Abstract
The types and the characteristics of the waste heat on hypersonic vehicles and the application feasibility of thermoelectric generators (TEGs) for hypersonic aircraft are discussed in this paper. Two thermoelectric generator schemes with an isothermal heat source and a variable temperature heat source were proposed, and the corresponding models were developed to predict the performance of the waste heat recovery systems on a hypersonic vehicle with different heat sources. The thermoelectric efficiency variation with electric current, the temperature distribution of fuel and junctions, and the distribution of the thermoelectric figure of merit (ZT value) are described by diagrams. Besides, some improvements for a better performance are analyzed. The results indicate that the maximum values of thermoelectric efficiency are 5% and 2.5% for the isothermal heat source and the variable temperature heat source, respectively, and the thermoelectric efficiency improves with the temperature of the hot junction. The performance of the TEGs with variable temperature heat source is worse than that of the other TEGs under the same highest hot junction temperature conditions, and the former has a better conversion efficiency than the latter when the average temperatures are identical.
Highlights
Hypersonic flight vehicles are a novel type of aircraft in the fields of aeronautics and astronautics for hypersonic missions, such as the surveillance missions, military strikes and space transportation [1].In a surveillance mission, the efficiency and flexibility of the hypersonic flight vehicles are higher than those of reconnaissance satellites, and the response speed of hypersonic aircraft will be higher than that of existing unmanned reconnaissance aircraft
There is an optimal electric current point with a maximum thermoelectric efficiency for each hot junction temperature, because the electric power output of thermoelectric generators (TEGs) will decrease under too large a current or
Thermoelectric temperature, because the electric power output of TEGs will decrease under too large a current or too temperature, because the electric power output of TEGs will decrease under too large a current or too lowlow a current, like like a battery
Summary
Hypersonic flight vehicles are a novel type of aircraft in the fields of aeronautics and astronautics for hypersonic missions, such as the surveillance missions, military strikes and space transportation [1]. Combined Cycle (TBCC) [4] and the Rocket Based Combined Cycle (RBCC) [5], are extremely high These high temperatures are a technical challenge for hypersonic flight from the point of thermal protection, but the high temperature and the high heat flux can be treated as the heat source for an electricity generation system. Heat sources with different temperatures, namely different energy levels [6], can be utilized to generate electricity through different thermodynamic cycles, or other thermoelectric conversion technologies, such as the use of semiconductor thermoelectric generators (TEGs). Thermoelectric generators, called as thermoelectric devices (TEDs), which can convert thermal energy into electricity directly using the Seebeck effect [14], have been developed for waste heat recovery in internal combustion engines [15].
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
