Conceptual design study of a 5 kilowatt solar dynamic Brayton power system using a dome Fresnel lens solar concentrator. Final report
The primary project objective was to generate a conceptual design for a nominal 5 kW solar dynamic space power system, which uses a unique, patented, transmittance-optimized, dome-shaped, point-focus Fresnel lens as the optical concentrator. Compared to reflective concentrators, the dome lens allows 200 times larger slope errors for the same image displacement. Additionally, the dome lens allows the energy receiver, the power conversion unit (PCU), and the heat rejection radiator to be independently optimized in configuration and orientation, since none of these elements causes any aperture blockage. Based on optical and thermal trade studies, a 6.6 m diameter lens with a focal length of 7.2 m was selected. This lens should provide 87 percent net optical efficienty at 800X geometric concentration ratio. The large lens is comprised of 24 gores, which compactly stow together during launch, and automatically deploy on orbit. The total mass of the microglass lens panels, the graphite/epoxy support structure, and miscellaneous hardware is about 1.2 kg per square meter of aperture. The key problem for the dome lens approach relates to the selection of a space-durable lens material. For the first time, all-glass Fresnel lens samples were successfully made by a sol-gel casting process.
- Research Organization:
- Entech, Inc., Dallas-Fort Worth Airport, TX (USA)
- OSTI ID:
- 7259524
- Report Number(s):
- N-90-14281; NASA-CR-185134; NAS-1.26:185134
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
FRESNEL REFLECTORS
DESIGN
FABRICATION
SOLAR THERMAL POWER PLANTS
BRAYTON CYCLE
COMPOSITE MATERIALS
EPOXIDES
GRAPHITE
PROGRESS REPORT
SOLAR CELLS
SPACECRAFT POWER SUPPLIES
CARBON
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
DOCUMENT TYPES
ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT
ELEMENTAL MINERALS
ELEMENTS
EQUIPMENT
MATERIALS
MINERALS
MIRRORS
NONMETALS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PHOTOELECTRIC CELLS
PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS
POWER PLANTS
POWER SUPPLIES
SOLAR CONCENTRATORS
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
SOLAR POWER PLANTS
SOLAR REFLECTORS
THERMAL POWER PLANTS
THERMODYNAMIC CYCLES
NESDPS Office of Nuclear Energy Space and Defense Power Systems
140702* - Solar Thermal Power Systems- Central Receiver