Black technology starts from the steel suit

Chapter 159 159 Nuclear Battery and Thermoelectric Power Generation
"Professor Wang should know about our recent space program, right?" Director Wang said, "We plan to carry out a new round of space activities in June. At present, our rocket and core module have been successfully transported to the Jiuquan Launch Center."

"After a period of training and running-in, according to the evaluation report and recommendations of experts, we will choose an opportunity to carry out the fourth mission of the key technology verification phase of the space station, which is also the first manned mission of the space station phase."

"No way, is my work related to aerospace this time?" Wang Feng said with some surprise: "I study electrochemical materials, which is too far away from aerospace as a major, and I am not engaged in optoelectronic research. Yes, even if I want to help you, I'm afraid I won't be able to do it!"

If he studies optoelectronics, at least he can help design photovoltaic power generation equipment for power supply. After all, photovoltaic power generation is the most used power supply for spacecraft and other power generation methods. suitable.

You can’t get a gasoline or diesel power generation, let’s not talk about the high cost of bringing it up. In a vacuum, how to cool down these devices is a huge problem.Of course, the noise problem is solved, because a vacuum cannot transmit sound at all.

One of the most problems faced by spacecraft is the problem of heat accumulation. Once heat starts to accumulate on the surface or even inside of the spacecraft, it means that this spacecraft is not far from being scrapped, because there is almost no medium in the vacuum that can Give it heat conduction, the heat can only be dissipated by radiation, and the efficiency is very low.

"No, no, this time it's really related to your research direction, otherwise, we wouldn't have come to bother you." Director Wang said hurriedly, and at the same time took out a stack of documents: "Didn't you receive a thermoelectric generator yesterday?" A research project? We came to you because of this."

"Design Issues Regarding the Backup Power Supply of the Core Module"

"Several Suggestions on Selection of Power Supply for Lunar Probes"

"Several Suggestions on Mars Rover Power Selection"

"What is this?" Wang Feng looked confused, and he couldn't understand the other party: "Could it be that you want me to design a thermoelectric generator for it?"

"I'm not trying to knock you, please forgive me: the efficiency of the best photovoltaic power generation panels now has exceeded 30%, but the efficiency of thermoelectric power generation is still hovering around 10%, and even just broke through to 16% a few days ago. What do you think? Photovoltaic power generation panels are all more efficient and more reliable, right?”

"Professor Wang, don't worry. Although solar power panels are indeed the main way to supply energy to satellites and space capsules, it doesn't mean that we will always use this way to supply power in the future, and this way is not suitable. of all space programs."

Director Wang introduced: "Actually, a long time ago, we considered using the principle of thermoelectric power generation to use radioisotope batteries to power satellites, space capsules, and lunar and Mars exploration devices. Although the efficiency is indeed not high. , but we have not given up on this idea.”

There are naturally many benefits of using solar energy to generate electricity. If there is any energy in space that is the cheapest and easiest to obtain, it must be the inexhaustible and inexhaustible solar energy.

Therefore, the vast majority of satellites currently use solar cells.And considering the marking benefits of time and weight, this kind of energy supply equipment that uses the photoelectric effect of semiconductor materials and can work for several years or even decades has naturally become the first choice for spacecraft.

The early satellites had a small area and low power generation because the solar cells were pasted on the surface of the satellite body.Now there are tens of thousands of solar energy, the cells are pasted on the board with a large area, and the whole solar cell panel is installed outside the satellite body, and the power generation power has been greatly improved.

What's more, gallium arsenide materials are widely used now, unlike solar cells made of semiconductor silicon in the early days, and the photoelectric conversion efficiency is high, which can reach more than 20%.

In order to further increase the number of solar cells, medium and large satellites often use solar wings connected by several solar panels.Since the rocket cannot fit too much, the solar wings are in a folded state during launch, and the rocket is separated from the satellite before unfolding.

The solar wings on many satellites launched later adopt advanced technology. In order to make the solar wings always face the sun to obtain the maximum electric energy: one is equipped with a drive mechanism that rotates with the sun wings; the other is to use a sun sensor to control The driving mechanism rotates the solar wing to capture the orientation of the sun, and provides sufficient energy for the satellite, so that the sunlight is as vertical as possible to the solar wing.

Of course, there is another very important point: our country has invested heavily in the research and development of photovoltaic equipment, and has achieved great results. In the past few years, European and American countries have imposed heavy taxes on my country's photovoltaic industry because we are relatively For them, they have formed technological advantages, production capacity advantages and price advantages.

"Although solar power generation has great benefits, there are still many problems. These problems are not particularly serious on satellites, but they are very serious on space stations, lunar explorers, and even Mars rovers."

"Since the solar power generation panel only acts as an energy converter, it does not have any energy itself, which means that it has very high requirements for the environment. There is no way to provide energy on the backside, and it can only rely on its own energy. battery pack."

"First of all, for the space station, it is very dangerous to use only one power supply system. Even if some risks can be shared through the battery, the energy that the battery can provide is still too little. After all, if there is a problem, we have to organize If manpower and material resources are used for rescue, this time is often measured in months, and the battery can't support it for that long."

"As for increasing the number of batteries. It is theoretically possible to do so, but the cost will be astronomical, and if a large number of lithium batteries are used, safety is also a problem!"

"As for the lunar probe, because the environment on the lunar surface is relatively harsh, if the lunar rover carries a large solar wing, the probability of problems will be greatly increased, and it will also cause inconvenience in movement. "

"The third is the Mars exploration project. In addition to encountering problems similar to those of the lunar probe, it also has a very serious problem, that is, insufficient light. The light intensity of Mars is only 40% of that of our earth. That means that if photovoltaic power generation equipment is used, the weight of the photovoltaic power generation panels that the detector needs to carry will greatly increase, which is definitely not cost-effective."

Director Wang introduced the problems he encountered while watching Wang Feng's reaction.Nuclear batteries, or isotope batteries, are nothing new.This was used decades ago when the United States and the Soviet Union launched a space war. Moreover, the thermoelectric power generation at that time was far from as mature as it is now. Now we have reached the 16% mark. At that time, there were only 4 % only.

And what's interesting is that the plutonium 238 used by Lao Mei at that time was also bought from Lao Maozi, because Lao Maozi's plutonium was cheaper than their own production!

(End of this chapter)