High-Level Project Summary
A static Rover was developed that aims to generate and automatically store energy, in order to supply equipment for long-duration missions, the equipment must have a duration equal to or greater than 60 (sixty) days. The prototype created aims to use materials that are resistant to the Venus environment, withstanding temperature, pressure and the atmosphere. Along with this, the functional part takes advantage of the high local temperature, and uses it as a source of electrical energy, using the Seebeck effect to generate electrical current from the temperature variation on the surface of the material. The importance of this equipment is to allow future and larger missions to be possible.
Link to Final Project
Link to Project "Demo"
Detailed Project Description
The Rover uses thermoelectric material based on iron, vanadium, tungsten and aluminum, and by heating one of the sides of the plate, generating electric current when it comes into contact with the cold surface, taking this current to the battery, being stored until it needs to be used by other equipment.
It has the benefit of allowing exploration missions with specific rovers and drones to have long durations.
We used the 3D design software, Sketchup, to generate the prototype of the Rover and the atmosphere entry capsule.
Space Agency Data
The team used data from the planet Venus to prepare the equipment's coating materials, thinking about circumventing problems such as temperature and pressure. Another important data provided by the North American space agency, was research results and Consept Arte de Shields and Landing Capsules.
Exploring Hell: Avoiding Obstacles on a Clockwork Rover. Available at: <https://www.nasa.gov/exploring-hell-venus-rover-challenge>. Access on: 2 Oct. 2022
Venus. Available at: <https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/planets/venus/overview/>. Access on: 2 Oct. 2022. Available at: https://www.if.ufrgs.br/ast/solar/portug/venus.htm#:~:text=V%C3%AAnus%20%C3%A9%20muito%20diferente%20da, Land%20ao%20n%C3%ADvel%20do%20mar>. Access on: 2 Oct. 2022
Hackathon Journey
It was an absurd experience, a memory that will stay with the team for the rest of their lives. Every learning with the mentors and even among the team was sensational. The learning going back to the project management area was huge, but within the project, the amount of content on Aerospace Engineering was incredible.
Since the challenges were released, the Venus challenge caught the attention of three of the members, which made the team come together long before the Hackathon.
At the beginning of the challenge, it was a little complicated to separate the tasks, since the members were not from similar areas, but as soon as everything fell into place, the project unfolded in a gratifying way, with problems arising that would generate solutions and more problems. But that in the end a greater solution was given as satisfactory.
We would like to thank the mentors, especially mentor Sidney, Filipe and Caroline, who helped us develop the research and prototype.
References
Ceramics and glass in the aerospace industry. Available at: <https://ceramics.org/about/what-are-engineered-ceramics-and-glass/ceramics-and-glass-in-the-aerospace-industry>. Access on: 2 Oct. 2022
Curiosity's heat shield in detail. Available at: <https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/images/pia16021-curiositys-heat-shield-in-detail>. Access on: 2 Oct. 2022
ELÍSIOS, M. New material breaks world record by transforming heat into electricity. Available at: <https://socientifica.com.br/novo-material-quebra-recorde-mundial-ao-transformar-calor-em-eletricidade/>. Access on: 2 Oct. 2022
Exploring Hell: Avoiding Obstacles on a Clockwork Rover. Available at: <https://www.nasa.gov/exploring-hell-venus-rover-challenge>. Access on: 2 Oct. 2022
Graphene in space (artist's concept). Available at: <https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/images/pia14548-graphene-in-space-artists-concept>. Access on: 2 Oct. 2022
HINTERLEITNER, B. et al. Thermoelectric performance of a metastable thin-film Heusler alloy. Nature, v. 576, no. 7785, p. 85–90, 2019.
RAHAMAN, M. et al. (EDS.). Polymer nanocomposites containing graphene: Preparation, properties, and applications. [l.l.] Woodhead Publishing, 2021.
Results of heat shield testing. Available at: <https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/results-of-heat-shield-testing>. Access on: 2 Oct. 2022
TECNOLOGICA, S. I. Thermoelectric materials have an efficiency increased by 40%. Available at: <https://www.inovacaotecnologica.com.br/noticias/noticia.php?artigo=materiais-termoeletricos-tem-eficiencia-aumentada-em-40-&id=010115080324>. Access on: 2 Oct. 2022
TIEDEKEN, S.L.; NASA'S GODDARD SPACE FLIGHT CENTER. Venus Resources. Available at: <https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/news/1519/venus-resources/?page=0&per_page=40&order=created_at+desc&search=&tags=Venus&category=324>. Access on: 2 Oct. 2022
Venus. Available at: <https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/planets/venus/overview/>. Access on: 2 Oct. 2022. Available at: https://www.if.ufrgs.br/ast/solar/portug/venus.htm#:~:text=V%C3%AAnus%20%C3%A9%20muito%20diferente%20da, Land%20ao%20n%C3%ADvel%20do%20mar>. Access on: 2 Oct. 2022
Tags
#design #engineering #tech #Nasa #Venus #3D #Rover #Graphene