Direct drive options for electric propulsion systems

Power processing units (PPUs) in an electric propulsion system provide many challenging integration issues. The PPU must provide power to the electric thruster while maintaining compatibility with all of the spacecraft power and data systems. Inefficiencies in the power processor produce heat, which must be radiated to the environment in order to ensure reliable operation. Although PPU efficiencies are generally greater than 0.9, heat loads are often substantial. This heat must be rejected by thermal control systems which generally have specific masses of 15-30 kg/kW. PPUs also represent a large fraction of the electric propulsion system dry mass. Simplification or elimination of power processing in a propulsion system would reduce the electric propulsion system specific mass and improve the overall reliability and performance. A direct drive system would eliminate all or some of the power supplies required to operate a thruster by directly connecting the various thruster loads to the solar array. The development of concentrator solar arrays has enabled power bus voltages in excess of 300 V which is high enough for direct drive applications for Hall thrusters such as the Stationary Plasma Thruster (SPT). The option of solar array direct drive for SPTs is explored to provide a comparison between conventional and direct drive system mass     

蓄热式太阳能热光伏-热推进双模系统设计与性能分析

为有效解决在日蚀区太阳能热推进器推力失效、电力中断的问题,提出了蓄热式太阳能热光伏-热推进双模系统结构,并对系统各部件建立相关物理数学模型,分析了工质种类、工质流量等因素对推进性能的影响。结果表明,为保证推进器在日蚀区30min内持续提供推力和电力供应,砷化镓热光伏电池在无工质工况下能提供10W左右的低功率电力供应,在设计工况下能提供50W～110W的电力供应;液氢作为工质时,最大比冲将达到806s,随着工质流量的持续增加,比冲损失速率呈现先加快后减慢的变化趋势;液氨作为替代工质具有更快的加热速率,其比冲为240s～300s远低于氢工质比冲,其推力系数1.77要略高于氢工质推力系数1.7。通过本文研究,蓄热式太阳能双模推进系统具有较好的可行性,且推力及比冲适中,有望弥补低比冲化学推进和小推力电推进技术的不足。     

Integration of Large Power Systems into Manned Space Stations

Essential design factors and system characteristics are explored for integration of large power systems into manned space stations. The impact of the type of power system selected upon the space station is outlined, as is the impact of the mission requirements upon the selection of power systems. Criteria for resolving the selection/application/ integration problems are provided. Comparisons between systems are based on recently defined space-station models for 90-day to five-year mission durations in the 1970' s, with four-to nine-man crews. Power systems encompass power levels from 3 to 50 kWe and include solar cell/battery. fuel cell, hybrid fuel cell/solar cell, radioisotope, and nuclear reactor systems. Thermoelectric, Brayton cycle, organic Rankine, and liquid-metal Rankine power conversion systems are considered for the nuclear energy sources. Both rigid and roll-out photovoltaic array configurations are analyzed with respect to the solar energy source.     

Applications of Brayton cycle technology to space power

The Closed Brayton Cycle (CBC) power conversion cycle can be used with a wide range of heat sources for space power applications. These heat sources include solar concentrator, radioisotope, and reactor. With a solar concentrator, a solar dynamic ground demonstration test using existing Brayton components is being assembled for testing at NASA Lewis Research Center (LeRC). This 2-kWe system has a turbine inlet temperature of 1015 K and is a complete end-to-end simulation of the Space Station Freedom solar dynamic design. With a radioisotope heat source, a 1-kWe Dynamic Isotope Power System (DIPS) is under development using an existing turboalternator compressor (TAC) for testing at the same NASA-LeRC facility. This DIPS unit is being developed as a replacement to Radioisotopic Thermoelectric Generators (RTGs) to conserve the Pu-238 supply for interplanetary exploration. With a reactor heat source, many studies have been performed coupling the SP-100 reactor with a Brayton power conversion cycle. Applications for this reactor/CBC system include global communications satellites and electric propulsion for interplanetary exploration. applications. The CBC consists of a heater, turboalternator compressor (TAC), cooler, and recuperator. A mixture of He and Xe is used as the working fluid in the CBC system. The He provides superior heat transfer characteristics in the heater, cooler, and recuperator. The Xe adjusts the molecular weight to provide superior aerodynamic performance for maximized turbine and compressor efficiency. Cycle studies are performed to select the optimum He/Xe molecular weight or He to Xe mixture ratio. The following presents the characteristics and advantages of using the CBC for space power applications, CBC development status, characteristics and applications of the CBC with each of the heat sources, and finally performance projections     

