Simulation of a thermoelectric power generation system with multiple heat storage for lunar habitat

Abstract

The global demand for space research has surged, driven by advancements in technology and the pursuit of extraterrestrial resource utilization. As the development of lunar resources and infrastructure necessitates a sustained human presence, establishing a lunar habitat is imperative for the long-term advancement of space exploration. To ensure continuous power supply to such a habitat, thermoelectric generators (TEGs), which directly transform heat flux into electrical energy, can be utilized, leveraging the extreme temperature gradient on the lunar surface, which ranges from 90 to 390 K. However, although some studies suggest that the transient-state operation may enhance the TEG efficiency, its feasibility under lunar conditions remains unexplored. Therefore, as switching heat storage (HS) induces the transient state by altering the temperature of the working fluid and HS is generally necessary due to the Moon's prolonged nights, this study aims to assess the suitability of a multiple-HS system to generate a thermally transient state in the TEG through HS switching. The results showed that the multiple-HS structure increased power generation by approximately 48.9 % under the lunar environment, pointing temperature altering can enhance the power generation of the TEG-based system on the moon. Additionally, the effects of switching timing of multiple-HS and size of HS were assessed, but its impact is relatively low, +0.3 % for switching timing and −0.5 % for size. The findings should contribute to lunar research, providing insights for the transient characteristics of TEGs.