A Systematic Study into the Design and Utilization of Burn Wire as a means of Tensioning and Releasing Spacecraft Mechanisms through Applied Joule Heating

Author

Chandler DyeFollow

Date of Graduation

5-2023

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering

Degree Level

Undergraduate

Department

Mechanical Engineering

Advisor/Mentor

Huang, Adam

Committee Member/Reader

Jensen, David

Abstract

The joule heating characteristics of Nichrome burn wires, often used as a thermal cutting device in mechanisms designed to fasten and release CubeSat deployables, are examined in the following thesis. Wires ranging from 0.125 inches to 2 inches long, and diameters of 30 Ga and 40 Ga, are investigated through analytical calculations and thermal simulations based on heat transfer due to joule heating, and through physical circuitry-based experiments. The temperature data is used to generate heating curves to predict the time it takes for Nichrome wires to fail under varying testing parameters. This research aims to catalog a series of data for future use relating to the heating characteristics of Nichrome wires for spacecraft applications. It also serves as a starting point for future research into utilizing the wire as a stand-alone mechanism for fastening and deploying spacecraft deployables as opposed to the NRL burn wire mechanism that is the standard. This research will be used to inspire further research into alternatives to the NRL design that will benefit the CubeSat program at the University of Arkansas.

Keywords

Nichrome, Burn Wire, Joule Heating, CubeSat, ArkSat, Heat Transfer

Citation

Dye, C. (2023). A Systematic Study into the Design and Utilization of Burn Wire as a means of Tensioning and Releasing Spacecraft Mechanisms through Applied Joule Heating. Mechanical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses Retrieved from https://scholarworks.uark.edu/meeguht/120