Accession Number:

AD1038999

Title:

Stress and Displacement Analysis of Microreactors during Thermal and Vacuum Loading

Descriptive Note:

Technical Report,01 Dec 2016,30 Jun 2017

Corporate Author:

US Army Research Laboratory Adelphi United States

Personal Author(s):

• Allmon,William
• Waits,C. Mike

Report Date:

2017-09-07

Pagination or Media Count:

26.0

Abstract:

Compact power sources with high energy and power densities are critical for many military applications. These applications span from personal or squad-level power sources for long-duration missions without resupply to unmanned air vehicles requiring only a few hours of running time. In the 10100 W power range, battery technology is the best solution currently available, but higher-energy dense technologies are needed to augment batteries and extend the available energy density well beyond state-of-the-art battery technology. One way to approach this is to take advantage of the large energy content of hydrocarbons. Conversion efficiencies of only a few percent can provide comparable energy density to battery technology. One technology being pursued by the US Army Research Laboratory is combustion-based thermophotovoltaic power sources. Combustion can be used to convert fuel to heat a surface to temperatures above 500 C. An emitter could be vacuum brazed to the heated surface. This assembly method creates stresses due to difference in the coefficient of thermal expansion of the materials. Additional stresses are introduced, since the exterior of the assembly operates at vacuum while the interior is at ambient pressure. This report provides an analysis of 2 approaches to manage the stresses in the assembly.

Descriptors:

• thermophotovoltaic cells
• combustion
• PHOTONIC CRYSTALS
• stress analysis
• HYDROCARBONS

Subject Categories:

• Electrooptical and Optoelectronic Devices

Distribution Statement:

APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE