Lucifer

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1wYb7mQGfWtaN9kzGCND3Sh6ypMTqOpIX/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1bdMZNMSUivqLq3xRP9BVbXxgKWAx8jiM/view?usp=sharing

Battery:

The lithium-sulfur battery (Li-S) performs well in Venus' atmospheric conditions. It is reachable due to its temperature range of 200 to 500 degrees Celsius. Compared to the lithium-ion battery, which is typically used in exploration rovers like Spirit, Opportunity, and Curiosity and contributes about 400 Wh kg^-1, the lithium-Sulfur battery attracts attention due to its performance from low cost, high theoretical specific capacity (1675 Wh kg^-1), and high energy density (2735 Wh kg^-1).

A lithium anode will be the main component of the (Li-S) battery. To improve cathode conductivity and prevent the polysulfide migrations that lead to the development of a battery's self-discharge, the cathode is made up of a mixture of sulfur-conductive-polymer nanocomposites. In contrast to the sodium-sulfur battery, which uses anode and cathode materials in liquid states, both the anode (Lithium) and the cathode (Sulfur-conductive-polymer nanocomposites) are in a solid state which could help in improving safety under Venus's surface conditions.

The material GO (Graphene Oxide), which serves as the membrane between the anode and the cathode, has many benefits, including increasing electronic conductivity, increasing the capacity of cells by offering a variety of pathways for electron transport and dissolving polysulfides, and acting as an electrical pathway to allow the utilization of trapped active materials.

Here are some aspects of single cell performance at 450 degree Celsius and 200 Ma cm-2:

Mass: 80.44g

Volume: 4E-4.7m

Theoretical Discharge capacity: 5 Ah

Self-discharge rate: 2% per month (+3% for safety circuits of battery system)

Here are some aspects of battery performance:

Volt: 28V

Theoretical total capacity: 1675 mAhg^-1

Number of cells: 200

Volume: 4E-4.7m

Mass: 28 kg

Vacuum Chamber System:

The vacuum chamber system will be constructed that will work by removing the gases from a vessel. The battery will be placed in a chamber system that will provide the right conditions of pressure and temperature for the battery to work. By creating a pressure difference, the vacuum chamber system will also be employed as a mechanical energy generator. The Stirling Engine principle, which relies on differences in temperature and pressure to operate, is used to generate energy.

The engine is composed of 6 piston cylinders that will experience two different temperatures of (650- 450 degree Celsius) at either end with the help of a vacuum chamber system. This could aid in air expansion in the pistons, which will create mechanical energy that will be transferred to electrical energy to provide the Li-S with energy to recharge. Mild steel will be used to make the vacuum vessels because of its high melting point of up to 1530 degrees Celsius. Additionally, it has a density of roughly 7850 kg/m^3, which can aid in reducing the weight of the rover.

Here are some aspects of the vacuum chamber engine system:

Efficiency (ŋ) = 40%

Mass = 20 kg (Vacuum chamber and Stirling Engine)

The volume of a single piston: 1.54×10^-3 m^3 

Isolating system: 

As Venus's surface is roughly 475 °C, silica aerogel can be employed as a thermal insulation material for the battery, where its thermal conductivity can be as low as 0.013 W/mK, to create the optimal battery conditions. Along with a number of other qualities, aerogel is the most effective thermal insulator. In addition to achieving better temperature reduction with minimal insulation volume and density, Aerogel's lightweight nature makes it ideal for use on the rover to keep a temperature difference to develop the vacuum chamber system and to maintain the efficient environment of pressure and temperature to the (Li-S) Battery.

Some aspects of the advantages of Silica Gel aerogel:

It contains anti-infrared fibers that help in reflecting infrared radiations that are trapped in Venus’s atmosphere due to thick clouds.

It’s non-flammable so it ensures safety in the system of the battery under high temperatures.

It can absorb heat up to 40% of its own weight.

The lifetime of the silica gel aerogel is indefinite if stored airtight.

