New 5 Kilowatt Free-Piston Stirling Space Converter Developments

Brandhorst, Henry W.

doi:10.1063/1.2437487

Cited by 3 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 5 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Stirling converters can be adapted to higher power nuclear reactors, for example, 5 kW Stirling converter modules for lunar applications which can be arrayed for a 50 kW nuclear reactor. 71 Nuclear reactors are commonly proposed to support lunar bases, but they are currently not under development nor can they be leveraged from in situ resources within the constraints of near-term technology development. Only three types of nuclear reactor have flown in space, all bar one Russian.…”

Section: Approaches To Solar-electric Conversionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Generating and storing power on the moon using in situ resources

Ellery

2021

Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part G:

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The Moon Village and similar concepts are strongly reliant on in situ resource utilisation (ISRU). There is great interest in harvesting solar power using locally leveraged in situ resources as an essential facet of in situ infrastructure. Traditionally, silicon-based photovoltaic cells have been assumed, preferably manufactured in situ using a 3D printing rover, but there are major difficulties with such scenarios. Solar cells require pre-processing of regolith and solar cell manufacture. We present an alternative lunar resource leveraged-solar power production system on the Moon which can yield high conversion efficiencies – solar Fresnel lens-thermionic conversion. The thermionic vacuum tube is constructed from lunar-derived materials and NiFe asteroidal ores on the Moon. Given that the majority of energy required for ISRU is thermal, thermionic conversion exploits this energy source directly. Silicates such as anorthite can be treated with acid to yield alumina and silicic acid in solution from which pure silica can be precipitated. Pure silica when heated to high temperature yields fused silica glass which is transparent – fused silica glass may be employed to manufacture Fresnel lenses and/or mirrors. Both silica and alumina may be input to the Metalysis Fray Farthing Chen Cambridge electrolytic process to yield near pure Si and near pure Al, respectively.

show abstract

Section: Approaches To Solar-electric Conversionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Generating and storing power on the moon using in situ resources

Ellery

2021

Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part G:

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…In addition, NASA began a new project with Auburn University to develop a 5 kW single converter (with alternator) for potential use in a lunar surface reactor power systems. The goals of this development program include reaching a specific power in excess of 140 W/kg at the converter level …”

Section: Potential Performance Of Zt = 4 Thermoelectric Power Generatorsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Potential Impact of ZT = 4 Thermoelectric Materials on Solar Thermal Energy Conversion Technologies

Xie

Gruen

2010

J. Phys. Chem. B

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

State-of-the-art methodologies for the conversion of solar thermal power to electricity are based on conventional electromagnetic induction techniques. If appropriate ZT = 4 thermoelectric materials were available, it is likely that conversion efficiencies of 30-40% could be achieved. The availability of all solid state electricity generation would be a long awaited development in part because of the elimination of moving parts. This paper presents a preliminary examination of the potential performance of ZT = 4 power generators in comparison with Stirling engines taking into account specific mass, volume and cost as well as system reliability. High-performance thermoelectrics appear to have distinct advantages over magnetic induction technologies.

show abstract