Development of High Efficiency Segmented Thermoelectric Couples for Space Applications

ORAL

Abstract

Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators (RTG) have been used by NASA to reliably power spacecraft for deep space exploration for over 40 years. Current state of the practice systems are limited to device-level efficiencies of 7.5% or less and system level specific powers of 2.8 to 5.1 W/Kg. NASA’s Radioisotope Power Systems Thermoelectric Technology Development Program (TTDP) is pursuing development of more efficient thermoelectric technologies that could increase performance by a factor of 2 to 4x over these state of the practice systems. NASA’s TTDP is developing high-efficiency segmented couples/modules with the following design goals: a) system conversion efficiency ≥ 11% (≥ 60% improvement over MMRTG at BOL) and b) ≥ 6-8.5 We/kg specific power (2-3 x improvement over MMRTG), for a temperature gradient ΔT = 800 K (TH=1273 K and TC = 473 K). We will be discussing the state of development of the aforementioned couples and the tools that we use to guide this development.

–

Presenters

  • Fivos Drymiotis

    • NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory-California Institute of Technology

Authors

  • Fivos Drymiotis

    • NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory-California Institute of Technology

  • Jean-Pierre Fleurial

    • NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory-California Institute of Technology
    • Jet Propulsion Lab/CalTech

  • Sabah Bux

    • NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory-California Institute of Technology
    • Jet Propulsion Lab/CalTech

  • Samad Firdosy

    • NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory-California Institute of Technology

  • Kurt Star

    • NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory-California Institute of Technology

  • Ike Chi

    • NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory-California Institute of Technology

  • Vilupanur Ravi

    • NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory-California Institute of Technology

  • Billy Chun-Yip Li

    • NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory-California Institute of Technology

  • Sevan Chanakian

    • Michigan State University

  • Dean Cheikh

    • UCLA
    • Jet Propulsion Lab/CalTech

  • Kathy Lee

    • NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory-California Institute of Technology

  • Kevin Yu

    • NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory-California Institute of Technology

  • Obed Villalpando

    • NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory-California Institute of Technology

  • Kevin Smith

    • NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory-California Institute of Technology

  • David Uhl

    • NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory-California Institute of Technology

  • Chen-Kuo Huang

    • NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory-California Institute of Technology

  • Jong-Ah Paik

    • NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory-California Institute of Technology

  • Zi-Kui Liu

    • Pennsylvania State University

  • Jorge Paz Soldan Palma

    • Pennsylvania State University

  • Yi Wang

    • Pennsylvania State University

  • XiaoYu Chong

    • Pennsylvania State University