Experiments with phase change thermal energy storage canisters for Space Station Freedom
Abstract
The solar dynamic power module proposed for the Space Station Freedom (SSF) uses the heat of fusion of a phase change material (PCM) to efficiently store thermal energy for use during eclipse periods. The PCM, a LiF-20CaF2 salt, is contained in annular, metal canisters located in a heat receiver at the focus of a solar concentrator. PCM canister ground-based experiments and analytical heat transfer studies are discussed. The hardware, test procedures, and test results from these experiments are discussed. After more than 900 simulated SSF orbital cycles, no canister cracks or leaks were observed and all data were successfully collected. The effect of 1-g test orientation on canister wall temperatures was generally small while void position was strongly dependent on test orientation and canister cooling. In one test orientation, alternating wall temperature data were measured that supports an earlier theory of oscillating vortex flow in the PCM melt. Analytical canister wall temperatures compared very favorably with experimental temperature data. This illustrates that ground-based canister thermal performance can be predicted well by analyses that employ straight-forward, engineering models of void behavior and liquid PCM free convection.
- Publication:
-
IECEC 1991; Proceedings of the 26th Intersociety Energy Conversion Engineering Conference, Volume 1
- Pub Date:
- 1991
- Bibcode:
- 1991iece....1..248K
- Keywords:
-
- Cans;
- Gravitational Effects;
- Heat Storage;
- Phase Change Materials;
- Solar Collectors;
- Solar Dynamic Power Systems;
- Space Station Freedom;
- Voids;
- Free Convection;
- Heat Transfer;
- Mathematical Models;
- Performance Tests;
- Temperature Effects;
- Vortices;
- Wall Temperature;
- Fluid Mechanics and Heat Transfer