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Prototype of an Active Thermal Protective System

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Kaushal Nandagiri

OVERVIEW

Designed and developed an educational lab apparatus aimed at teaching over 100 students per semester the fundamentals of heat transfer analysis in space technology applications. The apparatus demonstrates key thermal principles, including radiation, view factor determination, convection, and conduction, providing a hands-on platform for applied learning. Led the thermal design and analytical validation using MATLAB by constructing a detailed thermal resistance network to verify that the apparatus maintained a surface temperature below 5°C under operating conditions. Conducted comparative heat transfer simulations for gyroid and diamond-based geometries to explore structural and thermal performance trade-offs. Additionally, simulated realistic thermal loads on the apparatus to ensure the design met performance requirements and reliability standards, combining theoretical, analytical, and numerical methods into an integrated educational solution.

HighlightS

  • Designed an educational thermal lab apparatus for 100+ students to study space heat transfer.


  • Modeled and validated system performance using MATLAB-based thermal analysis.


  • Ensured sub-5°C surface temperature through analytical resistance network modeling.


  • Simulated gyroid and diamond geometries to optimize heat distribution efficiency.


  • Bridged theoretical and experimental learning in radiation, convection, and conduction.

SKILLS

CREO ParametricThermal Management of Space SystemsHeat TransferANSYS Workbench

Additional Details

Overview

An interactive educational apparatus designed to teach heat transfer analysis in space systems to over 100 students per semester. The system demonstrates radiation, conduction, convection, and view factor effects through real-time experiments and simulations.


Objective

To create a hands-on learning platform that connects theoretical heat transfer concepts with practical space technology applications, emphasizing system cooling and thermal protection strategies.


My Role


  • Led MATLAB-based thermal simulations to validate temperature control and system stability.
  • Developed a thermal resistance network model ensuring surface temperatures remained below 5°C.
  • Simulated gyroid and diamond geometries to study their effect on heat distribution efficiency.
  • Integrated analytical and experimental methods to analyze conduction, convection, and radiation simultaneously.


Impact

Enhanced aerospace education by bridging computational analysis with real-world experimentation — helping students visualize and quantify the core principles of thermal management in space applications.

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