THE VOYAGERS

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1YX2qDLXwdgTMQYXK5i_JnWVaUZQU-ThH/edit?usp=drivesdk&ouid=108633768173534339587&rtpof=true&sd=true

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1YTv-b30O5OeZV2-fTOgy_cvkzS6rd90f/edit?usp=drivesdk&ouid=108633768173534339587&rtpof=true&sd=true

         VPS(Venus Rover Power Management System)

INTRODUCTION 

This project revolves around the solution that our team tried to create about the topic i.e."Exploring Venus Together" we worked together for solving the power problem as well as temperature maintenance problem of rover (i.e to maintain the system in working condition in the extreme hot climatic temperature and pressure).

     CLIMATIC CONDITION ON VENUS

• It has temperature ranging maximum 460 degree C.
• It has pressure almost 92 times more than that of Earth.
• It's atmosphere contains caustic chemicals (SO2, HCl, HF).
• It has super dense atmosphere restricting solar rays to reach Venus.
• Winds blow in very high speed.
• It has active volcanos continuosly erupting.
• It has hostile environment.

OUR SOLUTION

 To work in the above environment we observed that we have to tackle 2 problem:

1)Power Problem(i.e. to power the system in that harsh environment)

2)Temperature And Pressure Problem(i.e. to maintain the system in working condition in the extreme hot climatic temperature and pressure)

 PRESSURE VESSEL

 Pressure vessel helps to maintain the internal pressure less than that of outer environment.Inside the pressure vessel adequate environment is created so that all systems including scientific instruments can work properly. In our design we used 2 inter connected vessels one for Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators (RTGs)i.e. our primary energy source and other vessel for onboard computer, scientific instruments and secondary battery(i.e.lithium-ion rechargeable batteries).   

Both vessels are made from Titanium since it can resist the Corrosive environment.and inside it a layer of Tantalum carbide (TaC) can be used as it can resist the temperature higher than 4000degree C and in secondary Vessel at the place of Camera Borosilicate glass could be used as it can resist up to 1000degree C of heat with almost negligible thermal expansion.   

 POWER MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

For this problem we thought of using 2 sources:

1) Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators(RTGs)

2)Rechargable Lithium-Ion battery

For primary power of rover we thought of using old school tested technology i.e.Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators(RTGs) as it can work in most harsh environment since it relay on radioactive isotope mainly Plutonium-238.

Its working mechanism is as follow:

It converts heat generated by the natural decay of plutonium-238 a radioactive isotope—into electrical power. 

They have powered more than two dozen U.S. space missions.

And are capable of producing electricity under the harsh conditions of Venus for a long time without any maintenance.

According to studies, it can supply power for more than 90 years with good efficiency.

It can produce upto 110 watts of electricity continuously that can be used to charge Lithium Ion batteries which will be used for daily operations.

By doing this we can take an output equivalent to 1000 watts that can be used for carrying researches for some time than we have to leave it to recharge.As it is most necessary to make temperature management system to run for continuously to maintain the the temperature of equipment module cool i.e. workable condition.

Taking reference form Perseverance Rover (Lithium Ion batteries)

It has specific name "Eagle Picher rechargeable lithium-ion batteries ".It consists 2 batteries of similar size and each batteries with eight 43-amp-hour cells in series, it is a   28-volt battery weighing 26.76kg

(Power=28volt*43amp*=1,204watts)*2 = 2408watts

We can use it at peak demands of power as well as for running cooling system continuously and necessary sensors required for communication and movement.

TEMPERATURE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

Since we have to work in the hell like environment i.e. Venus surface, there temperature rises nearly 460degreeC. we need to maintain the workable condition inside the pressure vessels that instruments inside can work properly for longer duration.

To prevent environment heat inside a layer of Tantalum carbide (TaC) including a layer of aerogel and Kapton films could be used.

 And after that we need to use some sort of cooling mechanism and in our case we thought of using "Sterling Cooler Design" inspired by sterling engine.This solution is also suggested by researches done by NASA.To keep our pressurized electronics vessel cooled, so that the operating temperature inside the electronics vessel would   be cool enough for electronics to run, to allow a mission to operate on the surface of Venus for extended periods. In the electronics package vessel design, the electronics are located inside spherical thermal vessel. The design uses a Stirling engine to serve as a heat pump to eject heat through a heat pipe away from the interior of the thermal pressure vessel. The cold side of the heat pipe (inside the thermal vessel) is at (200 °C). This temperature was chosen so that a currently available high-temperature silicon-based microcontroller could operate. The Stirling cooler transfers the waste heat to radiators, which efficiently reject heat to the Venus atmosphere at a temperature of 500 °C, 40 °C above the surface temperature.

To keep the heat pipe cold-side temperature at 200degreeC, A 105 W of heat pumping can be used.

We can also increase the capacity of heat pump to decrease the the temperature of heat pipe cold-sidel.

COOLENT USED AND ITS PROPERTIES

So, basically as a coolent we suggest to use" gaseous Helium"

Because of its Properties:

Its a inert gas

It has high thermal conductivity

Its specific heat capacity is 5.19J/g K

We have seen its capablity of cooling as in nuclear power plant , the cooling of reactor which is nearly 1200degreeC is done pumping liquid Helium through out the reactor.

POWER CONSUMPTION CHART

The power delivery capacity Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators (RTGs) efficiency decrease by almost 0.70% .It is almost negligible. 

