Small stirling dynamic isotope power systems for multihundred-watt robotic missions
Free piston Stirling Engine (FPSE) and linear alternator (LA) technology is combined with radioisotope heat sources to produce a compact dynamic isotope power system (DIPS) suitable for multihundred watt space application which appears competitive with advanced radioisotope thermoelectric generators (RTGs). The small Stirling DIPS is scalable to multihundred watt power levels or lower. The FPSE/LA is a high efficiency convertor in sizes ranging from tens of kilowatts down to only a few watts. At multihundred watt unit size, the FPSE can be directly integrated with the General Purpose Heat Source (GPHS) via radiative coupling; the resulting dynamic isotope power system has a size and weight that compares favorably with the advanced modular (Mod) RTG, but requires less than a third the amount of isotope fuel. Thus the FPSE extends the high efficiency advantage of dynamic systems into a power range never previously considered competitive for DIPS. This results in lower fuel cost and reduced radiological hazard per delivered electrical watt.
- Research Organization:
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Cleveland, OH (United States). Lewis Research Center
- OSTI ID:
- 5295295
- Report Number(s):
- N-91-25182; NASA-TM--104460; E--6301; NAS--1.15:104460; CONF-9110206--
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
070300* -- Isotopic Power Supplies
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT
ENGINES
EQUIPMENT
HAZARDS
HEAT ENGINES
HEAT SOURCES
NESDPS Office of Nuclear Energy Space and Defense Power Systems
POWER SUPPLIES
RADIOISOTOPE HEAT SOURCES
SPACECRAFT POWER SUPPLIES
SPECIFICATIONS
STIRLING ENGINES
THERMOELECTRIC GENERATORS