Influences of thermostatic valve with sensitive wax on dynamic performance of spacecraft thermal control system

To improve the thermal control adaptability of spacecraft, a novel thermal control system has been proposed, a thermostatic valve with sensitive wax having the automatic proportional control characteristic of flow and temperature is applied in a single-phase fluid loop thermal control system. Further, the mathematical model including thermostatic valve with sensitive wax, heat load, radiator and other components is built by using the lumped parameter method and calculated by using the numerical simulation method to analyze the temperature dynamic performance of the thermal control system. Finally, the simulation result shows that the layout of the thermostatic valve with sensitive wax and temperature-response characteristics of sensitive wax such as phase-change range, time constant and temperature delay have great effect on dynamic performance of the thermal control system. This conclusion can provide theoretical basis for the optimal design of single-phase fluid loop based on thermostatic valve with sensitive wax.