Abstract
Thermal fatigue analysis based on 2D finite difference and 3D finite element methods is carried out to study the performance of solar panel structure during micro-satellite life time. Solar panel primary structure consists of honeycomb structure and composite laminates. The 2D finite difference (I-DEAS) model yields predictions of the temperature profile during one orbit. Then, 3D finite element analysis (ANSYS) is applied to predict thermal fatigue damage of solar panel structure. Meshing the whole structure with 2D multi-layer shell elements with sandwich option is not efficient, as it misses thermal response of the honeycomb structure. So we applied a mixed approach between 3D solid and 2D shell elements to model the solar panel structure without the sandwich option.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 53-62 |
| Number of pages | 10 |
| Journal | International Journal of Mechanics and Materials in Design |
| Volume | 4 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| Early online date | 22 Jan 2008 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 01 Mar 2008 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Materials Science (miscellaneous)