Origami-inspired, dynamic spacecraft radiators have been proposed which utilize an expandable/collapsible surface capable of large variations in emitting surface area. In this work, an experimental prototype of this concept is realized and its performance is analyzed. In particular, we demonstrate the capability of maintaining a spacecraft component at a desired operating temperature through the expansion and contraction of a collapsible radiator to control radiative heat loss. Four aluminum panels are connected via a flexible hinge constructed from interwoven copper wires and suspended from an actuating framework. The radiator panels are connected to a heated aluminum block. The radiator is placed in a vacuum environment with cooled surroundings (173 K) and the total radiative cooling power is determined as a function of radiator actuation position for a constant aluminum block temperature. As the radiator actuates from extended to collapsed, the heat transfer decreases and the fin efficiency increases. For a limited actuation range, the four-panel radiator exhibits a turn-down ratio (largest cooling power / smallest cooling power) of 1.31. A numerical model validated in this work predicts a turn-down ratio of 2.27 for actuation over the full range of radiator positions in surroundings at 4 K. Future revisions that exhibit an increase in panel and hinge thermal conductivities and utilizing eight panels would yield a turn-down ratio of 6.01. Assuming infinite thermal conductivity and infinite hinge conductance, the turn-down ratios for two, four and eight panel radiators, respectively, are 2.00, 3.98, and 7.92.

已经提出了以折纸为灵感的动态航天器散热器，该散热器利用了能够在发射表面积上产生较大变化的可扩展/可收缩表面。在这项工作中，实现了这一概念的实验原型，并对其性能进行了分析。特别是，我们展示了通过可折叠散热器的膨胀和收缩来控制辐射热损失，将航天器部件保持在所需工作温度下的能力。四个铝面板通过由交织的铜线构成的柔性铰链连接，并悬挂在致动框架上。散热器面板连接到加热的铝块。将散热器放置在周围环境冷却（173 K）的真空环境中，并根据恒定铝块温度的散热器启动位置来确定总辐射冷却功率。随着散热器从伸展驱动到塌陷，热量传递减少，鳍片效率增加。对于有限的驱动范围，四面板散热器的调节比（最大冷却功率/最小冷却功率）为1.31。在这项工作中验证的数值模型预测，在4 K的环境中，在整个散热器位置范围内致动时，转向比为2.27。未来的修订版本将显示面板和铰链热导率的增加并利用八个面板将产生转向下降比为6.01。假设无限大的热导率和无限大的铰链电导率，