Frost-Preventing Design for Space Station Refrigerator

Dongcai Guo (), Teng Dou, Hui Zou, Yadong Zhao and Qiang Sheng
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Dongcai Guo: Key Laboratory of Space Utilization, Technology and Engineering Center for Space Utilization, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100094, China
Teng Dou: Key Laboratory of Space Utilization, Technology and Engineering Center for Space Utilization, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100094, China
Hui Zou: Key Laboratory of Space Utilization, Technology and Engineering Center for Space Utilization, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100094, China
Yadong Zhao: Key Laboratory of Space Utilization, Technology and Engineering Center for Space Utilization, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100094, China
Qiang Sheng: Key Laboratory of Space Utilization, Technology and Engineering Center for Space Utilization, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100094, China

Energies, 2023, vol. 16, issue 23, 1-12

Abstract: Different preservation temperatures for sample storage in space stations and corresponding refrigerator devices have been designed. In the below-freezing environment, frost will occur on the inner wall surface and the sealing place of the refrigerator device, which may have an impact on the operating performance and sealing performance of the refrigerator device. This paper analyzes the impact of frost on refrigerator storage devices, and designs and verifies a scheme of air cooling with a hollow seal method to reduce the impact of frost. The designed refrigerator was tested for air cooling, sealing, and long-term performance. The tests show that the air-cooling structure designed in this paper can effectively reduce the frost on the sample surface. A cumulative helium mass spectrometry leak detection method is applied to verify that the hollow seal structure designed has a better sealing property, which can prevent the diffusion of water vapor and frosting at the sealing position. The design with air cooling and hollow sealing has less frost and more stable performance for long-term operation. The results demonstrate this refrigerator would have the capability of operating on-orbit. The frost-preventing method for space station refrigerator designed in this paper has significance for the design of similar cryogenic equipment in microgravity environments.

Keywords: refrigerator; cryogenic; frost- preventing; space station (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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