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Utilizing radioisotope power system waste heat for spacecraft thermal management (Document No: 20060005194)
| Content Provider | NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS) |
|---|---|
| Author | Schrieber, Jeffrey G. Geng, Steven M. Tobery, E. Wayne Pantano, David R. Dottore, Frank Palko, Joseph L. |
| Copyright Year | 2005 |
| Description | One of the advantages of using a Radioisotope Power System (RPS) for deep space or planetary surface missions is the readily available waste heat, which can be used to maintain electronic components within a controlled temperature range, to warm propulsion tanks and mobility actuators, and to gasify liquid propellants. Previous missions using Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators (RTGs) dissipated a very large quantity of waste heat due to the relatively low efficiency of the thermoelectric conversion technology. The next generation RPSs, such as the 110-watt Stirling Radioisotope Generator (SRG110) will have much higher conversion efficiencies than their predecessors and therefore may require alternate approaches to transferring waste heat to the spacecraft. RTGs, with efficiencies of approx. 6 to 7% and 200 C housing surface temperatures, would need to use large and heavy radiator heat exchangers to transfer the waste heat to the internal spacecraft components. At the same time, sensitive spacecraft instruments must be shielded from the thermal radiation by using the heat exchangers or additional shields. The SRG110, with an efficiency around 22% and 50 C nominal housing surface temperature, can use the available waste heat more efficiently by more direct heat transfer methods such as heat pipes, thermal straps, or fluid loops. The lower temperatures allow the SRG110 much more flexibility to the spacecraft designers in configuring the generator without concern of overheating nearby scientific instruments, thereby eliminating the need for thermal shields. This paper will investigate using a high efficiency SRG110 for spacecraft thermal management and outline potential methods in several conceptual missions (Lunar Rover, Mars Rover, and Titan Lander) to illustrate the advantages with regard to ease of assembly, less complex interfaces, and overall mass savings. |
| File Size | 2177705 |
| Page Count | 27 |
| File Format | |
| Alternate Webpage(s) | http://archive.org/details/NASA_NTRS_Archive_20060005194 |
| Archival Resource Key | ark:/13960/t1hj1gv70 |
| Language | English |
| Publisher Date | 2005-01-01 |
| Access Restriction | Open |
| Subject Keyword | Spacecraft Propulsion And Power Spacecraft Instruments Spacecraft Components Thermoelectric Generators Temperature Control Radioisotope Batteries Waste Heat Roving Vehicles Ntrs Nasa Technical Reports Server (ntrs) Nasa Technical Reports Server Aerodynamics Aircraft Aerospace Engineering Aerospace Aeronautic Space Science |
| Content Type | Text |
| Resource Type | Article |
