Session: 16-01-01: Government Agency Student Poster Competition

Paper Number: 150570

150570 - High Fidelity Temperature Control in Aircraft Avionics Using Thermoelectric and Convection Cooling 

The performance of avionics in modern aircraft has significantly advanced, increasing air travel efficiency, safety, and reliability. This progress demands increased electrical power to support electronic systems, which in turn generates more heat. Excessive heat can degrade electronic components and compromise the safety of the aircraft. Traditionally, air convection is used to cool avionics due to its cost-effectiveness and convenience. However, distributing air over an entire bay of electronics, each generating its own heat, poses a challenge in achieving high-fidelity, localized temperature control.

This project explores an alternative to the traditional approach by utilizing localized cooling via thermoelectric devices. Although known for their inefficiency, thermoelectric devices have the ability to adjust temperature rapidly and provide precise cooling if their waste heat is effectively managed. This study aims to compare traditional air convection with a combination of air convection and thermoelectric cooling.

Two models simulating the heat generated by electronics were tested: Model A, which employed only a fan for cooling, and Model B, which utilized a fan and a thermoelectric device. The experimental setup included an aluminum project box, a thermocouple for temperature measurement, a PETG plate to simulate a printed circuit board, a thin film heater to simulate heat generation, and a fan for air convection cooling. A Proportional-Integral (PI) control algorithm was implemented to regulate the thermal environment: in Model A, the fan voltage was varied to achieve the desired temperature control, while in Model B, the thermoelectric device's voltage was adjusted with the fan operating at a constant speed.

Preliminary measurements with the thin film heater generating 1944 W/m² (5.017 W) showed that without any cooling mechanism, temperatures inside the project box rose to 48-50°C. In Model A, the fan at 6 V reduced temperatures by 9°C (from 49°C to 40°C). In Model B, with the addition of the thermoelectric device, the setup showed a reduction of 10°C (from 49°C to 39°C) with the fan at 6 V and the thermoelectric at 1 V. When the thermoelectric voltage was increased to 1.5 V, the temperature reduction was 11.5°C (from 50°C to 38.5°C). These findings suggest that a combination of thermoelectric and convection cooling may be more effective than convection cooling alone.

These results highlight the potential advantages of integrating thermoelectric devices with traditional convection cooling methods to achieve better thermal management in avionics. Future research will focus on comparing the time it takes to arrive at a set temperature point of 35°C and how well each controller is able to remain at the set temperature point given a change in the environment (changing the heat dissipated by the resistance heater), which is where thermoelectrics should show the most benefit. Providing evidence that incorporating thermoelectrics can improve the reliability of the electronic components in aircraft can further help the aviation industry decrease failure rates of electrical components, thereby increasing overall safety and performance.

Presenting Author: Urban Michaels Kennesaw State University

Presenting Author Biography: Urban Michaels is a non-traditional student pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering with a Minor in Physics at Kennesaw State University. As an NSF REU Fellow at Washington University in St. Louis, Michaels engaged in innovative research on the application of thermoelectric devices for temperature control in aircraft environmental control systems.

Hikari Inaoka is a fourth year student pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering with a Minor in Geosciences at Pennsylvania State University. As an NSF REU Fellow at Washington University in St. Louis, Inaoka engaged in innovative research on the application of thermoelectric devices for temperature control in aircraft environmental control systems.

Authors:

Urban Michaels Kennesaw State University
Hikari Inaoka Pennsylvania State University
Emily Boyd Washington University
Matthew Fitzgerald The Boeing Company