Title :
Microthrusters in silicon for aerospace application
Author :
Giulio, Lamedica ; Marco, Balucani ; Aldo, Ferrari ; Domenico, Tromboni Pier ; Mario, Marchetti
Author_Institution :
Dept. Electron., La Sapienza Univ., Rome, Italy
fDate :
9/1/2002 12:00:00 AM
Abstract :
This paper reviews the results of the thermal and static analysis of small motor aerospace technology (SMART) propulsion system, constituted of a microthrusters array realised by MEMS technology on silicon wafers. This system has been studied using FEM (NASTRAN) and the results have been verified by the electro-thermic analogy and the FDM method, using, respectively, SPICE and MATLAB codes. The simulation results demonstrated the feasibility of SMART systems for aerospace applications such as attitude control and deorbiting missions for small satellite station-keeping. A theoretical impulse of 20 mNs has been calculated for the SMART system.
Keywords :
aerospace propulsion; finite difference methods; finite element analysis; micromechanical devices; micromotors; thermal analysis; FDM method; FEM; MATLAB; MEMS; SMART propulsion system; SPICE; aerospace applications; attitude control; deorbiting missions; electro-thermic analogy; finite differences method; microthrusters array; small motor aerospace technology propulsion system; small satellite station-keeping; thermal analysis; Aerospace electronics; Combustion; Electric resistance; Micromechanical devices; Propulsion; Silicon; Space technology; Surface resistance; Thermal conductivity; Thermal resistance;
Journal_Title :
Aerospace and Electronic Systems Magazine, IEEE
DOI :
10.1109/MAES.2002.1039790
