Intelligent equivalent physical simulator for nanosatellite space radiator

Experimental prediction of the in-orbit transient performance of a nanosatellite space radiator requires a ground-based equivalent space radiator capable of high precision simulation under a wide range of various working conditions. This paper presents the working principle and the fuzzy control algorithm of a novel intelligent equivalent physical simulator (EPS) consisting of a thermoelectric cooler (TEC), a plate-fin heat sink and a forced cooling fan and a integrated fuzzy controller. The TEC-based IEPS achieves the purpose of simulating the in-orbit transient heat radiation in an earth atmospheric environment by adapting two key parameters: the TEC cooling capacity, and the thermal resistance of the heat-sink cooling fan. This paper offers the design and evaluation of a fuzzy controller for the IEPS as an attractive alternative to the traditional PID controller. The fuzzy control presented here will have other potential thermal control applications where TECs and forced cooling heat sinks are employed.