Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A (대한기계학회논문집A)

The Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers (대한기계학회)
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Heat Transfer and Radiation Shielding Analysis for Optimal Design of Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator

방사성동위원소 열전 발전기 최적설계를 위한 차폐 및 열전달 해석

  • Son, Kwang Jae (Dept. of Research Reactor Applications, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute) ;
  • Hong, Jintae (Dept. of Research Reactor Applications, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute) ;
  • Yang, Young Soo (Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, Jeonnam Nat'l Univ.)
  • 손광재 (한국원자력연구원 연구로이용연구본부) ;
  • 홍진태 (한국원자력연구원 연구로이용연구본부) ;
  • 양영수 (전남대학교 기계공학과)
  • Received : 2013.07.19
  • Accepted : 2013.09.05
  • Published : 2013.12.01
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Abstract

To supply electric power in certain extreme environments such as a spacecraft or in military applications, a radioisotope thermoelectric generator has been highlighted as a useful energy source owing to its high energy density, long lifetime, and high reliability. A radioisotope thermoelectric generator generates electric power by using the heat energy converted from the radioactive energy of a radioisotope. In this study, FE analyses such as radiation shield analysis, heat transfer analysis, and power recovery rate analysis have been carried out to achieve an optimal design for a radioisotope thermoelectric generator using $SrTiO_2$.

방사성동위원소 열전발전기는 장반감기 알파 혹은 베타 핵종에서 방출하는 하전입자를 차폐하여 방사선에너지를 열에너지로 전환하고 이때 발생하는 열전재료의 온도차를 이용하여 전력을 생산하는 시스템이다. 이 기술은 에너지 밀도가 높고 수명이 길며 신뢰성이 높아 우주개발, 국방 등 극한 환경에서 사용되는 장치, 센서 및 로봇 등의 에너지원으로 그 효용성이 매우 높다. 본 연구에서는 방사선 차폐해석 및 열전달 해석을 통하여 차폐체, 그리고 최대 온도구배를 가지는 열전재료의 형상과 배치를 결정하여 열전발전기 기초설계를 도출하였다.

Keywords

References

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