Calculation Of Wind Forces And Pressures on Antennas

Bharath Kumar and Manoj Kumar

Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology

September 27, 2016

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Antenna Design

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Overview

Objectives

Design Methodology for the Structural Systems

Types of Loads

Backup Structure

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Antenna Design

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Objectives

Structural analysis and design of Cassegrain type antenna considering

operational wind speed of 80Kmph and survival wind speed of
200Kmph.
Quadrupod structure of Sub-reflector.
Structural effects due to temperature variation between 0 -55 and
differential temperature of 5
Design of radial panels with glued stiffeners.
Finding suitable adhesive materials to glue stiffeners.

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Antenna Design

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Design Methodology for the structural system

Types of Loads
The backup structure and the rest of the supporting structural systems
have been analyzed and designed considering the following loads.
Gravity load
Inertia load (due to angular acceleration about elevation and azimuth
axes)
Wind loads acting at operational speed of 80Kmph at any angle of
attack.
Thermal load.

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Geometry of Parabolic Reflector

The reflector uses a parabolic shape to ensure that all the power is
reflected in a beam in which the wave traces run parallel to each
other.
The parabolic curve follows the equation:
Y 2 = 4SX

(1)

Where S is the focal distance from vertex

The theory shows the parabolic curve is the locus of points that are
equidistant from a fixed point known as the focus located on the X
axis and a fixed line detailed as AB which is known as the directrix.
On this the length FP = PQ wherever it is located on the parabolic
curve.

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Antenna Design

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f = D 2 /16c

(2)

Where
f is focal length
D is the Diameter of the reflector
c is the depth of the reflector

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Wind loads

Wind Loads play an important role in the design and operation of

large steerable antennas , so it is necessary to have satisfactory
estimates of these forces.
The wind forces on antennas depends upon the variation of pressures
and local velocities on the reflector and its supporting framework.
Wind load estimation has been done as per the recommendations of
Levy and Kurtz.
This estimation is restricted to static effects , i.e., the fluctuation and
Unsteadiness of the flow is not considered.

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Bharath Kumar and Manoj Kumar (IIST)

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Axial force= Ca q A,
Normal force=Cn q A,
Side force=Cs q A,
Pitching Moment=Cp q A D
Yawing Moment=Cy q A D
Where,
Ca , Cn , Cs , Cs , Cp , Cy are coefficients
q= Dynamic pressure=1/2 V 2
V=Free stream velocity (100Kmph)
A= Reflector frontal area

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For Azimuth Angle=0

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Bharath Kumar and Manoj Kumar (IIST)

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Maximum Resultant force = 41238.32 N,

Maximum Pitching moment = -3157.63 N,
Maximum Yawing moment = 2394.94 N

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Antenna Design

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Backup Structure
The BUS consists of a network of tubes, beams and plates that
guarantees the reflector contour and surface precision () under the
influence of gravity, temperature and wind.
Backup structure consist of Radial Rib Frames with interconnecting
hoop trusses.

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We took Aluminium(2024 T3) rectangular tube of 50 30 2.6

inches
Section area = 371.551 in2
Uniform Pressure over reflector=3450.78 N/m2
Total Weight of one Radial truss=88.46 N
Maximum Induced stress=40.10 MPa
Maximum displacement=2.03 mm

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References

R.Levy and D.Kurtz (1978)

Compilation of Wind Tunnel Coefficients for Parabolic Reflectors

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The End

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