Multifunctional double cold source system using temperature-sensitive hydrogel for cooling extravehicular spacesuits

Abstract

The development of future space missions aimed at extended distances has challenged the thermal protection performance of extravehicular spacesuits. The use of more efficient and lightweight cooling systems in spacesuits can reduce costs and promote the advancement of human spaceflight. This study applies the temperature-sensitive hydrogel to the cooling system of the spacesuit, which combined with a water sublimator constitutes a double cooling source that dissipates heat simultaneously. As shown by modeling and simulation, the novel system effectively dissipates heat, with an 11.42% increase in total heat dissipation over the conventional method. Furthermore, the hydrogel can store water, and the water released during heat dissipation is provided to the sublimator for backup, reducing water consumption by 31.2% and lowering consumable demand. We defined the sublimation water release heat dissipation ratio, and it ranges from 1.5 to 3.5 in different operating modes, with the water sublimator serving as the primary cooling source. The research results suggest that the novel double cold source system can deploy heat dissipation capacity according to heat load distribution and flexibly meet the requirements of various tasks. The double cold source system is a highly efficient thermal management system that provides a novel approach to optimizing spacesuits.