Electrical/thermal integration of dynamic power and life support systems for manned spacecraft.
Dynamic power and life support systems electrical/ thermal integration for manned spacecraft using low temperature Rankine cycle generator
Coggi, J. V.↗
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Maturation of Dynamic Power Convertors for RPS Robotic Space Exploration
NASA is developing dynamic power conversion technologies for future robotic space science and exploration missions powered by Radioisotope Power Systems (RPS). The Dynamic Radioisotope Power Systems (DRPS) Project is working to mature numerous dynamic power convertors and controllers for potential infusion into future flight generators. Maturation of power conversion technologies is being managed by the RPS Program and executed by the DRPS Project and Thermal Energy Conversion Branch located at NASA’s Glenn Research Center (GRC). Convertor maturation includes multiple convertor technology development contracts to deliver new prototypes and continued testing of relevant legacy convertors, commissioned during past projects. The convertor technology development contracts include two Stirling contractor teams and one Brayton team. All contracts have now completed prototype fabrication and testing planned during Phase 2. Government assessment of the new prototypes includes verification of performance in relevant environments and validation of the design with a focus on robustness.
Scott Wilson↗
Maturation of Dynamic Power Convertors for RPS Robotic Space Exploration
NASA is developing dynamic power conversion technologies for future robotic space science and exploration missions powered by Radioisotope Power Systems (RPS). The Dynamic Radioisotope Power Systems (DRPS) Project is working to mature numerous dynamic power convertors and controllers for potential infusion into future flight generators. Maturation of power conversion technologies is being managed by the RPS Program and executed by the DRPS Project and Thermal Energy Conversion Branch located at NASA’s Glenn Research Center (GRC). Convertor maturation includes multiple convertor technology development contracts to deliver new prototypes and continued testing of relevant legacy convertors, commissioned during past projects. The convertor technology development contracts include two Stirling contractor teams and one Brayton team. All contracts have now completed prototype fabrication and testing planned during Phase 2. Government assessment of the new prototypes includes verification of performance in relevant environments and validation of the design with a focus on robustness.
Scott Wilson↗
Solar dynamic heat rejection technology. Task 1: System concept development
The results are presented of a concept development study of heat rejection systems for Space Station solar dynamic power systems. The heat rejection concepts are based on recent developments in high thermal transport capacity heat pipe radiators. The thermal performance and weights of each of the heat rejection subsystems is addressed in detail, and critical technologies which require development tests and evaluation for successful demonstration are assessed and identified. Baseline and several alternate heat rejection system configurations and optimum designs are developed for both Brayton and Rankine cycles. The thermal performance, mass properties, assembly requirements, reliability, maintenance requirements and life cycle cost are determined for each configuration. A specific design was then selected for each configuration which represents an optimum design for that configuration. The final recommendations of heat rejection system configuration for either the Brayton or Rankine cycles depend on the priorities established for the evaluation criteria.
Gustafson, Eric↗
800 Hours of Operational Experience from a 2 kW(sub e) Solar Dynamic System
From December 1994 to September 1998, testing with a 2 kW(sub e) Solar Dynamic power system resulted in 33 individual tests, 886 hours of solar heating, and 783 hours of power generation. Power generation ranged from 400 watts to over 2 kW(sub e), and SD system efficiencies have been measured up to 17 per cent, during simulated low-Earth orbit operation. Further, the turbo-alternator-compressors successfully completed 100 start/stops on foil bearings. Operation was conducted in a large thermal/vacuum facility with a simulated Sun at the NASA Lewis Research Center. The Solar Dynamic system featured a closed Brayton conversion unit integrated with a solar heat receiver, which included thermal energy storage for continuous power output through a typical low-Earth orbit. Two power conversion units and three alternator configurations were used during testing. This paper will review the test program, provide operational and performance data, and review a number of technology issues.
