An integrated thermal management analysis tool [for aircraft]

A computational tool, developed to perform subsystem and system level integrated thermal management assessment and design calculations, is described in this paper. The Vehicle Integrated Thermal Management Analysis Code (VITMAC) simulates the coupled thermal-fluid response of airframe/engine active cooling circuits, airframe/engine structural components, and fuel tanks subject to aeroheating and internal/engine heat loads. VITMAC simulates both the steady-state and transient thermal hydraulics along coolant flow paths, and provides the distribution of mass flow rate, pressure, and temperature, together with the temperature of surrounding airframe/engine structures. A graphical user interface which enables the user to quickly construct and analyze thermal management systems has also been incorporated into VITMAC. Sample cases are presented, illustrating selected code features. These examples demonstrate the analysis of cooling network concepts for: (1) aircraft and engine thermal management; (2) airplane fuel cooling systems; and (3) satellite thermal management and control. The examples also illustrate the interaction between cooling loops via heat exchangers, and the use of performance maps in the evaluation of component characteristics