Complete ray tracing simulation model of the solar simulator as a launch pad for prosperous Virtual lab on thermal vacuum testing simulation

Abstract

The state-of-the-art ray tracing software is a powerful tool, which may be applied not only for the design and simulation of various kind of optical and illumination system. It may be used also for the simulations of some aspects of thermal vacuum testing. This assumption is based upon the importing of 3D-models of vacuum vessel, cryogenic panels and other features of thermal vacuum facility as well as importing of 3D-model of a specimen under test into the ray tracing model. The main stages of the making of ray tracing model are presented. This approach makes it possible to precisely specify the demands to the solar simulator, in particular to collimation angle and spectrum accuracy. The complete ray tracing model of the solar simulator is considered as a launch pad for building of more complicated model of thermal vacuum testing facility. Such model may then become a Virtual lab on thermal vacuum testing simulation.