Thermal analysis and design of the aerial camera’s primary optical system components

To meet the thermal index requirements of an aerial camera with long focal length, three kinds of heat transfer modes including conduction, convection and radiation were analyzed. The measures were designed for the camera’s primary optical system components based on this analysis. The design principles and implementing regulations were introduced. The camera’s finite element thermal model has been established. The results of model’s temperature distribution have been obtained after the calculation according to the boundary conditions. A heat balance test has got done for the camera. The results show that both axial temperature difference and radial temperature difference are less than 5 °C, which meets the camera’s thermal control indexes.

► We analyse the camera’s thermal boundary conditions. ► The air can be seen incompressible in the speed of 0.7 Ma. ► Controlling temperature in segments suits for the aerial camera’s optical system. ► A finite element thermal model is used to predict heat behavior.