Power Flattening Studies for Radioisotope-Thermoelectric Generators (open access)

Power Flattening Studies for Radioisotope-Thermoelectric Generators

"The natural exponential decay of a radioisotope used as a heat source for a thermoelectric generator makes the use of a power flattening'' device highly desirable, especially when the duration of the mission is large compared to the half-life of the radioisotope. Power-flattening devices are considered which either dump excess heat outside the thermoelectric generator or use the characteristics of the generator to absorb the excess heat and thereby regulate the hot junction temperature. A number of power-flattening devices were studied both analytically and experimentally with a view toward operability in space. The most promising concepts are (a) to utilize a secondary radiator of variable area; (b) to provide thermal shunts that are sequentially removed during the mission; (c) to use a secondary radiator coupled to the heat source through a slowly evaporating thermal connection."
Date: February 18, 1963
Creator: Rush, R. E. & Belofsky, H.
System: The UNT Digital Library