A solar thermal storage power generation system based on lunar in-situ resources utilization: modeling and analysis

Dinghua Hu, Mengmeng Li and Qiang Li

Energy, 2021, vol. 223, issue C

Abstract: Continuous energy supply is crucial to the crew and assets of lunar outposts during the darkness lunar night of 350 h in the long term lunar exploration. A solar energy storage power generation system based on in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) is established and analyzed. An efficient linear Fresnel collector is configured for solar concentration. The thermal energy reservoir (TER) coupling with Stirling power generator is designed using the fuel tanks of descent module and lunar regolith. A comprehensively theoretical model based on finite time thermodynamics is developed to analyze the energy flow and efficiency of thermal storage power generation system, and the major irreversibilities are taken into account. The results show that the designed system can produce an average power of 6.5 kW during the lunar night with 19.6% utilization efficiency of collected solar energy in the daytime. The evaluated launch mass of designed power system has a competitive advantage than those of nuclear reactor power and photovoltaic-battery power systems. The influences of major heat transfer processes including heat leakage of TER, heat exchange capability of Stirling engine and radiator are also discussed, which provides physical insight for optimal design of future power generation system based on ISRU.

Keywords: Lunar regolith; Solar collector; Thermal energy storage; Stirling engine; ISRU (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (6)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:energy:v:223:y:2021:i:c:s0360544221003327

DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2021.120083

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