COMPONENTS

POWER CONSUMPTION

Drill

130 Watts

communication Unit

120 Watts

On Board Computer

15 to 20 Watts

Sensors

8 to 10 Watts 

Heat Pump

110 Watts or more

Camera

3 to 12 watts

Adjustment Motors

20 watts

Drive Motors

250 Watts

WEIGHT CHART OF UNIT(ROVER COMPONENTS)

COMPONENTS

WEIGHT(KG)

Pressure Vessel With All Layering

500 Kg

Radar Unit

20 kg

On Board Computer

15 Kg

Heat Pump

113 Kg

Drive Motor

100 Kg

Sensor Unit including Cameras

6 Kg

Adjustment Motor 

2 to 3 Kg

4 Wheels Including Rims 

60kg

Dill Unit

15 Kg

Heat Rejection System Including Pipes

17 kg

Lithium Ion batteries

54 Kg

Thermoelectric Power Generator

45 Kg

Others

20 Kg

CONCLUSION

In conclusion we would like to conclude our project by telling that we have all the technologies required for the Venus Mission just slight modification and combining them properly is required.

We used NASA and its partners agencies data for refrences as well as for studied about previous missions and studies conducted about Venus and technologies that can help in achieving our target.

Working in collaboration with team members was the best part of the hackathon. We got alot of ideas and information. We can say that working together was worth it. we would rate over all experience 10 out of 10. It inspired us. By working in the problem we tackled alot of problems but together at last we got our conclusions.

Over all Our Hackathon Journey was memorising.

Tools Used

WPS office

Reference websites for used images and datas including research papers and partner agencies data

http://rasc.Iarc.nasa.gov/

https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/resources/549/energy-storage-technologies-for-future-planetary-science-missions/

https://techport.nasa.gov/view/92914

https://sbir.nasa.gov/SBIR/abstracts/21/sbir/phase1/SBIR-21-1-S3.03-3308.html

https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/news/1519/venus-resources/?page=0&per_page=40&order=created_at+desc&search=&tags=Venus&category=324

https://www.nasa.gov/feature/automaton-rover-for-extreme-environments-aree/

https://www.nasa.gov/exploring-hell-venus-rover-challenge/

https://2019.spaceappschallenge.org/challenges/planets-near-and-far/memory-maker/details

https://arc.aiaa.org/doi/pdf/10.2514/1.41886

https://www.google.com/search?q=venus&client=ms-android-xiaomi-rvo2&hl=en-GB&prmd=insv&sxsrf=ALiCzsavbmMtU4mLZpPuYEw1rKDYhbTRxQ:1664712419097&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj7xpKDwcH6AhVF1XMBHcUyDNQQ_AUoAXoECAIQAQ&biw=393&bih=733&dpr=2.75#imgrc=fJ6QX2NEW23V6M

https://www.google.com/search?q=helium&tbm=isch&ved=2ahUKEwiu5LfewcH6AhUlk9gFHVapBrQQ2-cCegQIABAC&oq=helium&gs_lcp=ChJtb2JpbGUtZ3dzLXdpei1pbWcQARgAMgQIABBDMgUIABCABDIFCAAQgAQyBQgAEIAEMgUIABCABDoECCMQJzoHCCMQ6gIQJzoECAAQAzoICAAQsQMQgwE6CAgAEIAEELEDOgsIABCABBCxAxCDAToHCAAQsQMQQ1DjDFjUGWDKIGgCcAB4AIAB-wGIAc4MkgEFMC4yLjWYAQCgAQGwAQXAAQE&sclient=mobile-gws-wiz-img&ei=on85Y66LIaWm4t4P1tKaoAs&bih=733&biw=393&client=ms-android-xiaomi-rvo2&prmd=insv&hl=en-GB#imgrc=LmUxIopzlmcCUM

https://www.google.com/search?q=venus+rover&tbm=isch&ved=2ahUKEwjOksnZwcH6AhVCUnwKHYSwCrYQ2-cCegQIABAC&oq=venus+rarover&gs_lcp=ChJtb2JpbGUtZ3dzLXdpei1pbWcQARgAMgQIABANMgQIABANMgQIABANMgQIABANMgQIABANOgQIIxAnOgUIABCABDoGCAAQHhAIOgYIABAKEBg6BwgjELACECc6BQgAEKIEUM0IWL0yYLs9aABwAHgAgAHNAYgBsw2SAQUwLjcuMpgBAKABAcABAQ&sclient=mobile-gws-wiz-img&ei=mH85Y87mFMKk8QOE4aqwCw&bih=733&biw=393&client=ms-android-xiaomi-rvo2&prmd=insv&hl=en-GB#imgrc=bAcuATUg2rqsnM

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://mars.nasa.gov/mars2020/&ved=2ahUKEwjhvZL3wsH6AhWn4TgGHZu9BysQgaEJegQIQxAA&usg=AOvVaw04m1H32zrm7KniXDH_UbA3

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/317702127_Development_of_Venus_drill&ved=2ahUKEwi-8K-2xMH6AhVz3TgGHSJIAXQQFnoECBIQAQ&usg=AOvVaw1zDXs8UNKULRQeX9icQ_qd

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/20050192311&ved=2ahUKEwiZoNTbxMH6AhUog2MGHQ-_Ay8QFnoECAwQAQ&usg=AOvVaw2eqdLaustwxq5V7CQzdaeI

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venus&ved=2ahUKEwjNw__sxMH6AhW68zgGHZUDBpQQFnoECAsQAQ&usg=AOvVaw3por_L2J9GxSKJytXMhc99https://images.app.goo.gl/9q2ivMe3DzgKXHQC7

#space, #NASA, #venus exploration, #exploring venus together, #Explore, #Rover