Ray tracing enhancement for space thermal analysis: isocell method

The finite element method (FEM) is widely used in mechanical engineering, especially for space structure design. However, FEM is not yet often used for thermal engineering of space structures where the lumped parameter method is still dominant. Radiative exchange factors (REFs) are usually computed through Monte Carlo ray-tracing. Due to the large number of elements composing a FE model, the computation of the REFs is prohibitively expensive. The developments of the new Isocell quasi-Monte Carlo ray tracing method are presented. The Isocell method enhances the uniformity of the generated quasi-random sequence of ray directions and leads to faster convergence. It is associated with different surface sampling to derive the REFs. The method is benchmarked against ESARAD, the standard ray-tracing engine for thermal analysis used in the European aerospace industry. Various geometries are used. In particular, one entrance baffle of the Extreme Ultraviolet Imager (EUI) instrument developed at the Centre Spatial de Liège in Belgium is used. The EUI instrument of the Solar Orbiter European Space Agency mission and will be launched in a Sun-centered 0.28 perihelion orbit in 2018.