分布式电推进飞机电力系统研究综述

继飞机二次能源逐步统一为电能形成多电/全电飞机之后,电推进技术成为飞机动力系统电气化的重要发展方向,有望进一步提高飞机动力系统能量转换效率、降低燃油消耗和排放,代表了航空电气化的高级阶段。飞机电力系统及相关技术是支撑电推进技术发展的重要基础。系统总结了电推进飞机的类型与发展现状,论述了飞机混合动力系统及分布式电推进系统的基本概念、特点与意义。阐述了航空电推进系统的基本结构,比较了适用于分布式电推进系统的电力系统架构,系统分析了实现电推进技术所需的高效高功率密度电机、高效大容量功率变换器和综合热管理等关键技术。小型纯电动飞机正在逐步迈向实用化,而分布式混合电推进技术是中大型飞机电气化的重要方向,仍然需要航空机电和动力系统等交叉融合与创新发展。     

蓄热式太阳能热光伏-热推进双模系统换热特性数值模拟研究

本文通过三维数值模拟研究蓄热式太阳能热光伏-热推进双模系统的蓄/释热特性和推进性能。在蓄热式太阳能热推进系统工程模型的基础上,通过射线光学的光路分析验证了聚光器设计的合理性,并获得吸热腔壁面能量分布情况,进一步研究了相变蓄热过程的影响因素。基于场协同原理对热光伏再生冷却结构进行了优化设计,使热光伏具有较好的散热特性,提高发电功率;通过整机流动换热仿真,分析了工质流体在推进器内部的换热情况,计算结果表明,蓄热式热推进器具有达到734s比冲和0.9N推力的推进性能,以及能够满足日蚀区微小卫星的供电和推力需求。     

分布式电推进飞机动力系统评估优化方法

以电推进飞机的动力系统作为研究对象,开展了以下研究工作：采用电力系统潮流计算方法,分析了采用高压直流供电体制的分布式电推进飞机电气系统,模拟了其在稳定运行状态与断路故障状态下的能量流动关系,同时分析了直流电压等级对电气系统的影响。搭建了完整的分布式电推进飞机动力系统仿真模型,依据基于时间和基于高度的飞行剖面,对比分析了纯电推进与涡轮电推进架构在推进功率、推进效率与航程3个评价指标上的优劣。建立了动力系统典型部件的参数化模型,并使用符号规划算法对建立的参数化模型进行了优化计算,比较了传统涡轮推进与涡轮电推进架构下动力系统质量与燃油消耗率间的优化权衡关系。研究结果为分布式电推进飞机混合动力系统的设计提供了有价值的正向设计方法。     

POWOW: power without wires: a SEP concept for space exploration

Electric propulsion has emerged as a cost-effective solution to a wide range of satellite applications. Deep Space 1 successfully demonstrated electric propulsion as the primary propulsion source for a satellite. The POWOW concept is a solar-electric propelled spacecraft capable of significant cargo and short trip times for traveling to Mars. It would enter aerosynchronous orbit and from there, beam power to surface installations via lasers. The concept has been developed with industrial partner expertise in high efficiency solar cells, advanced concentrator modules, innovative arrays, and high power electric propulsion systems. The latest version of the spacecraft, the technologies used, and trip times to Mars are presented. The POWOW spacecraft is a general purpose solar electric propulsion system that uses new technologies that are directly applicable to commercial and government spacecraft with power levels ranging from a LEO power level of 4 kW up to GEO spacecraft about 1 MW. The system is modular, expandable, and amenable to learning curve cost projection methods     