Shaltens, Richard K.↗
Experimental Data for Two Different Alternator Configurations in a Solar Brayton Power System
A solar dynamic (SD) space power system has been under test at the NASA Lewis Research Center since 1994. The SD Ground Test Demonstration (GTD) system includes a solar concentrator, heat receiver with thermal energy storage, Brayton power conversion unit, and radiator installed in a thermal-vacuum chamber with a solar simulator. The Brayton unit has been operated with two different turboalternator compressor (TAC) assemblies, one which included a Rice Lundell alternator and another which incorporated a permanent magnet (PM) alternator. The Rice alternator was part of the mini-Brayton rotating unit, designed and built during the 1970's and refurbished for the GTD. The PM TAC was a development unit from the Joint US/Russian SD Flight Project. This paper highlights the operational differences (and similarities) between the Rice and PM TAC configurations including a comparative evaluation of startup characteristics and operating performance. The two alternator configurations were tested under similar thermal conditions, as an interchangeable component within the SD system. The electrical characteristics of the two units, however, dictated the use of significantly different power conditioning and control strategies. The electrical control architectures are described and compared. Test data are presented on TAC startup and system operating performance for both configurations.
Mason, Lee S.↗
Mars power system concept definition study. Volume 1: Study results
A preliminary top level study was completed to define power system concepts applicable to Mars surface applications. This effort included definition of power system requirements and selection of power systems with the potential for high commonality. These power systems included dynamic isotope, Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) regenerative fuel cell, sodium sulfur battery, photovoltaic, and reactor concepts. Design influencing factors were identified. Characterization studies were then done for each concept to determine system performance, size/volume, and mass. Operations studies were done to determine emplacement/deployment maintenance/servicing, and startup/shutdown requirements. Technology development roadmaps were written for each candidate power system (included in Volume 2). Example power system architectures were defined and compared on a mass basis. The dynamic isotope power system and nuclear reactor power system architectures had significantly lower total masses than the photovoltaic system architectures. Integrated development and deployment time phasing plans were completed for an example DIPS and reactor architecture option to determine the development strategies required to meet the mission scenario requirements.
Littman, Franklin D.↗
Design of the Heat Receiver for the U.S./Russia Solar Dynamic Power Joint Flight Demonstration
A joint U.S./Russia program is being conducted to develop, fabricate, launch, and operate a solar dynamic demonstration system on Space Station Mir. The goal of the program is to demonstrate and confirm that solar dynamic power systems are viable for future space applications such as the International Space Station Alpha The major components of the system include a heat receiver, a closed Brayton cycle power conversion unit, a power conditioning and control unit, a concentrator, a radiator, a thermal control system, and a Space Shuttle Carrier. This paper discusses the design of the heat receiver component. The receiver comprises a cylindrical cavity, the walls of which are lined with a series of tubes running the length of the cavity. The engine working fluid, a mixture of xenon and helium, is heated by the concentrated sunlight incident on these tubes. The receiver incorporates integral thermal storage, using a eutectic mixture of lithium fluoride and calcium difluoride as the thermal storage solid-to-liquid phase change materiaL This thermal storage is required to enable power production during eclipse. The phase change material is contained in a series of individual containment canisters.
Strumpf, Hal J.↗
Development of an integrated heat pipe-thermal storage system for a solar receiver
The Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) Solar Dynamic Power System (SDPS) is one of the candidates for Space Station prime power application. In the low Earth orbit of the Space Station approximately 34 minutes of the 94-minute orbital period is spent in eclipse with no solar energy input to the power system. For this period the SDPS will use thermal energy storage (TES) material to provide a constant power output. An integrated heat-pipe thermal storage receiver system is being developed as part of the ORC-SDPS solar receiver. This system incorporates potassium heat pipe elements to absorb and transfer the solar energy within the receiver cavity. The heat pipes contain the TES canisters within the potassium vapor space with the toluene heater tube used as the condenser region of the heat pipe. During the insolation period of the Earth orbit, solar energy is delivered to the heat pipe in the ORC-SDPS receiver cavity. The heat pipe transforms the non-uniform solar flux incident in the heat pipe surface within the receiver cavity to an essentially uniform flux at the potassium vapor condensation interface in the heat pipe. During solar insolation, part of the thermal energy is delivered to the heater tube and the balance is stored in the TES units. During the eclipse period of the orbit, the balance stored in the TES units is transferred by the potassium vapor to the toluene heater tube.
Keddy, E. S.↗
An automated dynamic load for power system development
This paper describes a dynamic load which is computer-controlled and has an increased bandwidth of more than 10 times that commercially available at the time the development of the project began. The load is 3 kW with a bandwidth of 35 kHz. The hardware and software are described, and the control circuitry is shown.
