Solar Receiver for the Space Station Brayton Engine

A study has been conducted on the preliminary design and development of a solar receiver to be used for electrical power production in a closed Brayton cycle engine on the NASA Space Station. The receiver incorporates integral thermal storage, using a eutectic mixture of LiF and CaF₂ as the thermal storage solid-to-liquid phase change material (PCM). The thermal storage is required to enable power production during the substantial eclipse period which accompanies low-earth orbits. The design comprises a cylindrical receiver cavity. The walls of the cavity are lined with a series of tubes running the length of the cavity. The Brayton cycle working fluid flows through the tubes. The PCM is enclosed in individual, sealed metallic containment canisters which are stacked and thermally connected to the working fluid tube. The material for the working fluid tubes and containment canisters is the cobalt superalloy Haynes 188.