Thermal expansion behavior of NiSi/NiSi sub 2

Journal Article · Wed Jan 01 04:00:00 UTC 1992 · Scripta Metallurgica et Materialia; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0956-716X(92)90374-N· OSTI ID:7295739

Wilson, D F; Cavin, O B ^[1]

---

1. Metals and Ceramics Div., Oak Ridge National Lab., Oak Ridge, TN (US)

This paper reports that advanced space power systems that use solar energy and Brayton or Stirling heat engines require thermal energy storage systems for continuous operation during periods of darkness. The receiver storage units, key elements in both Brayton and Stirling systems, are designed to use the latent heat of fusion of phase change materials. Energy is stored during the heating and melting of a phase change material (PCM) in the sunlit portion of the orbit. The PCM cools and freezes, thereby releasing heat to the engine, during the eclipse period of the orbit. The power systems under current consideration for near-future NASA space missions require working fluid temperatures in the 1100 to 1400 K range. The high thermal conductivity and generally low volume change on melting of alloys based on silicon make them attractive for storage of thermal energy in space power systems. However, the chemical reactivity of these materials narrows the choice of containment materials to ceramics that generally have very poor strength and crystallographic direction-dependent thermal transfer properties. For physical compatibility, the expansion of the PCM and container material must be very closely matched. Thus, the thermal expansion of NiSi/NiSi{sub 2} (a very desirable PCM) was determined.

• DOE Contract Number: AC05-84OR21400
• OSTI ID: 7295739
• Journal Information: Scripta Metallurgica et Materialia; (United States), Journal Name: Scripta Metallurgica et Materialia; (United States) Vol. 26:1; ISSN SCRME; ISSN 0956-716X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
140600 -- Solar Energy-- Photovoltaic Power Systems
25 ENERGY STORAGE
250600* -- Energy Storage-- Thermal
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360204 -- Ceramics
Cermets
& Refractories-- Physical Properties
42 ENGINEERING
425001 -- Engineering-- Power Cycles-- Brayton-- (1980-)
425003 -- Engineering-- Power Cycles-- Stirling-- (1980-)
BRAYTON CYCLE POWER SYSTEMS
CRYSTALLOGRAPHY
ENERGY
ENERGY SOURCES
ENGINES
EQUIPMENT
EXPANSION
HEAT ENGINES
MATERIALS
MATERIALS TESTING
NASA
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NICKEL COMPOUNDS
NICKEL SILICIDES
PHASE CHANGE MATERIALS
PLANNING
POWER SYSTEMS
RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES
SILICIDES
SILICON COMPOUNDS
SOLAR ENERGY
SOLAR HEAT ENGINES
SPACE VEHICLES
STIRLING CYCLE
TESTING
THERMAL ENERGY STORAGE EQUIPMENT
THERMAL EXPANSION
THERMODYNAMIC CYCLES
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS
US ORGANIZATIONS
VEHICLES