HIGH-TEMPERATURE-WASTE-HEAT-DRIVEN COOLING USING COMPLEX COMPOUND SORPTION MEDIA

MANNED LUNAR BASES WILL REQUIRE COOLING FOR DEHUMIDIFICATION(ABOUT 40 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT) AND HABITAT (60 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT). THE BACKGROUND TEMPERATURE FOR HEAT REJECTION IS 125 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT, REQUIRING REJECT TEMPERATURES OF 180 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT OR ABOVE. WASTE HEAT WILL BE AVAILABLE FROM THE POWER-GENERATING SYSTEM ABOVE 500K (440 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT). COMPLEX-COMPOUND SORPTION CYCLES CAN BE USED TO PROVIDE COOLING AND HEAT REJECTION AT THESE TEMPERATURES, AND CAN BE DRIVEN WITH WASTE HEAT NEAR 500K. WASTE-HEAT-DRIVEN COOLING CYCLES WILL REDUCE THE LOAD ON THEPOWER-GENERATION SYSTEM WHILE REDUCING TOTAL HEAT REJECTION. COMPLEX-COMPOUND CYCLES ARE POTENTIALLY IDEAL FOR THIS APPLICATION BECAUSE THEY PROVIDE HIGH TEMPERATURE LIFT, ARE RELIABLE (HAVING NO MOVING PARTS), AND ARE LIGHT. EFFICIENCY CAN APPROACH 80 PERCENT OF THE CARNOT LIMIT. THE OBJECTIVES OF PHASE I ARE TO PROVE THE CONCEPT IN THE LABORATORY AND PROVIDE ESTIMATES OF MASS AND EFFICIENCY OF AN OPTIMIZED SYSTEM. THE OBJECTIVE OF PHASE II WILL BE TO DEMONSTRATE A COOLING SYSTEM OPTIMIZED FOR LUNAR CONDITIONS AND PROVIDE MORE ACCURATE MASS AND PERFORMANCE PROJECTIONS. PHASE I EFFORTS WILL BE DIRECTED TOWARD A SMALL-SCALE (UP TO ABOUT 100-W COOLING) LABORATORY DEMONSTRATION AND COMPUTER MODELING OF A FULL-SCALE HEAT PUMP. MANNED LUNAR BASES WILL REQUIRE COOLING FOR DEHUMIDIFICATION(ABOUT 40 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT) AND HABITAT (60 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT). THE BACKGROUND TEMPERATURE FOR HEAT REJECTION IS 125 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT, REQUIRING REJECT TEMPERATURES OF 180 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT OR ABOVE. WASTE HEAT WILL BE AVAILABLE FROM THE POWER-GENERATING SYSTEM ABOVE 500K (440 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT). COMPLEX-COMPOUND SORPTION CYCLES CAN BE USED TO PROVIDE COOLING AND HEAT REJECTION AT THESE TEMPERATURES, AND CAN BE DRIVEN WITH WASTE HEAT NEAR 500K. WASTE-HEAT-DRIVEN COOLING CYCLES WILL REDUCE THE LOAD ON THEPOWER-GENERATION SYSTEM WHILE REDUCING TOTAL HEAT REJECTION. COMPLEX-COMPOUND CYCLES ARE POTENTIALLY IDEAL FOR THIS APPLICATION BECAUSE THEY PROVIDE HIGH TEMPERATURE LIFT, ARE RELIABLE (HAVING NO MOVING PARTS), AND ARE LIGHT. EFFICIENCY CAN APPROACH 80 PERCENT OF THE CARNOT LIMIT. THE OBJECTIVES OF PHASE I ARE TO PROVE THE CONCEPT IN THE LABORATORY AND PROVIDE ESTIMATES OF MASS AND EFFICIENCY OF AN OPTIMIZED SYSTEM. THE OBJECTIVE OF PHASE II WILL BE TO DEMONSTRATE A COOLING SYSTEM OPTIMIZED FOR LUNAR CONDITIONS AND PROVIDE MORE ACCURATE MASS AND PERFORMANCE PROJECTIONS. PHASE I EFFORTS WILL BE DIRECTED TOWARD A SMALL-SCALE (UP TO ABOUT 100-W COOLING) LABORATORY DEMONSTRATION AND COMPUTER MODELING OF A FULL-SCALE HEAT PUMP.