Simulation analysis and validation of an enclosed radome ventilation mode

  Objectives   The radome is necessary equipment for the stealth design of radars in modern surface ships. To ensure that the rotation and transmitting performance of the radar in the radome are not affected, the thermal environment needs to be controlled. However, traditional air-conditioning and ventilation modes cannot meet the requirements. Therefore, a new kind of air-conditioning and ventilation mode for an enclosed radome is proposed.

  Methods   This new air-conditioning and ventilation mode involves the cavity of the radar base being used as the plenum for the air supply, in which the air-conditioning duct is connected to the radar base and the air supply outlet is located there. In order to verify the effectiveness of this method, a physical and numerical calculation model was established for an experimental enclosed radome, and the simulation and testing of heat distribution were carried out for the air-conditioning effects in the radome.

  Results   After adopting the radar base air-conditioning and ventilation mode, the temperature of the radome met the design requirements, and the temperature distribution was uniform.

  Conclusions   The proposed radar base air-conditioning and ventilation mode can fully satisfy the environmental control requirements in an enclosed radome, making it suitable for application in the stealth design of surface ships.