SPACE TRIPS

Space Thermoacoustic Radio-Isotopic Power System

Coordinatore	HEKYOM SARL    more  Organization address address: RUE JEAN ROSTAND 2 city: ORSAY postcode: 91400 contact info Titolo: Prof. Nome: Maurice Xavier Cognome: François Email: send email Telefono: 33681258363 Fax: 33160149204
Nazionalità Coordinatore	France [FR]
Totale costo	2˙603˙350 €
EC contributo	1˙877˙981 €
Programma	FP7-SPACE Specific Programme "Cooperation": Space
Code Call	FP7-SPACE-2012-1
Funding Scheme	CP-FP
Anno di inizio	2013
Periodo (anno-mese-giorno)	2013-01-01   -   2015-12-31

 Partecipanti

#	participant	country	role	EC contrib. [€]
1	HEKYOM SARL  Organization address address: RUE JEAN ROSTAND 2 city: ORSAY postcode: 91400 contact info Titolo: Prof. Nome: Maurice Xavier Cognome: François Email: send email Telefono: 33681258363 Fax: 33160149204	FR (ORSAY)	coordinator	389˙932.00
2	LATVIJAS UNIVERSITATES AGENTURA LATVIJAS UNIVERSITATES FIZIKAS INSTITUTS  Organization address address: MIERA 32 city: SALASPILS postcode: 2169 contact info Titolo: Ms. Nome: Maija Cognome: Broka Email: send email Telefono: 37167944700 Fax: 37167901214	LV (SALASPILS)	participant	627˙020.00
3	CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE  Organization address address: Rue Michel -Ange 3 city: PARIS postcode: 75794 contact info Titolo: Mr. Nome: Guillaume Cognome: Rochet Email: send email Telefono: +33 4 76881005 Fax: +33 4 76881174	FR (PARIS)	participant	316˙080.00
4	Nome Ente NON disponibile	FR	participant	216˙070.00
5	HELMHOLTZ-ZENTRUM DRESDEN-ROSSENDORF EV  Organization address address: BAUTZNER LANDSTRASSE 400 city: DRESDEN postcode: 1328 contact info Titolo: Dr. Nome: Rainer Cognome: Maletti Email: send email Telefono: +49 351 2603462 Fax: +49 351 2602700	DE (DRESDEN)	participant	188˙332.75
6	THALES ALENIA SPACE ITALIA SPA  Organization address address: Via Saccomuro 24 city: ROMA postcode: 131 contact info Titolo: Mr. Nome: Enrico Cognome: Gaia Email: send email Telefono: +39 011 7180742 Fax: +39 011 7180228	IT (ROMA)	participant	140˙547.00

Mappa

 Word cloud

Esplora la "nuvola delle parole (Word Cloud) per avere un'idea di massima del progetto.

 Obiettivo del progetto (Objective)

'The project relates to an advanced thermal to electric conversion for radio-isotopic power systems (RPS). Indeed RPSs are a key for space exploration as the solar power is very low in deep space, notably in Jupiter orbit and beyond. These systems will be also useful for Mars exploration, where solar power is subject to nights and dust storms. So Europe aims to get its independence for such missions, and ESA have initiated development of RPS. If thermoelectricity fits well with small RPS (e.g.20We), for 100We range, high efficiency conversion is desirable. Indeed this leads to save between 2/3 up to 3/4 of the radioisotope mass. This is of real importance in term of cost and safety. Stirling converters under development in USA have low reliability due to pistons (sensitive to launch vibrations and shocks, subject to wear). Thermo acoustic (TAc), coupled with magneto hydrodynamic (MHD) generator is innovating technology free of moving parts. Unfortunately, the Technological Readiness Level is low and the priority is given to Stirling in ESA’s programme, even if ESA has supported the first studies of TAc-MHD systems. This project is complementary with ESA’s approach. So, the objective of this proposal is to raise the TRL of this technology from 2 to 3-4 and show that this option is viable for European RPSs. The approach is based on 3 axes:  Theoretical modeling, which has been already developed but needs to be validated,  Experimentation of a thermo acoustic engine coupled with a MHD generator,  Design of the space RPS, equipped with this conversion system, to check if the technology is suitable for space mission. The targets are:  to validate the process efficiency (close to 20% or above),  to justify the compatibility of the technology with space missions, In Europe, there is a strong expertise in thermo acoustic and MHD. But these technologies have never been coupled. The consortium, coordinated by the start-up company HEKYOM, associates three research organizations: CNRS in France, IPUL in Latvia and Rossendorf in Germany. The space and nuclear industries are represented by THALES ALENIA Space-Italy and AREVA. THALES ALENIA Space represents also the end-user in term of space systems.'

Introduzione (Teaser)

Spacecraft carry tremendous amounts of instrumentation that require electricity. Scientists are developing a novel form of nuclear energy for heat-to-electricity conversion with no moving parts.