Design and Assessment of an Advanced Renewable Energy System with Hydrogen and Monomethylhydrazine Production for Space Shuttles

Abstract

A new renewable energy-driven advanced plant is designed and developed to produce multiple useful outputs, namely electricity, heat, cooling, hydrogen and monomethylhydrazine (as space shuttle fuel) using solar and wind energies locally available. A specific location needed for this kind of unique work is identified as the Kennedy Space Center (KSC), which is known as located on Merritt Island, Florida, is one of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) ten field centers. Since December 1968, KSC has been NASA's primary launch center of American spaceflight, research, and technology. This paper presents a comprehensive analysis of the subsystems that constitute the newly proposed system for KSC and highlights their complex relationships and synergies. Leveraging renewable energy sources, such as Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) and wind energy, coupled with innovative technologies like the Regenerative Rankine Cycle, MSF desalination, hydrogen production and Li-Br Absorption Chiller, the KSC's system maximizes energy conversion efficiency while minimizing environmental impact. Noteworthy outcomes include daily water production of 177.63 kg/s and hydrogen production of 169.61 kg/day, alongside annual energy contributions of 212,692,688 kWh for CSP and 66,158,552 kWh for wind turbines. More than that, it has a production of 23.04 kg/s MMH as fuel. Additionally, the overall energy and exergy efficiencies of the system are 30.6% and 33% respectively. Despite challenges, such as lower efficiencies in certain subsystems like MMH production, ongoing research and development efforts aim to optimize processes and enhance sustainability. This study underscores the KSC's commitment to sustainability, innovation, and progress, serving as a model for sustainable energy integration in space exploration and terrestrial applications.