High-Level Project Summary
Based on the requirements of the challenge, and the extreme environmental conditions that exist on the planet Venus, the Mate team conducted an investigation into the different modes of energy storage for a 60-day mission. After discarding different alternatives, we came up with an integrated storage and energy generation system based on technologies that take advantage of the temperature and gases existing in the atmosphere of this planet.
Link to Final Project
Link to Project "Demo"
Detailed Project Description
Our project, "Big Mate" (BM) consists of a mobile equipment in which the storage system is integrated with an electric power generation system.
First of all, the equipment will be inside a support of a resistant material known as Invar, which consists of an alloy of iron and nickel, and other titanium alloys.
The storage system consists of a set of sodium sulfide batteries, which occupy a volume of about 3.5 m3, and it has been demonstrated through various studies that can withstand the conditions of temperature (maximum of 773 K) and pressure (92 atm). Prior to selecting this option, we considered options of nickel-cadmium batteries, capacitors, storing gases for a fuel cell (such as oxygen and hydrogen), but for various reasons these were discarded.
On the other hand, the power generation system that will feed the batteries consists of a mercury gas turbine coupled to a DC generator. The reason for choosing a fluid such as mercury was its melting point (630 K) in relation to the existing temperatures, which makes it gaseous in this environment and take better advantage of its ability to generate electricity. The turbine will be able to generate 138 W of mechanical work, which will be converted into 110 W of electrical power by the generator having an efficiency of 80%. In addition, for the operation of the turbine, BM has a secondary wind power generation system, which will work from a similar phenomenon to that developed in the Venturi tubes, which will generate up to 6 W of power whose function will be to feed the pumps that make up the turbine.
For the cooling of the batteries and to avoid their deterioration, there is a cooling system based on an endothermic reaction between the Hydrogen that is in a tank integrated to the equipment and the Carbon Dioxide that exists in the atmosphere. In addition, this system will serve to complete the steam cycle based on the "Ideal Rankine Cycle" of the turbine, because it will allow us to extract heat from the condenser (165 kJ/mol).
Last but not least, the casings of the BM will be made of an innovative material developed superelastic composed of a nickel alloyed titanium mesh with shape memory, which gives the possibility to generate a high elasticity without deformation of the tire and without the need of air and inner tube. This will give us the possibility to have no problems in landing and mobilization of the equipment on the planet.
Space Agency Data
Resources of the page and recommendations of different tutors of the day.
Hackathon Journey
The Space apps day in Cordoba has been developed in a very pleasant way and allowed us to interact with people of different ages and backgrounds.
References
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