A combined electromagnetic and acoustic analysis of a triaxial carbon fiber weave for reflector antenna applications

Fiber composites are widely used for space applications such as antennas, solar panels and spacecraft support structures. This paper presents a combined electromagnetic and acoustic analysis of a triaxial carbon fiber weave structure, designed for ultra lightweight reflector antennas in satellite communication systems. The electromagnetic and acoustic performance of the structure are analyzed over a wide range of parametric studies, both at a microscopic and mesoscopic length scale. The electromagnetic study indicates that the main parameter governing the electromagnetic reflection performance of the weave is the electric conductivity of the carbon fibers, given that the weave structure is significantly smaller than the wavelength of the incident signals. The acoustic study identifies a critical threshold in the mesoscale geometry in order to avoid a critically high resistive behavior of the weave structure, driven by viscous effects. Design guidelines are drawn from these analyses in order to achieve a trade-off between the electromagnetic reflection properties and the resistance to acoustic loading of such composite materials. These combined analyses allow to deepen the understanding from both an electromagnetic and acoustic perspective in order to open for some new design possibilities.