• Journal of the Korean Society for Aeronautical & Space Sciences
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• v.42 no.12
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• pp.1013-1019
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• 2014

Solid-liquid Phase Change Material(PCM) as a thermal control hardware for the electro-optical payload of low earth orbit satellite is numerically studied which can be substituted with Thermal Buffer Mass(TBM). The electro-optical module in LEO satellite is periodically work and high heat is dissipated during the imaging period, however, the design temperature range is very tight and sensitive. In order to handle this problem TBM is added and as a result the time constant of the module temperature increases. TBM is made of Al6010 and its mass directly affects the system design. To save the mass PCM is suggested in this study. The latent heat of melting or solidification is very high and small amount of PCM can play a role instead of TBM. The result shows that only 12% of TBM mass is enough to control the module temperature using PCM.