Thermal Analysis of the Backup Structure of the Tianma Telescope

Taking the Tianma Radio Telescope (TMRT) as an object, this paper focuses on the determination of temperature gradients and thermal deformations of the backup structure (BUS) with the finite element method. To this end, a modeling and analysis method, which consists of a simplified FEM and a four-co...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Research in astronomy and astrophysics 2022-10, Vol.22 (10), p.105011
Main Authors: Fu, Li, Yu, Lin-Feng, Tang, Jian-Sen, Yang, Bing-En, Gou, Wei, Wang, Jin-Qing, Liu, Qing-Hui, Shen, Zhi-Qiang
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Astronomical Instrumentation
Deformation
Finite element method
Free convection
Holography
Methods and Techniques
methods: analytical
Radio telescopes
Simulation
Solar radiation
Telescopes
Temperature gradients
Thermal analysis
Thermal convection
Thermometers
Time constant
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Summary:Taking the Tianma Radio Telescope (TMRT) as an object, this paper focuses on the determination of temperature gradients and thermal deformations of the backup structure (BUS) with the finite element method. To this end, a modeling and analysis method, which consists of a simplified FEM and a four-component simulation process, is proposed. In the development, only solar radiation is considered and thermal convection is neglected. Based on the thermal time constant of the BUS, the simulations of temperature gradients are simplified as static analysis. The superposed temperature gradients agree well with the ones measured by thermometers with a 0.57°C root mean square (rms) error. In addition, the illuminated-weighted rms errors of the primary reflector surface calculated by the simulation and measured by the extended out-of-focus holography are in good agreement. The rms error increases approximately 170 μ m when the Sun persistently illuminated the BUS for 3 hr. The optimized initial temperature of the antenna structure is 20°C by comparing the results between the finite element analysis and the e-OOF measurement. The thermal deformation database can support the real-time compensation of the active surface system if the traces of the radio telescope are known in advance.
ISSN:1674-4527
2397-6209
DOI:10.1088/1674-4527/ac8d7f