Whitehead, Norma Dugal↗
Heat transfer in space power and propulsion systems
NASA's planned Space Station has projected power requirements in the 75-300 kW range; attention is presently given to the range of power system configurations thus far proposed. These are a silicon solar cell system incorporating regenerative fuel cell or battery storage, with a 10-year lifetime, a solar-dynamic power system with phase-change or regenerative fuel cell energy storage, and a combination of these two alternatives. A development status evaluation is also given for the propulsion systems that may be used by next-generation boosters. These include such novel airbreathing systems as turboramjets, air liquefaction cycle rockets, airturboramjet/rockets, and supersonic combustion ramjets.
Hendricks, R. C.↗
High-Flux, High-Temperature Thermal Vacuum Qualification Testing of a Solar Receiver Aperture Shield
As part of the International Space Station (ISS) Phase 1 program, NASA Lewis Research Center (LERC) and the Russian Space Agency (RSA) teamed together to design, build and flight test the world's first orbital Solar Dynamic Power System (SDPS) on the Russian space station Mir. The Solar Dynamic Flight Demonstration (SDFD) program was to operate a nominal 2 kWe SDPS on Mir for a period up to 1-year starting in late 1997. Unfortunately, the SDFD mission was demanifested from the ISS phase 1 shuttle program in early 1996. However, substantial flight hardware and prototypical flight hardware was built including a heat receiver and aperture shield. The aperture shield comprises the front face of the cylindrical cavity heat receiver and is located at the focal plane of the solar concentrator. It is constructed of a stainless steel plate with a 1-m outside diameter, a 0.24-m inside diameter and covered with high-temperature, refractory metal Multi-Foil Insulation (MFI). The aperture shield must minimize heat loss from the receiver cavity, provide a stiff, high strength structure to accommodate shuttle launch loads and protect receiver structures from highly concentrated solar fluxes during concentrator off-pointing events. To satisfy Mir operational safety protocols, the aperture shield was required to accommodate direct impingement of the intensely concentrated solar image for a 1-hour period. To verify thermal-structural durability under the anticipated high-flux, high-temperature loading, an aperture shield test article was constructed and underwent a series of two tests in a large thermal vacuum chamber configured with a reflective, point-focus solar concentrator and a solar simulator. The test article was positioned near the focal plane and exposed to concentrated solar flux for a period of 1-hour. In the first test, a near equilibrium temperature of 1862 K was attained in the center of the shield hot spot. In the second test, with increased incident flux, a near equilibrium temperature of 2072 K was achieved. The aperture shield sustained no visible damage as a result of the exposures. This paper describes the aperture shield thermal-vacuum qualification test program including the test article, test facility, procedures, data collection, test success criteria, results and conclusions.
Kerslake, Thomas W.↗
Boiling on Microconfigured Composite Surfaces Enhanced
Boiling heat transfer is one of the key technologies for the two-phase active thermal-control system used on space platforms, as well as for the dynamic power systems aboard the International Space Station. Because it is an effective heat transfer mode, boiling is integral to many space applications, such as heat exchangers and other cooling devices. Nucleate boiling near the critical heat flux (CHF) can transport very large thermal loads with a much smaller device and much lower pumping power than for single-phase heat exchangers. However, boiling performance sharply deteriorates in a reduced-gravity environment, and operation in the CHF regime is somewhat perilous because of the risk of burnout to the device surface. New materials called microconfigured metal-graphite composites can enhance boiling. The photomicrograph shows the microconfiguration (x3000) of the copper-graphite (Cu-Gr) surface as viewed by scanning electronic microscope. The graphite fiber tips appear as plateaus with rugged surfaces embedded in the copper matrix. It has been experimentally demonstrated that this type of material manifests excellent boiling heat transfer performance characteristics and an increased CHF. Nonisothermal surfaces were less sensitive to variations of wall superheat in the CHF regime. Because of the great difference in conductivity between the copper base and the graphite fiber, the composite surfaces have a nonisothermal surface characteristic and, therefore, will have a much larger "safe" operating region in the CHF regime. In addition, the thermocapillary forces induced by the temperature differences between the fiber tips and the metal matrix play an important role in bubble detachment, and may not be adversely affected in a reduced-gravity environment. All these factors indicate that microconfigured composites may improve the reliability and economy (dominant factors in all space applications) of various thermal components found on spacecraft during future missions.
