Optimized Design of Slip Ring Assembly for Aerospace to Reduce Deep Dielectric Charging

Abstract

The deep dielectric charging of the slip ring assembly caused by high-energy electron radiation leads to the failure of the solar array drive assembly (SADA), which accelerates the failure of the whole satellite. It is necessary to optimize the structure of the slip ring assembly according to the deep dielectric charging characteristics to reduce the risk of discharge accidents. In this article, based on the law of current conservation, a 3-D simulation model for deep charging of slip ring assembly is established by combining Geant4 with COMSOL. Under the FLUMIC3 electron radiation environment, the essential characteristics of the electric field and potential distributions in the slip ring assembly are studied. Based on these, optimization schemes for aluminum shielding structures, insulation baffles, and ground structures are proposed. The simulation results show that the simultaneous use of the three proposed optimization schemes can significantly reduce the electric field distortion caused by high-energy electron radiation, and the maximum reduction is about 70%. At the same time, the overall quality of the aluminum shield and the basic structure of the slip ring assembly can be maintained. It provides specific references for the actual design of slip ring assembly in SADA.