a fire in the sky: combustion-based power for solar … · a fire in the sky: combustion-based...
TRANSCRIPT
A Fire In The Sky:�Combustion-Based Power For�
Solar System Exploration
Michael Paul The Penn State Applied Research Laboratory
[email protected] 814-865-9823
15th Small Bodies Assessment Group Meeting, June 29, 2016
SCEPS: Stored Chemical Energy & Power Systems For Underwater Use
PROPULSOR
Can SCEPS Be �Useful For Space Missions?
Canmetal‐combus/onpowersystemsenable
mid‐dura/onexplora/onmissionsto:
Venus?
TheAitkenBasin?
Titan?
A2011NASAIns/tuteforAdvancedConceptsProposal
PI:MichaelPaul(PennState);withJohnDankanich(GrayResearch),JamesKas/ng(PennState),Geoffrey
Landis(NASAGRC),TimMiller(PennState),andSteveOleson(NASAGRC)
Non‐RadioisotopePowerSystemsFor
SunlessSolarSystemExplora/onMissions
Combustor
FuelTank
StirlingEngine
Alternator
BalancerDemonstrated:n Fully Integrated System
n 3 kW Stirling Engine
n 39% Efficiency
n 80 hour Operation (Fuel Exhaustion)
n 645 We-hr / kg
Li/SF6 Stirling Engine System:�SCEPS Useful For Both Power And Duration
• Small Launch Vehicle
• 120-hr landed operations
• Diverse payload
• New Frontiers Scale on cost, scope
NIAC Phase I:�Showed Promising Application on Venus
23
0!
10!
20!
30!
40!
50!
60!
70!
80!
90!
2! 3.0! 20! 30! 63! 90!Time (min)!
Alti
tude
(km
)!
ASI Measurements Begin!
Deploy Parachute!& Heat Shield Separation! Deploy Landing Legs!
Release Parachute!& Backshell!
NMS & TLS Measurements Begin!
Descent Imager!
Landing and HG Antenna Deployment!
ALIVE Entry Descent and Landing
Combustion Chamber Full Of Lithium
Reactor Values Model ALIVE Qreaction 14151 W 13980 Qloss 844 W 5% Qout 13307 W 13300 W Tthermosiphon 850 C 850 C (max)
Total mLi required
246 kg 213 kg(including tank)
Potential to Meet ALIVE Requirements
Mdot CO2 Products mdot
Qloss 844W
Tsiphon 850 C
Qout 13307W
Qreaction 14151W
Tsurface 994 C
Twall 985 C
Tbath 990 C
Tinsulator 475 C
Tamb 460 C
Recent Successful Testing at
Cut Open The Combustion Chamber To Test Products
Any Place Where You Can’t Rely On Sunlight
Where to go and what to do with Combustion-based Power in Space?
Asteroids, Comets
KBOs, Dwarf Planets
Venus Surface Lunar South Pole
Combustor
FuelTank
StirlingEngine
Alternator
BalancerDemonstrated:n Fully Integrated System
n 3 kW Stirling Engine
n 39% Efficiency
n 80 hour Operation (Fuel Exhaustion)
n 645 We-hr / kg
What Would YOU Do With This Power And Heat With Your Mission?
• Same power consumption/instrumentation for battery vice ASRG configurations (Table 12 – LPVE Concept Study) – Battery: 4.4 days, 99 kg power, 50 kg instruments – ASRG: > 20 days, 74 kg power, 79 kg instruments
• Li-SF6 Wick Combustor Stirling Powerplant – 16 days, 99 kg power, 50 kg instruments à 16 drill sites – 10 ½ days, 74 kg power, 79 kg instruments à10 drill sites
• 20 days à 20 drill sites – 140 kg required for power – Assume 250 W average power – Assume 79 kg instruments
Food for Thought
• Small Bodies Assessment Group • NASA Science Mission Directorate for
Including us Today! • Penn State ARL For Encouraging This
Application of Something Old to Something New
Thanks To:
References