基于自适应神经模糊推理算法的无人机电推进燃料电池供气系统性能优化

本文针对某无人机基于聚合物交换膜燃料电池和锂离子电池的混合动力电推进系统的应用,研究开发了一种基于自适应神经模糊推理系统的电源管理系统控制技术,以控制混合动力电力推进系统,同时优化燃料电池供气系统的性能。本文以所建立的某无人机混合电推进系统数学模型为研究对象,研究了燃料电池电流与燃料电池供气系统压缩机功率之间的关系,建立了燃料电池电流与最佳压缩机功率关系的参考模型。在参考模型的基础上,引入自适应控制器来优化燃料电池供气系统的性能。基于自适应神经模糊推理系统的控制器将压缩机的实际运行功率动态调整到参考模型中定义的最佳值。自适应控制器的在线学习和训练能力用来辨识燃料电池电流的非线性变化,并产生压缩机电机电压的控制信号,以优化燃料电池供气系统的性能。在Matlab 仿真环境中开发了质子交换膜燃料电池和锂离子混合动力电推进系统模型并对所设计的控制器进行了仿真分析,结果表明基于自适应神经模糊推理系统的控制器为燃料电池供气系统压缩机性能优化提供了一种新颖而全面的途径,使燃料电池供气系统获得最大净功率输出。将燃料电池系统的净功率输出与最佳压缩机功率和恒定压缩机功率进行了比较,结果表明优化的压缩机功率配置比恒定的压缩机功率配置节能2.62%。同时,燃料电池自适应神经模糊推理系统控制器优化了燃料电池供气系统的能量利用。     

超大功率电推进电源处理单元关键技术研究

针对深空探测等空间任务对超大功率(10kW~100kW范围)电推进系统的需求,通过对国内外超大功率电推进技术的调研,提出了一种50kW超大功率霍尔电推进系统电源处理单元（Power Processing Unit,PPU）设计方案,重点对核心的阳极电源关键技术进行研究,提出了四管Buck-Boost变换器和三相LLC谐振变换器级联的设计方案,为我国超大功率PPU的发展提供了技术参考。     

太阳能模型飞机的设计方法研究

从太阳能模型飞机的发展状况，分析了太阳能电池应用在航模飞机上的技术难点，针对机载平台、太阳能电池应用、推进系统三方面提出了合理的解决优化方案。实践表明了在光照充足的情况下，能达到只依靠太阳能电池作为动力，实现滑跑起飞的要求。     

水上电动飞机浮筒设计及起飞滑行

水上飞机起飞滑跑时低速滑行阶段的阻力变化规律对于其设计研究十分重要,而电动水上飞机正常起飞所需最大拉力是否匹配现有电推进系统是飞机改型设计的关键。首先,针对基准浮筒水阻力较大引起的纵向不稳定问题进行了优化设计,优化后浮筒水动性能有明显提高。其次,基于Fluent中的多相流（VOF）模型对水上电动飞机起飞滑跑阶段的力学特征进行了数值模拟计算,着重分析了不同速度下的姿态变化规律、阻力变化及流场特性。最后,对"阻力峰"这一节点下所需电推进系统功率进行了验证计算,结果显示现有装置满足起飞的动力要求;将实际起飞滑跑试验与仿真结果进行对比,结果显示力学特性变化规律基本一致,所得误差在15%之内,验证了仿真计算的可行性,所得结论可为电动水上飞机的研究设计提供借鉴。     

大功率空间核电推进技术研究进展

大功率空间核电推进系统是空间核电源技术和大功率电推进技术的高度融合,具有高能量密度、超高比冲、较大推力的优势,可适用于超大型航天器轨道转移任务、远距离无人深空探测任务、载人火星等大型深空探测任务,能够极大地拓展人类深空探测的能力。本文针对大功率空间核电推进技术,对其工作原理和系统组成进行了介绍,同时开展了关键技术梳理,重点归纳了国内外在技术领域的研究历程和最新进展。     

Space power systems requirements and issues: the next decade

Some of the more important space power technology issues, requirements, and challenges of the 1990s are described, and the impact of new component technology on the overall performance of space power systems is assessed. Advanced component, subsystem and system technologies that will significantly affect the performance, reliability, and survivability of next-generation baseload and burst mode space power systems are emphasized. Technology disciplines related to power sources (solar/nuclear and chemical), power conversion, energy storage, power conditioning/distribution and control, and waste-heat acquisition, transport, and rejection are primarily addressed. For some of them, performance trends that can be used as the basis for projecting future advanced power-system performance are developed. Performance capabilities for several different types of space power system for both baseload and burst mode applications are postulated on the basis of evolving technology and point designs that incorporate projections of advanced component capabilities     