Chao, David F.↗
Some operational aspects of a rotating advanced-technology space station for the year 2025
The study of an Advanced Technology Space Station which would utilize the capabilities of subsystems projected for the time frame of the years 2000 to 2025 is discussed. The study includes tradeoffs of nuclear versus solar dynamic power systems that produce power outputs of 2.5 megawatts and analyses of the dynamics of the spacecraft of which portions are rotated for artificial gravity. The design considerations for the support of a manned Mars mission from low Earth orbit are addressed. The studies extend to on-board manufacturing, internal gas composition effects, and locomotion and material transfer under artificial gravity forces. The report concludes with an assessment of technology requirements for the Advanced Technology Space Station.
Queijo, M. J.↗
Integrated heat pipe-thermal storage system performance evaluation
An integrated thermal energy storage (TES) system, developed as a part of an organic Rankine cycle solar dynamic power system is described, and the results of the performance verification tests of this TES system are presented. The integrated system consists of potassium heat-pipe elements that incorporate TES canisters within the vapor space, along with an organic fluid heater tube used as the condenser region of the heat pipe. The heat pipe assembly was operated through the range of design conditions from the nominal design input of 4.8 kW to a maximum of 5.7 kW. The performance verification tests show that the system meets the functional requirements of absorbing the solar energy reflected by the concentrator, transporting the energy to the organic Rankine heater, providing thermal storage for the eclipse phase, and allowing uniform discharge from the thermal storage to the heater.
Keddy, E.↗
Development of an integrated heat pipe-thermal storage system for a solar receiver
An integrated heat pipe-thermal storage system was developed as part of the Organic Rankine Cycle Solar Dynamic Power System solar receiver for space station application. The solar receiver incorporates potassium heat pipe elements to absorb and transfer the solar energy within the receiver cavity. The heat pipes contain thermal energy storage (TES) canisters within the vapor space with a toluene heater tube used as the condenser region of the heat pipe. During the insolation period of the earth orbit, solar energy is delivered to the heat pipe. Part of this thermal energy is delivered to the heater tube and the balance is stored in the TES units. During the eclipse period of earth orbit, the stored energy in the TES units is transferred by the potassium vapor to the toluene heater tube. A developmental heat pipe element was constructed that contains axial arteries and a distribution wick connecting the toluene heater and the TES units to the solar insolation surface of the heat pipe. Tests were conducted to demonstrate the heat pipe, TES units, and the heater tube operation. The heat pipe element was operated at design input power of 4.8 kW. Thermal cycle tests were conducted to demonstrate the successful charge and discharge of the TES units. Axial power flux levels up to 15 watts/sq cm were demonstrated and transient tests were conducted on the heat pipe element. Details of the heat pipe development and test procedures are presented.
Keddy, E.↗
Control/structure interactions of Freedom's solar dynamic modules
The purpose of this paper is to address potential control/structures interaction (CSI) problems of large flexible multibody structures in the presence of pointing and tracking requirements. A control approach is introduced for the simultaneous tracking and vibration control of multibody space structures. The application that is discussed is Space Station Freedom configured with solar dynamic (SD) modules. The SD fine-pointing and tracking requirements may necessitate controller frequencies above the structural natural frequencies of Freedom and the SD modules. It is well known that this can give rise to CSI problems if the controller is designed without due consideration given to the structural dynamics of the system. In this paper, possible CSI problems of Freedom's solar dynamic power systems are demonstrated using a simple lumped mass model. A NASTRAN model of Freedom developed at NASA Lewis is used to demonstrate potential CSI problems and the proposed tracking and vibration control approach.
Quinn, R. D.↗
Stirling System Modeling for Space Nuclear Power Systems
A dynamic model of a high-power Stirling convertor has been developed for space nuclear power systems modeling. The model is based on the Component Test Power Convertor (CTPC), a 12.5-kWe free-piston Stirling convertor. The model includes the fluid heat source, the Stirling convertor, output power and heat rejection. The Stirling convertor model includes the Stirling cycle thermodynamics, heat flow, mechanical mass-spring damper systems, and the linear alternator. The model was validated against test data. Both nonlinear and linear versions of the model were developed. The linear version algebraically couples two separate linear dynamic models; one model of the Stirling cycle and one model of the thermal system, through the pressure factors. Future possible uses of the Stirling system dynamic model are discussed. A pair of commercially available 1-kWe Stirling convertors is being purchased by NASA Glenn Research Center. The specifications of those convertors may eventually be incorporated into the dynamic model and analysis compared to the convertor test data. Subsequent potential testing could include integrating the convertors into a pumped liquid metal hot-end interface. This test would provide more data for comparison to the dynamic model analysis.
Lewandowski, Edward J.↗