Thermal-mechanical optimization of V-pattern folded core sandwich panels for thermal protection systems

A V-pattern folded core sandwich panel packed with low-density insulation material is introduced to perform as an integrated thermal protection system (ITPS). Heat transfer and linear static analyses are conducted to obtain the temperature distribution, stress and deflection responses. A preliminary thermal-mechanical optimization process is also presented. A modified form of the rule of mixtures that homogenized the folded core over its thickness for heat transfer analysis was developed and comparative studies were conducted to validate its accuracy. The homogenized thermal model was used in combination with linear static analyses to perform the optimization procedure. Parametric models were generated for design of experiments and then approximate models were obtained to carry out the optimization process. The results show that the simplified thermal model is able to predict the temperature through the ITPS thickness satisfactorily. The combined optimization strategy evidently improves the efficiency of the design process showing it can be used for initial design of folded core ITPS.