The primary objectives of the segmented thermoelectric multicouple converter (STMC) technology development effort are: to define a conceptual design for a passive, low mass (3000 kg), long life (15 years) thermoelectric advanced Space Reactor Power System that provides 100kWe 400 Volt dc power for a 6000 volt dc electric propulsion system, to prepare a preliminary design of the power conversion system and to prepare technology development plan to advance power conversion system technology to TRL 6. The SRPS consists of a heat pipe cooled reactor radiatively couple to high efficiency solid‐state segmented thermoelectric multicouple converters which are conductively coupled to a low mass heat pipe radiator. The SRPS conceptual design as well as the Power Conversion System preliminary design is complete and their description reported in this paper.

Topics
Converters, Power electronics, Thermal instruments, Electric propulsion
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© 2005 American Institute of Physics.
2005
American Institute of Physics
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