A Future Solar Orbital Transfer Vehicle Concept

The limiting performance of any orbital transfer vehicle (OTV) is fixed by its mass characteristics and the energy content of its propellant. The direct heating of hydrogen to high temperatures can produce practical specific impulses of 790 s which is to be compared with the liquid oxygen/liquid hydrogen limit of about 480 s in practical systems. A solar orbital transfer vehicle (SOTV) has been designed which utilizes a 100 m diameter concentrator system to provide the approximate 10 MW of thermal power needed to provide a nominal thrust level of 2780 N. The SOTV offers a compromise between typical chemical OTVs and electric propulsion OTVs. The SOTV can deliver 16 000 kg to geosynchronous orbit and 5000-10 000 kg to the inner planets. A four-week period for the assembly and payload integration for the SOTV has been found necessary. Several techniques for controlling the thrust level and thermal soak of the heat exchanger have been examined. Two of these, an expandable pupil stop reflector and concentrator surface deformation, are highly competitive. Considerable mission injection opportunity flexibility is possible with more than a 10 h launch window centered about each of local dusk and dawn.     

Electric space propulsion systems

Active development of electric thrustors began 10 years ago. Today, several kinds of thrustors have achieved efficiencies above 90 % and lifetimes of several thousand hours. The following article derives the basic theory of electric thrust production at constant exhaust velocity, and at variable exhaust velocity programmed for optimum vehicle performance. Electrothermal or arcjet; electrostatic or ion; and electrodynamic or plasma thrustors are described. At the present time, ion thrustors of the electron bombardment and of the surface ionization types are the most promising systems. Electric power in space may be generated by solar cells or nuclear-electric generators. It is expected that the incore thermionic converter will eventually be the preferred system. A variety of missions with electric propulsion systems appear feasible and highly desirable, among them orbital station keeping, attitude control, planetary probes, solar and out-of-the-ecliptic probes, deep-space probes, and manned Mars and Venus exploration. For each mission, a careful systems-design study must be made, which will provide the optimum selection of thrustor type, thrust level, exhaust velocity, thrust program, power source, trajectory, and flight plan.     

混合小推力航天器轨道保持高性能滑模控制

针对采用太阳帆、太阳电混合小推力推进的航天器，研究了其在日心悬浮轨道的保持控制问题。为解决已有控制方法中未综合考虑内部未建模动态和外部未知扰动的问题，以及进一步提高系统控制性能，设计了一种高性能滑模控制策略。首先，考虑模型不确定性，建立了混合小推力航天器在日心悬浮轨道柱面坐标系的动力学方程；其次，基于改进型条件积分滑模面和径向基（RBF）神经网络设计了控制律，结合自适应方法在线估计不确定参数；接着，将求取的虚拟控制量在推进剂最优条件下转换成实际控制量，即太阳帆姿态角和太阳电推进力；最后，数值仿真验证了上述设计方法提高了系统鲁棒性，减小了轨道位置超调，并且混合推进相比于单一太阳帆推进，在更短收敛时间内控制精度提高了4个数量级，相比于单一太阳电推进，一年可以节省约89.6%的推进剂。     

Method of energy efficiency assessment for power supply of autonomous drive systems for perspective mobile objects

Based on an integrated approach, we solve the optimization problem for energy content and weight-dimensional characteristics of the electric servo drive by synthesis of structure and analysis of characteristics for different power supplies. The generalized power supply model, developed for different power supply of drive control systems, is given.     

Present needs,capabilities, and future prospects in rocket technology for space research

The paper is a review of the past, present, and future of rocket technology, relating these to the propulsion requirements for exploration of the solar system. It reviews the U.S.A. approach to planning its launch-vehicle programs for space exploration, covers the present capabilities of the U.S.A. family of launch vehicles, and discusses some technology possibilities for future propulsion systems.     

碘工质电推进系统的储供设计及实验研究

碘工质以其低成本、低压且高密度贮存等特点越来越受到重视,承担固气相变和流量供给功能的储供系统是碘工质电推进系统的关键组件。为了提高直接影响阴极和推力器性能的流量供给准确性和稳定性,设计了可采用多种加热方式的碘工质储供系统,结合用于真空舱内的高精度质量传感器,实现了流量的动态监测及mg/s级别的碘蒸气流量控制。针对储罐外部加热、内部辐射加热以及二者复合加热三种加热方式开展实验测量,探究其对流量大小和稳定性的影响规律。结果表明,三种加热方式在满足实验所需条件下均可长期供给稳定流量,辐射加热式的响应时间最快,仅需要10min左右,而外部加热则超过1h;复合加热的方式热控调节虽更为复杂,但可以进一步降低功耗。