Optimization of Nitrogen Cooling for Phased Array Receiver Systems in Radio Astronomy

This study aims to enhance the thermal management of phased array receiver systems used in radio astronomy by optimizing the nitrogen-based cooling mechanism. A numerical simulation approach is used to evaluate the influence of various structural and flow parameters, including the dimensions, quantity, configuration, and shape of the inlets and outlets and the nitrogen flow rate, on the cooling performance. A computational model is developed for a phased array receiver system comprising 64 groups of low-noise amplifiers, totaling 128 units. Computational fluid dynamics is used to analyze the thermal behavior across the system. The results indicate that moderate nitrogen flow velocities (ranging from 2.5 m/s to 3.0 m/s) and an intermediate inlet radius (50–70 mm) offers the most efficient and uniform cooling. Additionally, a dual-inlet, dual-outlet configuration enhances the overall temperature distribution, while square inlets, which provide the same area as circular ones, improve the localized cooling performance. The optimized configuration substantially reduces thermal non-uniformity and supports stable operation under low-temperature conditions. The proposed nitrogen cooling design and configuration strategies present a practical and energy-efficient alternative to traditional cryogenic systems for phased array receiver systems. These findings provide valuable insights for future large-scale implementations in radio astronomy applications.