Power Plant for vehicle of astronauts autonomous movement

Aeronautical and Space-Rocket Engineering

Aircraft engines and power generators


Аuthors

Okorokova N. S.1*, Perchenok A. V.2**, Pushkin K. V.1***, Sevruk S. D.1****, Farmakovskaya A. A.1*****

1. Moscow Aviation Institute (National Research University), 4, Volokolamskoe shosse, Moscow, А-80, GSP-3, 125993, Russia
2. EnergoGrad, 10/1, Chasovaya str., Moscow, 125315, Russia

*e-mail: ok.nadezhda@mail.ru
**e-mail: perchenok@engrad.ru
***e-mail: konstantin-val@yandex.ru
****e-mail: sds46@yandex.ru
*****e-mail: a.a.farmakovskaya@gmail.com

Abstract

The paper presents designing computation and defines specific energy-mass characteristics of a new type of power plants (PP) for off-line power supply of an astronaut in space, based on oxygen-aluminum O2/Al chemical current source (CCS).

Such PP with 100 W rated power of 27 ± 3 VDC and short-term current change from 0.45A to 35A should provide necessary energy storage for active operation during 180 hours (30 six-hour cycles) with long-lasting pauses, as well as storage capability within a year before setting to operation.

The authors developed structural diagrams for 1, 5 and 15 six-hour cycles. The simplest PP structure and operation mode demonstrates the PP meant for one- cycle. It almost fully autonomous in relation to on-board systems and highly reliable. However, to support the entire program we will need to install 30 PPs of such kind on-board a spacecraft. After mission completion such kind of PP either recycled, or returned to Earth for recharging.

PP designed for five operation cycles with prolonged pauses has more complicated structural diagram. After operation cycle completion, this PP is connected to conservation system, and should be refueled with Oxygen before the next start-up. However, only six of such PPs are necessary on-board the spacecraft, instead of 30 pieces of the previous kind. The structural diagram of O2/A1 PP for 15 operation cycles is most complicated, since it includes addition electrolyte adjusting systems, as well as its solid resultant (aluminum hydroxide Al(OH)3) purification, and consumed water supplying.

Comparative mass calculations were performed for all PP variants. We choose the minimum PP mass as an optimization criterion, and the value of current density in O2/A1 elements as a variable parameter.

Calculations were performed on experimental data obtained with the O2/Al CCS laboratory sample with aluminum anode, made of Aluminum-Indium alloy (A995 + 0.6 wt.% In In0), in alkaline electrolyte based on 4M NaOH with addition of 0,06M sodium stannate Na2SnO3, that inhibits aluminum corrosion.

As the calculations showed, the installation designed for one-cycle operation has the minimum weight. However, the PP designed for 15-cycle operation exhibits minimum total weight and best specific characteristics.

It was shown for the first time that hydronic CCS with aluminum anode may also be used in space as the hydrogen generator for the hydrogen-oxygen (O2/H2) fuel cell (FC) in the combined PP (CPP). It solves effectively and safely the problem of prolonged storage of hydrogen for autonomous PPs based on O2/H2 FC. Energy characteristics of such CPP exceed those of PP consisted of only of O2/H2FC. When put into practice such CPP will be able to satisfy the requirements on long pauses between runs and may be considered as an autonomous energy supply for an astronaut.

Keywords:

aluminum, anode, hydrogen, oxygen, current source, cosmonaut, mass, alkaline, electrolyte, power plant

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