Thermal design and analysis of the high resolution MWIR/LWIR aerial camera

Abstract

The thermal control technology of high resolution MWIR/LWIR aerial camera is studied. Thermal design and thermal analysis of the camera are completed according to thermal control indexes of infrared aerial camera. Firstly the architecture of the aerial camera and the external working environment are introduced, the camera heat exchange model is established, and the boundary conditions of radiation, conduction, convection and aerodynamic heat are analyzed, and then the thermal design of the camera is described in detail. Finally the thermal analysis of aerial camera is done, and a heat balance test has been done for the camera. The results show that: In the specified environment, after two hours work the temperature range of optical system is 18.5 ℃ to 22.2 ℃, the temperature range of lens set is 19.1 ℃ to 20.3 ℃, the temperature range of detector module is 19.7 ℃ to 31.9 ℃, meet the thermal control indexes, at the same time, under extreme operating conditions, the thermal control system can meet the start-up requirements, the thermal design is feasible and reasonable. This research method and technical route have the guidance and reference significance for the thermal control design of other infrared aerial cameras.