RU2323858C2 - Power plant for spacecraft with electrical generator - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: engines and pipes.

SUBSTANCE: suggested power plant includes electrochemical generator, the rocket propulsion and connected with it schemas of keeping and feeding by hydrocarbon fuel and oxygen. To the device it is included consequently connected the reformer of partial oxidation and gas separator with output manifold of cleaned and not cleaned hydrogen. Besides, it is added the startup hydrogen bluster, connected with electrochemical generator. The output of reformer is connected to the systems of keeping and feeding by hydrocarbon fuel and oxygen. The output manifold of cleaned and not cleaned hydrogen is connected with startup hydrogen bluster and with electrochemical generator, and the input manifold of cleaned and not cleaned hydrogen is connected with the rocket propulsion. The rocket propulsion is using not cleaned hydrogen in the mix of fuel.

EFFECT: it is created adaptive for long spacecraft flights the power-propulsion plants.

1 dwg

Description

The invention relates to space technology and can be used in energy supply systems of advanced spacecraft (SC), containing both rocket engines to create thrust, and electrochemical generators (ECG) with fuel cells (TE) to provide the spacecraft with electricity and heat.

Recently, in the development of space systems (in particular, reusable systems, as well as systems designed for long-term operation in space), combined power plants are often used in which, thanks to common fuel components (oxygen and hydrogen), not only rocket engines ( RD), but also the onboard power supply system of the spacecraft. The main element of such systems is an electrochemical generator (ECG) with oxygen-hydrogen fuel cells (FC). The high degree of integration of the combined “power-propelled” spacecraft installations, as well as the ability to use water as a means of long-term energy storage with high specific gravity, makes it advisable to use similar technical solutions for spacecraft designed for long-distance space flights [1] (analog).

A common drawback of such technical solutions is that far from all spacecraft it is advisable to use the hydrogen necessary for the operation of ECG as a fuel RD. The use of hydrogen as the main fuel onboard the spacecraft is associated with a number of problems, such as the overall weight characteristics of storage systems, storage life, explosion safety, etc.

Closer to the proposed technical solution is a comic energy system in which the common fuel component for RD and ECG is only oxygen. The fuel for RD are, for example, traditional hydrocarbons or alcohols [2] (prototype). In such power systems, hydrogen for ECG is stored in separate storage units that are not associated with taxiways. However, the amount of hydrogen stored on board for the needs of ECG is immeasurably less than is required for the operation of the taxiway. The hydrogen storage systems in this case are quite compact, they do not require a large hydrogen storage resource, and they are relatively safe.

The disadvantage of the prototype is that:

- on board the spacecraft, two different types of fuel have to be used (liquid - for RD and hydrogen - for ECG). This generally complicates the spacecraft fuel supply system and its operation management;

- such hybrid fuel supply systems are no longer justified during long space missions, when the ECG works for a long time and significant amounts of hydrogen are required. In this case, hybrid systems acquire the same disadvantages as the systems adopted as an analogue [1].

The objective of the proposed technical solution is, therefore, the development of an integrated power supply system for spacecraft, including RD, operating on liquid fuel, and ECG with oxygen-hydrogen fuel cells, and combined not only for oxidizing agent (O ₂ ), but also for fuel, which traditional hydrocarbons or alcohols are used for RD In addition, the objective of the technical solution is to develop a scheme of an energy propulsion system adapted for long space flights using traditional types of rocket fuel.

The problem is solved in that in a power plant of a spacecraft with an electrochemical generator, including a rocket engine and a storage system for supplying and supplying hydrocarbon fuel, an electrochemical generator, and an oxygen storage and supply system connected to both the rocket engine and the electrochemical generator , the composition of the power plant is supplemented by series-connected partial oxidation reformer and gas separator with output lines through the cleaned and unclean hydrogen, also a hydrogen starting buffer connected to an electrochemical generator, while the partial oxidation reformer input is connected to hydrocarbon fuel and oxygen storage and supply systems, the outlet gas separator line through purified hydrogen is connected to a hydrogen starting buffer and to an electrochemical generator, and the output line the gas separator for raw hydrogen is connected to a rocket engine using crude hydrogen as fuel.

