Vacuum insulation for a lunar-based power system

Gordon, L.B.; Gaustad, Krista

doi:10.1109/94.388256

Cited by 3 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 13 publications

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“…It is not advantageous to use solid dielectric materials for insulation in the lunar environment due to the mass penalty which must be incurred for transportation of these solid perature variation, high energy photon (W radiation) and particle flux from the sun, dust migration, and meteoroid impact phenomena tend to shorten the lifetime of solid dielectric materials, thereby reducing the reliability of traditional solid insulation materials. Vacuum insulation may be a viable solution to the solid dielectric material mass penalty problem [2]. However, when bare conductor materials are exposed to the lunar vacuum, they are likely to interact with the environment, similar to solid dielectric materials [31.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Experimental study on simulated lunar soil. High voltage breakdown and electrical insulation characteristics

Kirkici

Rose²,

Chaloupka³

1996

IEEE Trans. Dielect. Electr. Insul.

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A low-mass solution to electrical insulation in the lunar environment may be possible by embedding bare HV conductors within the lunar soil itself. In this paper, a 'standard' NASA soil (lunar simulant) representing chemical and physical conditions found in some lunar samples was used in laboratory experiments, and its HV electrical breakdown data were presented for the first time. Insulation characteristics and leakage currents representative of variations in nonlinear resistivity of the soil were investigated. The data were compared to earlier published data for a typical lunar soil's electrical characteristics. A pair of bare planar transmission lines, having a parallel plate geometry, was buried in the lunar soil simulant and used to measure the simulant's electrical parameters. The soil simulant and the electrode assembly were in a high vacuum environment throughout the experiment series. For this parallel plate electrode configuration, electrical breakdown limits and temporal evolution of voltage breakdown of the simulated lunar soil were measured. The data were analyzed in terms of physical mechanisms. Results presented here may find applications in terrestrial uses of porous ceramics as insulators as well as in future lunar colony transmission line insulation techniques and design purposes.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Experimental study on simulated lunar soil. High voltage breakdown and electrical insulation characteristics

Kirkici

Rose²,

Chaloupka³

1996

IEEE Trans. Dielect. Electr. Insul.

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High Power Density, Cost-Effective HVDC Cables for Power Transmission on the Moon

Saha,

Ghassemi

2024

2024 IEEE Texas Power and Energy Conference (TPEC)

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Optimal Design of High-Power Density Medium-Voltage Direct Current Bipolar Power Cables for Lunar Power Transmission

Saha,

Ghassemi

2024

Aerospace

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Power systems on the lunar surface require power lines of varying lengths and capacities to connect generation, storage, and load facilities. These lines must be designed to perform efficiently in the harsh lunar environment, considering factors such as weight, volume, safety, cost-effectiveness, and reliability. Traditional power transmission methods face challenges in this environment due to temperature fluctuations, micrometeoroid impacts, and ionizing radiation. Underground deployment, although generally safer, faces challenges due to low soil thermal conductivity. At a depth of 30 cm, the lunar temperature of −23.15 °C can be advantageous for managing waste heat. This study presents a novel approach, developed using COMSOL Multiphysics, for designing bipolar MVDC cables for lunar subsurface power transmission. Kapton® MT+ is chosen as the insulating material for its exceptional properties, including high thermal conductivity and superior dielectric strength. The cables are designed for voltages of ±10 kV and ±5 kV and capacities of 200 kW (low power), 1 MW (medium power), and 2 MW (high power). Our findings indicate that aluminum conductors offer superior performance compared to copper at medium and high power levels. Additionally, elevated voltage levels (±10 kV) enhance cable design and power transfer efficiency. These specially designed cables are well-suited for efficient operation in the challenging lunar environment.

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Vacuum insulation for a lunar-based power system

Cited by 3 publications

References 13 publications

Experimental study on simulated lunar soil. High voltage breakdown and electrical insulation characteristics

Experimental study on simulated lunar soil. High voltage breakdown and electrical insulation characteristics

High Power Density, Cost-Effective HVDC Cables for Power Transmission on the Moon

Optimal Design of High-Power Density Medium-Voltage Direct Current Bipolar Power Cables for Lunar Power Transmission

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