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Applications of nuclear-powered thermoelectric generators in space

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  • Rowe, D.M.

Abstract

The NASA spacecrafts Voyager 1 and 2 became household names overnight following the showing on television of the remarkable photographs of the rings of Saturn and more recently of Neptune and its mysterious moon, Triton. None the less remarkable is the source of electrical power which enables information to be transmitted from the craft back to Earth after a time period of more than a decade and at a distance of more than a billion miles. 1991 marks the thirty-second anniversary of the first public demonstration of this source of electrical power, in front of President Eisenhower, at the oval office of the White House. The power source known as an RTG (radioisotope thermoelectric generator) utilises the Seebeck effect in producing electricity from heat. In essence it consists of a large number of semiconductor thermocouples connected electrically in series and thermally in parallel. A temperature difference is maintained across the thermocouples by providing a heat source, which in the case of an RTG is a radioactive isotope, and the heat sink is space. The combination of an energy-conversion system, free of moving parts and a long-life, high energy-density heat source, provides a supply of electrical power typically in the range of tens to hundreds of watts and which operates reliably over extended periods of time. An electric power source, based upon thermoelectric conversion but which utilises a nuclear reactor as a heat source, has also been deployed in space and a 100-kW system is being developed to provide electrical power to a variety of commercial and military projects including SDI. Developments in thermoelectrics that have taken place in the western world during the past 30 years are primarily due to United States interest and involvement in the exploration of space. This paper reviews US applications of nuclear-powered thermoelectric generators in space.

Suggested Citation

  • Rowe, D.M., 1991. "Applications of nuclear-powered thermoelectric generators in space," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 40(4), pages 241-271.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:appene:v:40:y:1991:i:4:p:241-271
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    Cited by:

    1. Patil, Dipak S. & Arakerimath, Rachayya R. & Walke, Pramod V., 2018. "Thermoelectric materials and heat exchangers for power generation – A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 95(C), pages 1-22.
    2. Siviter, J. & Montecucco, A. & Knox, A.R., 2015. "Rankine cycle efficiency gain using thermoelectric heat pumps," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 140(C), pages 161-170.
    3. Yuan, Zicheng & Tang, Xiaobin & Xu, Zhiheng & Li, Junqin & Chen, Wang & Liu, Kai & Liu, Yunpeng & Zhang, Zhengrong, 2018. "Screen-printed radial structure micro radioisotope thermoelectric generator," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 225(C), pages 746-754.
    4. Liu, Xiaoli & Jani, Ruchita & Orisakwe, Esther & Johnston, Conrad & Chudzinski, Piotr & Qu, Ming & Norton, Brian & Holmes, Niall & Kohanoff, Jorge & Stella, Lorenzo & Yin, Hongxi & Yazawa, Kazuaki, 2021. "State of the art in composition, fabrication, characterization, and modeling methods of cement-based thermoelectric materials for low-temperature applications," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 137(C).
    5. Park, K. & Lee, G.W., 2013. "Fabrication and thermoelectric power of π-shaped Ca3Co4O9/CaMnO3 modules for renewable energy conversion," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 60(C), pages 87-93.
    6. Ming, T. & Wu, Y. & Peng, C. & Tao, Y., 2015. "Thermal analysis on a segmented thermoelectric generator," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 80(C), pages 388-399.
    7. Meng, Fankai & Chen, Lingen & Sun, Fengrui, 2011. "A numerical model and comparative investigation of a thermoelectric generator with multi-irreversibilities," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 36(5), pages 3513-3522.
    8. Wojtas, N. & Rüthemann, L. & Glatz, W. & Hierold, C., 2013. "Optimized thermal coupling of micro thermoelectric generators for improved output performance," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 60(C), pages 746-753.
    9. Jang, Jiin-Yuh & Tsai, Ying-Chi & Wu, Chan-Wei, 2013. "A study of 3-D numerical simulation and comparison with experimental results on turbulent flow of venting flue gas using thermoelectric generator modules and plate fin heat sink," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 53(C), pages 270-281.
    10. Xu, Zhiheng & Li, Junqin & Tang, Xiaobin & Liu, Yunpeng & Jiang, Tongxin & Yuan, Zicheng & Liu, Kai, 2020. "Electrodeposition preparation and optimization of fan-shaped miniaturized radioisotope thermoelectric generator," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 194(C).
    11. Liu, Huicong & Fu, Hailing & Sun, Lining & Lee, Chengkuo & Yeatman, Eric M., 2021. "Hybrid energy harvesting technology: From materials, structural design, system integration to applications," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 137(C).
    12. Meysam Karami Rad & Mahmoud Omid & Ali Rajabipour & Fariba Tajabadi & Lasse Aistrup Rosendahl & Alireza Rezaniakolaei, 2018. "Optimum Thermal Concentration of Solar Thermoelectric Generators (STEG) in Realistic Meteorological Condition," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(9), pages 1-16, September.

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