1.     Gipson, L. (2021, April 7). NASA seeks to create a better battery with sabers. NASA. Retrieved October 1, 2022, from https://www.nasa.gov/feature/nasa-seeks-to-create-a-better-battery-with-sabers

2.     2019.Spaceappschallenge.org. (n.d.). Retrieved October 1, 2022, from https://2019.spaceappschallenge.org/challenges/planets-near-and-far/memory-maker/details  

3.     Schlieder, S. (2020, February 18). Exploring hell: Avoiding obstacles on a Clockwork Rover. NASA. Retrieved October 1, 2022, from https://www.nasa.gov/exploring-hell-venus-rover-challenge   

4.     Hall, L. (2016, April 1). Automaton rover for extreme environments (AREE). NASA. Retrieved October 1, 2022, from https://www.nasa.gov/feature/automaton-rover-for-extreme-environments-aree/  

5.     Mars. (2020, September 11). Mars Rover specifications. NASA. Retrieved October 1, 2022, from https://mars.nasa.gov/msl/spacecraft/rover/summary 

NASA's space app experience can be characterized as an integrated one because it involved academic learning as well as the development of social, time management, and teamwork skills.

Working on this Project had several effects on our personalities, including improving our scientific research skills. Additionally, learning how to use previous scientific research as a source of knowledge and understanding the value of reliable websites and how to spot them improved the logical aspect of both our academic work and daily life. Despite the difficulties and challenges we met during the hackathon, our differences in personalities and temperaments, as well as the nature of each of us as employees, made it difficult at first to get used to working together. However, these difficulties have been overcome by allocating tasks and planning specific meeting times to make the work suitable for all of us at the same time. Additionally, we developed our ability to compromise, reason with, and influence one another. The project's academic focus was on designing an energy storage system, a field of study that during its development exposed us to a variety of chemistry and physics topics.

 Due to our team's continued interest in physics, chemistry, and astronomy as well as our proficiency in these fields, we tried to select challenges that match our interests and skills. As a result, exploring Venus was chosen since it aims to develop an energy storage system.

 Some techniques have been used to develop this project, for instance conducting additional searches and analyzing earlier data to draw new findings. Whether conducted by the space agency or another organization, scientific research greatly aided us in expanding our project's database or strengthening the data that had already been gathered. Due to the clarity of some ideas and the existence of complex math and physics problems we resort to asking experts for help Additionally, in some areas of the proposal outlines and the challenge requirements, hackathon mentors have been consulted.

 Last but not least, we are honored to pay tribute to Ibrahim Rashad, our mentor, who assisted us during the offline hackathon day by helping us to understand the challenge requirements and the project Submission.

·       Kumar, J., Bhattacharya, P., Zhu, Y., Groeber, C. M., & Subramanyam, G. (2022). Primary U.S. Work Locations and Key Partners Project Management Quang-viet Nguyen TX03 Aerospace Power and Energy Storage TX03.2 Energy Storage TX03.2.1 Electrochemical: Batteries Target Destination Others Inside the Solar System. https://techport.nasa.gov/view/92914

·       Sauder, J., Hilgemann, E., Johnson, M., Parness, A., Bienstock, B., Additional, J. H., Kawata, J., & Stack, K. (2017). AUTOMATON ROVER FOR EXTREME ENVIRONMENTS NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) Phase I Final Report Principle Investigator.

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o  Hall, L. (2016, April 1). Automaton rover for extreme environments (AREE). NASA. Retrieved October 1, 2022, from https://www.nasa.gov/feature/automaton-rover-for-extreme-environments-aree/

o  Mars. (2020, September 11). Mars Rover specifications. NASA. Retrieved October 1, 2022, from https://mars.nasa.gov/msl/spacecraft/rover/summary

o  Gipson, L. (2021, April 7). NASA seeks to create a better battery with sabers. NASA. Retrieved October 1, 2022, from https://www.nasa.gov/feature/nasa-seeks-to-create-a-better-battery-with-sabers

o  Schlieder, S. (2020, February 18). Exploring hell: Avoiding obstacles on a Clockwork Rover. NASA. Retrieved October 1, 2022, from https://www.nasa.gov/exploring-hell-venus-rover-challenge

#Space, #Venus, #Batteries, #Rover