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Title: Thermal vacuum life test facility for radioisotope thermoelectric generators

Abstract

In the late 1970's, the Department of Energy (DOE) assigned Monsanto Research Corporation, Mound Facility, now operated by EG G Mound Applied Technologies, the responsibility for assembling and testing General Purpose Heat Source (GPHS) radioisotope thermoelectric generators (RTGs). Assembled and tested were five RTGs, which included four flight units and one non-flight qualification unit. Figure 1 shows the RTG, which was designed by General Electric AstroSpace Division (GE/ASD) to produce 285 W of electrical power. A detailed description of the processes for RTG assembly and testing is presented by Amos and Goebel (1989). The RTG performance data are described by Bennett, et al. (1986). The flight units will provide electrical power for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Galileo mission to Jupiter (two RTGs) and the joint NASA/European Space Agency (ESA) Ulysses mission to study the polar regions of the sun (one RTG). The remaining flight unit will serve as the spare for both missions, and a non-flight qualification unit was assembled and tested to ensure that performance criteria were adequately met. 4 refs., 3 figs.

Authors:
; ;
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
EG and G Mound Applied Technologies, Miamisburg, OH (USA)
Sponsoring Org.:
DOE/DP
OSTI Identifier:
5062896
Report Number(s):
MLM-3622-OP; CONF-900109-22
ON: DE90007148
DOE Contract Number:  
AC04-88DP43495
Resource Type:
Conference
Resource Relation:
Conference: 7. symposium on space nuclear power systems, Albuquerque, NM (USA), 7-11 Jan 1990
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION; 32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION; 21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS; ENGINEERED SAFETY SYSTEMS; AUTOMATION; RADIOISOTOPE HEAT SOURCES; PERFORMANCE TESTING; TEST FACILITIES; SITE CHARACTERIZATION; THERMOELECTRIC GENERATORS; ALARM SYSTEMS; DESIGN; ENERGY EFFICIENCY; MEASURING METHODS; NASA; POWER SUPPLIES; POWER SYSTEMS; RELIABILITY; SPACE VEHICLES; THERMAL DEGRADATION; US DOE; VACUUM SYSTEMS; DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS; EFFICIENCY; ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT; ENERGY SYSTEMS; EQUIPMENT; HEAT SOURCES; NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS; TESTING; US ORGANIZATIONS; VEHICLES; NESDPS Office of Nuclear Energy Space and Defense Power Systems; 300302* - Thermoelectric Generators- Performance & Testing; 320201 - Energy Conservation, Consumption, & Utilization- Transportation- Air & Aerospace; 210600 - Power Reactors, Auxiliary, Mobile Package, & Transportable

Citation Formats

Deaton, R L, Goebel, C J, and Amos, W R. Thermal vacuum life test facility for radioisotope thermoelectric generators. United States: N. p., 1990. Web.
Deaton, R L, Goebel, C J, & Amos, W R. Thermal vacuum life test facility for radioisotope thermoelectric generators. United States.
Deaton, R L, Goebel, C J, and Amos, W R. 1990. "Thermal vacuum life test facility for radioisotope thermoelectric generators". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/5062896.
@article{osti_5062896,
title = {Thermal vacuum life test facility for radioisotope thermoelectric generators},
author = {Deaton, R L and Goebel, C J and Amos, W R},
abstractNote = {In the late 1970's, the Department of Energy (DOE) assigned Monsanto Research Corporation, Mound Facility, now operated by EG G Mound Applied Technologies, the responsibility for assembling and testing General Purpose Heat Source (GPHS) radioisotope thermoelectric generators (RTGs). Assembled and tested were five RTGs, which included four flight units and one non-flight qualification unit. Figure 1 shows the RTG, which was designed by General Electric AstroSpace Division (GE/ASD) to produce 285 W of electrical power. A detailed description of the processes for RTG assembly and testing is presented by Amos and Goebel (1989). The RTG performance data are described by Bennett, et al. (1986). The flight units will provide electrical power for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Galileo mission to Jupiter (two RTGs) and the joint NASA/European Space Agency (ESA) Ulysses mission to study the polar regions of the sun (one RTG). The remaining flight unit will serve as the spare for both missions, and a non-flight qualification unit was assembled and tested to ensure that performance criteria were adequately met. 4 refs., 3 figs.},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/5062896}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Mon Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1990},
month = {Mon Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1990}
}

Conference:
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