Thermal and Electrical Analysis of MARS Rover RTG, and Performance Comparison of Alternative Design Options.

Schock, Alfred; Or, C.; Skrabek, E. A.

doi:10.2172/1033406

Cited by 9 publications

(8 citation statements)

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“…Similar mass analyses were performed for the RTG designs discussed in the companion paper [1], and their results are reported there. That paper also presents a detailed description of the thermal, thermoelectric, and electrical analysis of the baseline RTG, and compares its performance with that of several alternative RTG designs.…”

Section: Mass Breakdownmentioning

confidence: 65%

“…The electrical and thermal analysis of the baseline RTG and of a number of alternative designs is described in a separate paper [1] presented at this conference. A much fuller description of the work covered by both papers is contained in a separate Fairchild report [2], available from the author.…”

Section: Scope and Objectives Of Studymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Descripti 'i of Support Structure: The heat source support arrangement will be described in detail with respect to the baseline RTG design, and the same basic arrangement is used in the alternative RTG designs discussed in the companion paper [1]. Since the heat source stack is only supported at its ends and there are no midspan supports, a large (5500-lb) axial preload is required to hold the stack together during launch under the assumed 25-G transverse load.…”

Section: 21mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Design and Structural Analysis of Mars Rover RTG

Schock

Hamrick²,

Sankarankandath

et al. 1989

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Section: Mass Breakdownmentioning

confidence: 65%

Section: Scope and Objectives Of Studymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: 21mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Design and Structural Analysis of Mars Rover RTG

Schock

Hamrick²,

Sankarankandath

et al. 1989

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“…For unobstructed RTGs, such a simplified analysis is a useful initial design tool, since it permits closed-form solutions for the optimum area ratio A n /A p of the thermoelectric n-and p-legs and for the optimum output voltage. For these optimized parameters, it yields simple expressions for the maximum material efficiency of the thermoelectric couples, and for the required RTG design parameters [6,7,8].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Design and Analysis of RTGs for CRAF and Cassini Missions; two copies - one dated 8/3/1990 and the other dated 11/8/1990.

Schock¹

1990

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The paper describes the design and analysis of Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators Integrated with JPL's CRAF and Casslnl spacecraft. The principal purpose of the CRAF mission Is the study of asteroids and comets, and the principal purpose of the Casslnl mission Is the study of asteroids, Saturn, and Its moons (particularly Titan). Both missions will employ the Marlner/Mark-2 spacecraft, and each will be powered by two GPHS-RTGs. JPL's spacecraft designers wish to locate the two RTGs In close proximity to each other, resulting In mutual and unsymmetrlcal obstruction of their heat rejection paths. To support JPL's design studies, the U.S. Department of Energy asked Fairchild to determine the effect of the RTGs' proximity on their power output. As described In the paper, this required the development of novel analysis methods and computer codes for the coupled thermal and electrical analysis of obstructed RTGs with axial and circumferential temperature, voltage, and current variations. The code was validated against measured data of unobstructed RTG tests, and was used for the detailed analysis of the obstructed CRAF and Casslnl RTGs. Also described Is a new method for predicting the combined effect of fuel decay and thermoelectric degradation on the output of obstructed RTGs, which accounts for the effect of diminishing temperatures on degradation rates. For the 24-degree separation angle of JPL's original baseline design, and for the 35-degree RTG separation of JPL's revised design, the computed results Indicate that the mutually obstructed GPHS/RTGs with standard fuel loading and operating temperatures can comfortably meet the JPL-speclfled power requirements for the CRAF mission and almost meet the specified requirements for the Casslnl mission.

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“…To analyze them, Fairchiid developed a methodology and computer code to determine the performance of RTGs with circumferential as well as axial temperature, voltage, and current variations. These analysis methods were described in detail in previous publications [7,8]. The Fairchiid computer code simultaneously performs integrated thermal, thermoelectric, and electrical analyses of the parallelseries-parallel thermocouple network in the RTG.…”

Section: Analysis Of Obstructed Rtgsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Uniform Fin Sizes versus Uniform Fin Root Temperatures for Unsymmetrically Obstructed Solar Probe RTGs

Schock¹,

Or²,

Noravian³

1991

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Thermal and Electrical Analysis of MARS Rover RTG, and Performance Comparison of Alternative Design Options.

Abstract: The paper describes the thermal, thermoelectric and electrical analysis of Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators (RTGs) for powering the Mars Rover vehicle, which is a critical element of the unmanned Mars Rover and Sample Return mission (MRSR).

Cited by 9 publications

References 0 publications

Design and Structural Analysis of Mars Rover RTG

Design and Structural Analysis of Mars Rover RTG

Design and Analysis of RTGs for CRAF and Cassini Missions; two copies - one dated 8/3/1990 and the other dated 11/8/1990.

Uniform Fin Sizes versus Uniform Fin Root Temperatures for Unsymmetrically Obstructed Solar Probe RTGs

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