Paper 14145-125
Paper 14145-125
TCC evaluation of complex metallic junctions: the Ariel case
5 July 2026 • 17:30 - 19:00 CEST | Room B4-M3
Abstract
Correctly estimating the thermal behaviour of surfaces in contact is key to the correct evaluation of the behaviour of an entire assembly. The parameter that describes such behaviour in typical metallic mechanical interfaces is the thermal contact conductance.
In order to thermally evaluate the complex interfaces between Ariel's primary mirror and optical bench - three bolted joints, one of which characterized by a sphere-to-cone interface - a numerical-experimental analysis and correlation had to be carried out. The assembly was analysed at varying preloads in order to obtain a representative TCC vs pressure curve in a wide range of contact pressures.
This paper summarizes the numerical analyses carried out, the experimental setup and test campaign performed to validate them, and the correlation of models.
Presenter
Riccardo Lilli
Univ. degli Studi di Firenze (Italy)
Riccardo Lilli is a third-year PhD student in Industrial Engineering at the University of Florence. He received his Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Florence in 2020 (109/110), and his Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering in 2022 (110/110 cum laude), with a focus on manufacturing process modelling and optimization. His Master’s thesis concerned the design of the mechanical interfaces for the ARIEL M1 primary mirror. He subsequently worked as a researcher for the Arcetri Astrophysical Observatory in Florence (INAF-OAA), where he contributed to the mechanical design and performance analysis of some components of the ARIEL telescope. In October 2023, he started his PhD programme at the University of Florence, where he is focusing on the manufacturing modelling and optimization of mechanical components and mirrors manufactured using Single-Point Diamond Turning within the ARIEL project, developing dedicated strategies and procedures.