Advanced energy conversion technologies based small power systems for remote site applications

摘要

Remote site power generation is of primary importance for military applications such as off-grid monitoring stations, ground operations, air combat test range instrumentation and aircrew training area communications. The Air Force is responsible for providing electricity for seismic sensing and other data acquisition activities at remote locations in Alaska. Typically, low power levels in the range of 100 Watts to 500 Watts are provided to many separate remotely located areas. Though Radioisotope-powered Thermoelectric Generators (FTGs) have been the power sources of choice for several years, primarily lie to their reliable operation over extended periods of time without fuel or maintenance during recent years there has been a growing resistance to the deployment of devices whose operation relies on radioactive materials. The current investigation deals with advancements associated with the development of remote site power systems based on advanced energy conversion technologies such as Thermionic Energy Conversion (TEC), Free Piston Stirling Engines (FPSE), Alkali Metal Thermal Electric Conversion (AMTEC) and Thermo Photo Voltaic energy conversion (TPV). While several government agencies and their contractors are involved in this evaluation and development of improved remote site power systems, the Power Division of the Propulsion Directorate at US Air Force Research Laboratories (AFRL) is primarily focussed on AMTEC and TPV related technologies for the present. The power levels associated with these power systems (100-500 watts) do not pose the logistics and costs associated with the alternate technologies mentioned above, which are key factors used in these evaluations. These factors were weighed in with system efficiencies to arrive at feasible configurations for the power system even if it entailed the use of hybrid energy conversion technologies.