Composite Housing for Space Electronic Components

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Solution Overview

Problem

The development of space equipment that can withstand harsh environmental conditions such as rapid temperature changes, shock, vibration, radiation, and electromagnetic waves is costly and complex, limiting the use of industrial electronic components due to increased size, weight, and power requirements, and poses risks due to the difficulty in multiplexing components.

Innovation Solution

A universal mounting housing with a composite wall comprising electromagnetic wave shielding, solar heat shielding, heat transfer, and radiation shielding layers, along with a heat emitter and controller, that protects electronic components from environmental stressors, allows for real-time temperature control, and includes a center of gravity control mechanism to minimize size and weight, enabling the use of industrial components in space environments.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If space-grade electronic components are used to withstand harsh space environments, then reliability is improved, but cost, size, weight, and power consumption increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovereliabilityVSAvoidweight
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSWeight of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The housing is divided into multiple functional layers including electromagnetic wave shielding layer, solar heat shielding layer, heat transfer layer, and radiation shielding layer. Each layer performs a specific protective function, allowing the use of standard electronic components while providing comprehensive environmental protection through distributed specialized layers rather than requiring single-component space-grade parts

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The composite wall structure acts as an intermediary between the harsh space environment and the electronic components inside. This intermediary protective barrier filters electromagnetic waves, blocks solar heat, transfers heat away from components, and shields against radiation, enabling the use of lighter, cheaper standard components that would otherwise be damaged by direct environmental exposure

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If complex auxiliary devices are added to protect electronic components in space, then protection capability is improved, but device complexity and development time increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprotection capabilityVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple protective functions (electromagnetic shielding, thermal management, radiation protection) are merged into a single integrated composite wall structure. This unified housing design combines what would traditionally require separate auxiliary devices into one cohesive protective barrier, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining comprehensive protection capabilities

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The composite wall structure serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides electromagnetic wave shielding, solar heat shielding, heat transfer, and radiation shielding. This multi-functional design eliminates the need for separate specialized devices for each protection type, reducing device complexity while maintaining robust protection against all space environmental hazards

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Ease of manufacture

If industrial electronic components are used instead of space-grade components, then cost is reduced, but protection against environmental stressors becomes insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovecostVSAvoidprotection against environmental stressors
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The housing design converts harmful environmental factors into manageable conditions for standard components. The electromagnetic wave shielding layer converts harmful EM radiation into blocked waves, the solar heat shielding layer converts harmful solar heating into blocked thermal energy, and the heat transfer layer converts accumulated heat into transferred thermal energy that can be dissipated, allowing industrial components to operate safely in space environments

Inventive Principle:
Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

Solution Approach 2:

The composite wall structure acts as an intermediary protective barrier between industrial electronic components and harsh space environmental stressors. This intermediary filters and manages electromagnetic waves, solar heat, and radiation before they reach the components, enabling the use of cost-effective industrial components that would otherwise be damaged by direct environmental exposure

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This solution enables the use of low-cost industrial electronic components in space environments by minimizing power consumption and verification procedures, reducing equipment size and weight, and ensuring robust protection against environmental stressors, while allowing for flexible electromagnetic wave filtering and real-time temperature control.

Implementation Method 1

at least one a mesh-type electromagnetic wave shielding layer that shields an electromagnetic wave

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectromagnetic shielding: Faraday Cage

Implementation Method 2

a solar heat shielding layer that shields solar heat

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSolar heat shielding: Absorption (EM radiation)

Implementation Method 3

a heat transfer layer that includes a heat transfer medium or a heat wire

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeat transfer: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 4

radiation shielding layers that overlap on both sides in a form surrounding the electromagnetic wave shielding layer, the solar heat shielding layer, and the heat transfer layer, and shield radioactivity

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectRadiation shielding: Absorption (EM radiation)

Implementation Method 5

The heat emitter may include a heat pipe that receives heat from the heat transfer layer, and converts the heat to the outside in a form of an electromagnetic wave and emits the heat

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeat pipe: Heat Pipe

Implementation Method 6

the controller may monitor a temperature of the temperature sensor and the plurality of electronic components and adjust the temperature through the heat emitter and the heat transfer layer

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectTemperature control: Heating

Implementation Method 7

The housing may further include a damper that dissipates shock and vibration in a mounting part coupled to space equipment

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectShock and vibration dissipation: Damping

Data Source

PatentEP4351289A1Housing for using in space environment
Publication Date: 2024.04.10 KOREA AEROSPACE RES INST
  • EP4351289A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4351289A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4351289A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The present invention relates to a housing that may apply industrial electronic components even in a space environment, and more particularly, to a universal mounting housing mounted on space equipment used in a space environment and housing a plurality of electronic components. The universal mounting housing may include a composite wall that constitutes an outer appearance of the housing to form a sealed inner space, a heat emitter that is formed inside or outside the composite wall to emit internal heat, and a connector pad that is formed on one side of the housing and is formed so that the electromagnetic wave filter communicates an inner space with an outside.