The essence of this invention lies in the fact that although the RD and ECG of the “energy-driven” spacecraft installation operate on various fuels (hydrocarbons and hydrogen, respectively), the initial fuel they have in common is the fuel of the RD. Hydrogen, which is necessary for the operation of ECG, is obtained onboard a spacecraft from a fuel taxiway (hydrocarbons or alcohols) by its reforming (conversion). In this case, the so-called partial oxidation of fuel RD is used, as a result of which a gas mixture is obtained from hydrocarbon (or alcohol), consisting mainly of carbon monoxide and hydrogen [3]. After the evolution of hydrogen from this mixture, it is sent to the ECG, and the remaining gases (containing part of the hydrogen, carbon monoxide and some impurities) are used as fuel for the RD. In this case, the hydrogen-containing gas mixture sent to the taxiway, it is advisable to use for ignition of the main fuel in the process of starting the taxiway. This is due to the fact that hydrogen has the minimum ignition energy from an electric spark among other combustibles [3].

The scheme of the proposed power plant is given in the drawing, where it is indicated:

1 - rocket engine; 2 - electrochemical generator (ECG); 3 - a storage and supply system (CXP) of hydrocarbon fuel; 4 - a system for storage and supply (SHiP) of oxygen; 5 - starting hydrogen buffer; 6 - reformer of partial oxidation; 7 - gas separator; 8 - reformer yield by purified hydrogen; 9 - output reformer on untreated hydrogen.

It should be emphasized that in this scheme the ECG (2) is provided with hydrogen from the gas separator (7) and only during start-up it works from the starting hydrogen buffer. The overall weight characteristics of the starting hydrogen buffer (5) are negligible.

In this installation, the RD rocket engine (1) is connected to the SHiP of hydrocarbon fuel (3) and to the SHiP of oxygen (4). The latter is also connected to the ECG (2), to which the starting hydrogen buffer (5) is also connected. Its input is connected to the output line of the gas separator (7) via purified hydrogen (8). The output line of the gas separator (7) via untreated hydrogen (9) is connected to the rocket engine (1).

The input of the gas separator (7) is connected to the output of the partial oxidation reformer (6), which, in turn, is connected to the SCiP of hydrocarbon fuel (3) and the SCiP of oxygen (4).

This installation works as follows. Hydrocarbon fuel and oxygen enter the SC (1) of the spacecraft from SC&P of hydrocarbon fuel (3) and SC&P of oxygen (4), respectively.

At the same time, these fuel components enter the partial oxidation reformer (6), where a chemical reaction occurs, which results in the formation of a gas mixture containing carbon monoxide and hydrogen. This mixture is sent to a gas separator (7), where pure hydrogen is released from it. On the output line (8), the latter is sent to the starting hydrogen buffer (5), where it replenishes the supply of gas consumed during the start-up of the system and enters the ECG (2).

The remaining gas mixture from the gas separator (7) through its outlet line with crude hydrogen (9) enters the taxiway (1).

Thus, the use of partial oxidation of hydrocarbons (or alcohols) makes it possible to ensure the operation of ECG without storing significant amounts of hydrogen on board the spacecraft. This increases the integration of the spacecraft fuel supply system, improves its overall weight and size parameters and increases the explosion safety of flights. The possibilities of using traditional rocket fuels for long-distance space flights are also expanding.

Literature

1. "The use of electrolyzers and fuel cells for space flights" AIAA-99-4609, USA, 1999

2. N. S. Lidorenko, G. F. Muchnik “Electrochemical Generators”. - M.: Electroizdat, 1982, p.336.

3. “Hydrogen. Properties, receipt, storage ... ". Handbook Ed. D.Yu. Hamburg. - M.: Chemistry, 1989.

Claims (1)

A power plant of a spacecraft with an electrochemical generator, including a rocket engine and a storage system for supplying hydrocarbon fuel, an electrochemical generator, and an oxygen storage and supply system connected to both the rocket engine and the electrochemical generator, characterized in that a partial oxidation reformer and a gas separator with output lines for purified and uncleaned hydrogen, as well as starting a hydrogen buffer connected to the electrochemical generator, while the partial oxidation reformer input is connected to the storage and supply systems of hydrocarbon fuel and oxygen, the outlet line of the gas separator through purified hydrogen is connected to the starting hydrogen buffer and to the electrochemical generator, and the output line of the gas separator through raw hydrogen connected to a rocket engine using crude hydrogen as fuel.