Parametric cost model for solar space power and DIPS systems

A detailed cost model has been developed to parametrically determine the program development and production cost of photovoltaic, solar dynamic, and dynamic isotope (DIPS) space power systems. The model is applicable in the net electrical power range of 3 to 300 kWe for solar power and 0.5 to 10 kWe for DIPS. Application of the cost model allows spacecraft or space-based power system architecture and design trade studies or budgetary forecasting and cost benefit analyses. The cost model considers all major power subsystems (i.e., power generation, power conversion, energy storage, thermal management, and power management/distribution/control). It also considers system cost effects such as integration, testing, and management. The cost breakdown structure, model assumptions, ground rules, bases, cost estimation relationship format, and rationale are presented, and the application of the cost model to 100-kWe solar space power plants and to a 1.0-kWe DIPS is demonstrated     

First Mars outpost power systems

Research into potential power systems for the First Mars Outpost (FMO) was performed. The author examined a representative mission architecture which was developed by NASA to determine power system requirements. Power system options including nuclear, isotope, photovoltaic (PV), chemical heat engine, and regenerative fuel cell (RFC) concepts were identified for potential Mars surface applications. A top-level characterization study was conducted to determine power system mass and area for each application. It is seen that PV systems are generally not suited for Mars surface applications due to the large surface area required and higher mass than a closed Brayton cycle SP100 reactor system. A reactor is currently being considered by NASA Lewis Research Center to provide power for base architectures including an ISRU (in situ resource utilization). An oxygen/methane powered heat engine would provide 40 kWe of emergency power for the habitat. A dynamic isotope power system (DIPS) is the current choice for a long-duration pressurized rover due to the excessive size of a PV/RFC system and higher mass of a heat engine system. DIPS has advantages for other low power systems due to its neatly immediate availability and flexibility (night or day power; no recharging required)     

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.     

闭式布雷顿循环发电系统热力过程建模及其参数影响研究

针对闭式布雷顿循环发电系统热力循环过程及其参数影响,开展系统的热力过程参数建模研究,建立系统发电功率、比功率和效率的计算模型;在此基础上,研究闭式布雷顿循环发电系统比功率和效率随涡轮入口总温及效率、压气机入口总温、压气机压比及效率、累积总压恢复系数等的变化规律,考虑参数灵敏度及其优化潜力,提出可用灵敏度并对系统的比功率和效率进行灵敏度分析。研究表明,闭式布雷顿循环发电系统的比功率和效率随涡轮入口总温及效率、压气机压比及效率、系统累积总压恢复系数等参数的增大而增高,随压气机入口总温的增大而减小。在压气机入口总温、压比与效率、涡轮入口总温及效率、累积总压恢复系数等主要热力参数中,系统比功率灵敏度最高的参数为涡轮效率,系统效率灵敏度最高的参数为压气机压比。考虑参数的实际优化潜力,在循环工质一定的条件下,系统比功率可用灵敏度最高的参数为涡轮入口总温,系统效率可用灵敏度最高的参数为压气机压比。     

变温热源回热式布雷顿循环的功率密度特性

用有限时间热力学方法分析变温热源条件下不可逆回热式布雷顿循环的功率密度特性，计人工质与高、低温测换热器的热阻损失，压气机、涡轮机的不可逆压缩和膨胀损失和管路系统中的压力损失，导出了功率密度与压比间的解析式，并通过数值计算将对应于最大功率密度时的一些参数与对应圩最大功率时的同样参数进行了比较。     

恒温热源条件下实际回热式布雷顿循环的功率密度优化

计人工质与高、低温侧换热器和回热器的热阻损失、压气机和涡轮机中不可逆压缩和膨胀损失及管路系统中的压力损失，用有限时间热力学方法，导出了恒温热源条件下实际回热式布雷顿循环功率密度与压比间的解析式，借助于数值计算，研究了高、低温侧换热器和回热器的热导率分配对最大功率密度的影响。     

不可逆中冷回热布雷顿循环功率密度优化

用有限时间热力学的方法，在给定总热导率的情况下，以功率密度为目标，通过数值计算，对恒温热源条件下不可逆中冷回热布雷顿循环高、低温侧换热器的热导率分配和中间压比进行了优化，分析了不可逆性对循环功率密度特性的影响。     

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     

High efficiency dynamic radioisotope power systems for spaceexploration-a status report

Background on the space exploration program is discussed, and the currently identified NASA exploration missions are contrasted with the missions that were being planned a year ago. Developments in high-efficiency dynamic radioisotope power systems are discussed: and Brayton and Stirling power conversion cycles are compared for the missions planned for the next decade. Issues related to the use of high-efficiency radioisotope (HER) power systems are identified. It is noted that HER power systems are approximately three times as efficient as current radioisotope thermoelectric generators(RTGs) and are therefore significantly cheaper. Additionally, the world's supply of ²³⁸Pu is extremely limited. Currently discussed missions would cut deeply into this supply if powered by RTGs     

Nonsteady behaviour of solar dynamic power systems with Stirling cycle for space stations

In the first part of this paper, a solar dynamic power system with a Stirling engine for space station application is described. Its unsteady behaviour is theoretically modelled and numerically simulated for four representative orbit configurations. The results are compared to that of a solar dynamic power module with a Brayton gas turbine.In the second part, it is shown that the complex nonsteady behaviour of solar dynamic power modules with either the Brayton cycle or Stirling cycle can be analysed in a simplified way with sufficient accuracy for practical purposes on the basis of parametrizations and simple energy balances.     

