Experimental Prototype and Optimization Design of Miniaturization Space Application Radioisotope Thermophotovoltaic Generators

With the rapid development of space technology,high-efficiency power systems occupy an increasingly important position in deep space exploration missions. Radioisotope thermophotovoltaic(RPTV)systems convert the heat of radioisotope into electrical energy via thermally infrared radiation photons,which have attracted attention in farreaching space exploration. In this paper,a heat source surface temperature and heat transfer simulation model in COMSOL Multiphysics was established based on238 PuO2. Besides,at different heat source power densities,the temperature gradient of the heat source surface was obtained,and a heat source temperature of 600 K– 1 000 K was obtained from a heat source power of 0.42 W–1.6 W. Moreover,an RTPV prototype was created and the transducing unit was studied,mainly comparing the two transducing units of GaSb cell and InGaAs cell. The performance of InGaAs cell is better under the same heat source temperature. Predicting the prepared RTPV generators are expected to become reliable space power sources in the future.