Thermal Design of Active Phased Array Antenna for GEO Communication Satellite Based on Structure and Thermal Control Integration Method

With the further development of space communication satellite payload technology, the demand for active phased array antenna (APAA) is increasing, and heat dissipation is a key technical problem affecting the performance of APAA. In order to ensure an ideal temperature range and reduce temperature difference in orbit, a thermal design method of a high power APAA of GEO communication satellite is proposed. The heat pipes are embedded in the active satellite installing plate to solve the heat collection, uniformly distributing temperature and heat transfer, and the active satellite installing plate is not only the structural support of the antenna but also the cooling plate of the antenna. The heat of APAA is taken away by integrated thermal coupling with the satellite platform, which is exchanged between both sides of the active satellite installing plate and the cold plate based liquid cooling, and afterwards is transmitted to the thermal radiators of satellite through single-phased fluid loop. The simulation analysis results show that the temperature and the temperature difference of the APAA meet the requirements of thermal reliability and design performance. The thermal control method used provides a feasible design reference for the thermal design of similar GEO orbit communication satellite APAA.