空间站太阳能吸热器蓄热性能地面模拟试验

利用相变材料 (PCM)的熔化潜热来蓄热可以保证空间站太阳能热动力系统在轨道的阴影期内仍能连续发电。针对这一核心技术 ,建立了空间太阳能吸热 -储热器单元换热器地面模拟实验台。在模拟轨道条件下 ,对不同入射热流、不同工质进口温度及不同工质流量进行了多种组合测试。结果表明 ,单管工质气体的出口温升在轨道的日照期和阴影期都达到了预期的要求 ,相变材料容器的最高温度和平均温度都处于材料的安全范围内。     

The past as prologue: a look at historical flight qualificationsfor space nuclear systems

The author examines what it means to flight qualify a space nuclear system. He reviews several qualification programs, including the general-purpose heat source radioisotope thermoelectric generators (GPHS-RTGs) as developed for the Galilee and Ulysses missions, the SNAP-10A space reactor, the Nuclear Engine for Rocket Vehicle Applications (NERVA), the F-1 chemical engine used on the Saturn-V, and the Space Shuttle Main Engines (SSMEs). Similarities and contrasts are noted     

布雷顿和卡诺热机循环性能比较(Ⅰ)定常态流恒温热源循环

研究定常态恒温热源热机循环性能，导出内可逆卡诺热机和布雷顿热机的最佳功率、效率关系和最大功率及相应的效率界限，并对这两种热机循环的最优性能进行了比较。理论分析表明，只有当工质的热容率趋于无穷大时，布雷顿循环才能达到卡诺循环的性能。数值计算显示，当布雷顿循环的工质热容率为高、低温侧换热器的热导率总量的1．5倍时，布雷顿循环的功率已为卡诺循环功率的99％以上。     

布雷顿和卡诺热机循环性能比较(Ⅰ)定常态流恒温热源循环

研究定常态恒温热源热机循环性能，导出内可逆卡诺热机和布雷顿热机的最佳功率、效率关系和最大功率及相应的效率界限，并对这两种热机循环的最优性能进行了比较。理论分析表明，只有当工质的热容率趋于无穷大时，布雷顿循环才能达到卡诺循环的性能。数值计算显示，当布雷顿循环的工质热容率为高、低温侧换热器的热导率总量的1．5倍时，布雷顿循环的功率已为卡诺循环功率的99％以上。     

Interdisciplinary summary of solar/interplanetary events during August 1972

The solar/interplanetary events in early August 1972 are summarized in Section 1 (Introduction), Section 2 (August 1972 Events in the Solar Cycle 20), Section 3 (Evolution of Solar Active Region: McMath region No. 11976 and its flare-activity), Section 4 (Radio, X-ray, and Proton Characteristics of Four Major Solar Flares: F-1 at 0316 UT on 2 August, F-2 at 1958 UT on 2 August, F-3 at 0626 UT on 4 August, and F-4 at 1522 UT on 7 August), Section 5 (Interplanetary Shock Waves: observations of the shock waves generated from the four major solar flares at several points in interplanetary space, the Earth, Pioneer-9, Pioneer-10, etc.; interplanetary scintillations; shock trajectories in the heliosphere), Section 6 (Variations of Solar and Galactic Cosmic Rays: four solar proton events observed in the vicinity of the earth and at the Pioneer-9 location in the course of interplanetary disturbances; Forbush decreases of cosmic ray intensity; the spikeshaped variation in solar and galactic cosmic rays on 5 August), and Section 7 (Conclusions).     

爆震燃气轮机的变比热容热力循环性能

为分析变比热容下爆震燃气轮机的热力循环性能,建立了考虑比热容随工质成分及温度变化的爆震燃气轮机热力循环模型,分析中同时考虑了压气机、燃烧室、透平等部件的效率.在不同比较条件下,利用变比热容法对比分析研究了燃气轮机爆震循环(DCGT)、Brayton循环和Humphrey循环燃气轮机的热力循环性能.计算结果表明:与Brayton循环相比,DCGT具有较大性能优势;在透平前温度为1620K且压比为16.5时,DCGT热效率较Brayton循环高28.8%;在无量纲吸热量为4.25且压比为16.5时,DCGT热效率则较Brayton循环高30.7%.      

基于金属铝水反应的固体氧化物燃料电池/氦氙布雷顿循环动力系统研究

为提高闭式动力装置续航,本文建立了一种基于金属铝水反应的闭式布雷顿循环与固体氧化物燃料电池(solid oxide fuel cell,SOFC)联合动力装置。本文以100 kW为输出功率为设计目标进行数学模型的建立,通过布雷顿循环与SOFC循环换热特点进行迭代分析,分别以最大化铝水放热量和提高铝水反应热品质为目标搭建了两个动力系统,并确定了联合动力装置的功率分配和主要参数的设计。结果表明：以提高铝水反应热品质为目标的系统在效率和能量密度方面更具优势。SOFC输出功率占50.98kW,布雷顿循环占49.13kW,系统发电效率为40.02%。     

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。     

高温相变单元管蓄热过程数值模拟

对以高温共晶盐 Li F-Ca F2 为相变材料 (PCM)和以干空气为工质的相变蓄热系统 ,采用焓方法建立了以控制体单元为对象的单管相变蓄热模型。在模拟空间站太阳能吸热 /储热器轨道运行参数下进行了数值计算。计算结果与地面模拟试验数据进行了比较 ,吻合良好。