Thermal Mechanical Coupled-

Simulation
Application of Thermal Expansion of a Reflector Antenna

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Motivation

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Simulation Workflow
 Weakly coupled equations

1. Run the thermal simulation first

2. Import temperature distribution
1. Yields to inhomogeneous material
properties
3. Set reference temperature for
thermal expansion
4. Run the mechanical solver
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 Setup
 Temperature dependent Young‘s Modulus

T=330K

T=200K

Diam 100cm

Reflector partly heated by sun

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Setup
 Definition of temp.-dep. materials for mechanics

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Setup
 In Vaccum: no heat diffusion to background
 Background temperature: ~200 K
 Heat radiation important: Thermal Surface properties

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Setup
 Zero displacement for screws on reflector
 Temperature field source import

Thermal expansion Screws

Eps(x) = δ A * (T(x) - TB)

A = Thermal expansion coeff.
Ring
Mechanical stress
σ(x) = E(T) * Eps(x)

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Temperature simulation
 Thermal stationary simulation

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Temperature simulation
 Thermal stationary simulation
 Adaptive tetrahedral mesh with curved elements
 to resolve sun / shadow transition

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Temperature simulation
 Thermal stationary simulation
 Okay? Or transient analysis better?

 Geo stationary satellites: 24h

 Shadow changes: ~1.1 cm/min
 Earth satellites: 45min
 ~35 cm/min (5.8 mm/s)

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Inhomogeneous Materials
 Temperature distribution leads to inhomogeneous
mechanical material parameters

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Mechanical Deformation
 Results of mechanical simulation
 Stress tensor and displacement

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Max. Deformation as fct. of Shadow
 Thermal mechanical Co-simulation
 SAM is very useful
 Sweep shadow region

cm
Maximum at 0.4 (40% sun part)

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Antenna Performance
 Reflector Antenna Simulation
Original Deformed geometry

for max. = 0.4

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 Antenna Performance
4 GHz 5 GHz

6 GHz

Max. mainlobe difference:

1.25dB at 6 GHz

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Conclusion
 CST enables thermal-mechanical co-simulation
 Temperature dependent Young‘s modulus for inhomogeneous
material stiffness
 Thermal expansion simulation
 Inhomogeneous stress calculation
 Easy parameterization for coupled workflow using SAM
 HF-analysis of deformed antenna device possible

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