Abstract: With view factors to trace reflected energy for radiative factors,effect of thermal control coating on temperature distribution in a hollow cylinder in outer space under solar incidence is studied.A finite difference method is used to discrete three-dimensional steady energy equation in circular cylindrical coordinates.Radiation-conduction boundary condition is used.Patankar linearization method is used to linearize boundary condition and iteration method is used to solve the nominal linearized equations.Temperature distribution within a hollow cylinder is obtained.Emitting properties of thermal control coatings are approximately expressed by a series of rectangular spectral bands.The methods can be extended to solve precisely temperature distribution within apparatus of spacecraft in outer space.

Key words: thermal control coating, radiation, view factor, radiative transfer factor, hollow cylinder