Initial thermal design of microchannel heat sink for low-orbit micro-satellites

As reduction in the size of electronics creates demand for smaller, less expensive, and faster-to-produce spacecraft, the use of high density-electronics increases the stress on the thermal subsystem.; This project intends to analyze and solve this problem. It is divided into two parts: the spacecraft thermal model and the microchannel heat sink design. First, a micro-satellite is identified by its subsystem characteristics and thermal properties. The satellite and its orbit are modeled with thermal software. To address the need for a properly designed thermal control, a computer model with high heat flux of 25 W/cm2 is used. Secondly, the theory of single-phase liquid micro-channels Heat Sinks is applied and computer modeled to optimize a heat sink to remove 25W2/cm over a foot print of 3.7cm2. To eliminate the heat picked up by the micro-channel, a possible pumping system and radiator to be attached to the heat sink is examined.