Space Thermal Control System for Satellites
In spacecraft design, the function of the thermal control system (TCS) is to keep all the spacecraft's component systems within acceptable temperature ranges during all mission phases. It must cope with the external environment, which can vary in a wide range as the spacecraft is exposed to deep space or to solar or planetary flux, and with ejecting to space the internal heat generated by the operation of the spacecraft itself.
My current project deals with the design and analysis of efficient TCS.
Introduction:
The objective of this project was to design and implement a temperature control system using an Arduino microcontroller. The system was designed to measure and control the temperature of a system using a thermocouple and a heating element, and to maintain the temperature at a setpoint using proportional-integral-derivative (PID) control. The project was implemented by following the instructions provided on the website apmonitor.com.
Methodology:
The hardware for the temperature control system was built using an Arduino Uno board, a MAX31855 thermocouple amplifier, a solid-state relay, and a heating element. The thermocouple was connected to the thermocouple amplifier, which was connected to the Arduino board. The solid-state relay was used to control the power supplied to the heating element.
The software for the temperature control system was developed using the Arduino Integrated Development Environment (IDE). The program was written in the Arduino language and implemented PID control using the "PID_v1" library. The program was designed to read the temperature from the thermocouple, calculate the error between the desired temperature setpoint and the measured temperature, and adjust the power supplied to the heating element to maintain the temperature at the setpoint.
Results:
The temperature control system was successfully implemented using the Arduino microcontroller. The system was able to maintain the temperature at a setpoint with an accuracy of +/- 1 degree Celsius. The system was tested using different setpoints, and it was found that the system was able to respond quickly to changes in setpoints.
Conclusion:
The project was successful in designing and implementing a temperature control system using an Arduino microcontroller. The system was able to maintain the temperature at a setpoint with a high degree of accuracy, demonstrating the effectiveness of using an Arduino for temperature control applications. The project provides a useful example for beginners interested in temperature control and provides a foundation for further exploration and development of temperature control systems using an Arduino microcontroller.