heat sink system inside the vacuum tank to achieve the background temperature of the simulated space environment;

[0049] 2) Power on the chiller according to its on-orbit operating status, ensuring that the chiller's cooling target is also working normally and providing a real cooling load;

[0050] 3) The temperature control circuit (i.e., temperature control electric heater) on the back of the radiant heat sink adjusts the power supply to ensure that the temperature at the expansion end and compression end of the refrigerator reaches the working temperature level under normal operating conditions.

[0051] 4) Once the temperature reaches a stable state, record the temperature values ​​of the expansion end and compression end, the temperature value on the extended heat pipe, and the temperature value of the heat sink.

[0052] 5) Keep the power supply status of the environmental simulation system unchanged, only turn off the power supply of the refrigerator system, and reproduce the refrigerator end temperature, extended heat pipe temperature and heat sink temperature recorded in the previous stable state by adjusting the power consumption of the simulated electric heater, and maintain it until the temperature reaches a stable state.

[0053] 6) Record the output voltage and current of the calibration system power supply, and calculate the applied electrical power based on the resistance value of the power consumption simulation electric heater. From a thermal perspective, the applied electrical power at this time is equal to the heat dissipation generated by the refrigerator during operation.

[0054] The present invention has been described in detail above with reference to specific embodiments and exemplary examples; however, these descriptions should not be construed as limiting the present invention. Those skilled in the art will understand that various equivalent substitutions, modifications, or improvements can be made to the technical solutions and embodiments of the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications and improvements fall within the scope of the present invention. The scope of protection of the present invention is defined by the appended claims.

[0055] As the standard.

[0056] The contents not described in detail in this specification are common knowledge to those skilled in the art.

Claims

1. A device for calibrating the thermal power consumption of a high-power space refrigerator, characterized in that, include: Environmental simulation system, refrigeration system, and calibration system; A refrigeration system includes a refrigeration unit; The environmental simulation system includes a vacuum tank, an environmental simulation chamber, a refrigerator installation fixture, and a heat dissipation module. The vacuum tank provides a vacuum environment and a cold black background. The environmental simulation chamber, refrigerator installation fixture, and heat dissipation module are located inside the vacuum tank. The environmental simulation chamber is temperature-controlled according to the actual radiant ambient temperature of the refrigerator. The refrigerator fixture is consistent with the actual support structure of the refrigerator, so that the refrigerator is installed in the environmental simulation chamber in a realistic installation state. The heat dissipation module is used to simulate the actual heat dissipation state of the refrigerator. The calibration system includes a temperature-controlled electric heater and a power consumption simulation electric heater. The temperature-controlled electric heater is used to stabilize the temperature at the chiller terminal at the operating temperature when the chiller is working normally, and this state is defined as the steady state. The power consumption simulation electric heater is used to reproduce the temperature at the chiller terminal and the temperature of the heat dissipation module recorded in the steady state when the chiller is turned off, and the thermal power consumption of the chiller is obtained based on the electric power of the power consumption simulation electric heater.

2. The thermal power consumption calibration device for a high-power space refrigerator according to claim 1, characterized in that, The heat dissipation module of the environmental simulation system includes a chiller heat pipe and a radiant heat sink. The radiant heat sink is located outside the environmental simulation chamber. The expansion and compression ends of the refrigerator are connected to the two radiant heat sinks through two sets of refrigerator heat pipes.

3. The thermal power consumption calibration device for a high-power space refrigerator according to claim 2, characterized in that, A heat dissipation coating is sprayed onto the front of the radiant heat sink.

4. The thermal power consumption calibration device for a high-power space refrigerator according to claim 2, characterized in that, The refrigeration unit and its heat dissipation heat pipes are each covered with multiple layers of heat insulation components.

5. A thermal power consumption calibration device for a high-power space refrigerator according to claim 2, characterized in that, The temperature-controlled electric heater is installed on the back of the radiant heat sink.

6. The thermal power consumption calibration device for a high-power space refrigerator according to claim 2, characterized in that, The power consumption simulation electric heater is attached to the evaporation section of the heat pipe of the refrigerator, and the power consumption simulation electric heater is connected to the power supply outside the vacuum tank through a power supply cable.

7. The thermal power consumption calibration device for a high-power space refrigerator according to claim 2, characterized in that, The refrigeration system also includes a refrigeration control box and a ground inspection station; The refrigeration control box is connected to the refrigeration unit via a can-through cable; The refrigeration control box receives control signals from the ground inspection station and controls the working status of the refrigeration unit according to the control signals.

8. A method for calibrating the thermal power consumption of a high-power space refrigerator, characterized in that, The thermal power consumption calibration device for a high-power space refrigerator as described in any one of claims 1-7 is implemented, comprising: S1 controls the vacuum level and temperature inside the vacuum tank to achieve the vacuum level and background temperature of the simulated space environment, respectively; S2 controls the power supply to the refrigeration unit according to its on-orbit operating status; When the refrigerator operates normally through the temperature-controlled electric heater, the temperature at the refrigerator terminal stabilizes at the operating temperature, and this state is defined as a steady state. S4 records the temperature at the chiller end and the temperature of the heat dissipation module when the state is steady. S5 shuts down the chiller and uses power consumption to simulate the electric heater to reproduce the steady-state recorded temperature at the chiller end and the temperature of the heat dissipation module. S6 calculates the thermal power consumption of the refrigerator by simulating the electrical power of the electric heater.

9. A method for calibrating the thermal power consumption of a high-power space refrigerator according to claim 8, characterized in that, When powering on the chiller in step S2, the chiller's cooling target is made to work normally, providing a real cooling load.

10. A method for calibrating the thermal power consumption of a high-power space refrigerator according to claim 8, characterized in that, Step S6, the method for obtaining the thermal power consumption of the refrigerator based on the power consumption simulation of the electric heater, includes: Record the output voltage and current of the power supply that powers the power consumption simulation electric heater, and calculate the electric power of the power consumption simulation electric heater based on the resistance value of the power consumption simulation electric heater and the output voltage and current of the power supply. The heat dissipation of the refrigeration unit is equal to the power consumption of the electric heater.

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