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Vandersande, J.

Publications and source records attributed to Vandersande, J..

9 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1998

Promising Thermoelectric Materials for Terrestrial-Space Applications

Since the discovery of state-of-the-art thermoelectric materials in the 1960s, little improvement has been made in the thermoelectric material efficiency. Although numerous materials have been investigated for their thermoelectric properties, ZT value of 1 has not been significantly exceeded. This paper presents a new family of materials with the skutterudite crystal structure which, based on initial results obtained on several compounds of this family, has a good potential for thermoelectric applications. This class of materials covers a wide range of decomposition temperatures and bandgaps, which could be used for low, intermediate to high temperature applications.

thermoelectric material skutterudite↗
NASA NTRS1992

The NASA CSTI high capacity power project

The SP-100 Space Nuclear Power Program was established in 1983 by DOD, DOE, and NASA as a joint program to develop technology for military and civil applications. Starting in 1986, NASA has funded a technology program to maintain the momentum of promising aerospace technology advancement started during Phase 1 of SP-100 and to strengthen, in key areas, the chances for successful development and growth capability of space nuclear reactor power systems for a wide range of future space applications. The elements of the Civilian Space Technology Initiative (CSTI) High Capacity Power Project include Systems Analysis, Stirling Power Conversion, Thermoelectric Power Conversion, Thermal Management, Power Management, Systems Diagnostics, Environmental Interactions, and Material/Structural Development. Technology advancement in all elements is required to provide the growth capability, high reliability and 7 to 10 year lifetime demanded for future space nuclear power systems. The overall project will develop and demonstrate the technology base required to provide a wide range of modular power systems compatible with the SP-100 reactor which facilitates operation during lunar and planetary day/night cycles as well as allowing spacecraft operation at any attitude or distance from the sun. Significant accomplishments in all of the project elements will be presented, along with revised goals and project timelines recently developed.

Winter, J.↗
NASA NTRS1992

The NASA CSTI High Capacity Power Project

The elements of the Civilian Space Technology Initiative (CSTI) High Capacity Power Project include Systems Analysis, Stirling Power Conversion, Thermoelectric Power Conversion, Thermal Management, Power Management, Systems Diagnostics, Environmental Interactions, and Material/Structural Development. The overall project will develop and demonstrate the technology base required to provide a wide range of modular power systems compatible with the SP-100 reactor which facilitates operation during lunar and planetary day/night cycles as well as allowing spacecraft operation at any attitude or distance from the sun. Significant accomplishments in all of the project elements are presented, along with revised goals and project timelines recently developed.

Winter, J.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Effect of the microstructure on the thermoelectric properties of polycrystalline lanthanum chalcogenides

Small amounts of second phase materials can have important effects on the thermoelectric properties of polycrystalline gamma-La(3-x)X4 (X-S, Te; X in the range of 0 to 1/3). Microscopic examination by SEM of hot pressed La(3-x)Te4 samples has revealed from 1-5 vol. pct of La2O2Te, an amount which is not detected by X-ray powder diffraction measurements. This amount of La2O2Te resulting from oxygen contamination can reduce the concentration of electrons by as much as 10 to 75 percent below the electron concentration calculated for single phase La(3-x)Te4 in the composition range of greatest interest. Small amounts of second phase materials can also lower the lattice thermal conductivity by scattering low frequency phonons. These results indicate that microstructural effects should be considered when electrical and thermal properties of polycrystalline materials are analyzed.

Lockwood, A.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Computerized data acquisition and analysis for measuring thermal diffusivity

JPL has been leading a concentrated effort to develop improved thermoelectric materials for space applications. Thermoelectric generators are an attractive source of electrical energy for space power because of lack of moving parts and slow degradation of performance. Thermoelectric material is characterized by: Seebeck coefficient, electrical resistivity and thermal conductivity. To measure the high temperature thermal conductivity is experimentally very difficult. However, it can be calculated from the specific heat and thermal diffusivity which are easier to measure at high temperatures, especially using the flash method. Data acquisition and analysis for this experiment were automated at JPL using inexpensive microcomputer equipment. This approach is superior to tedious and less accurate manual analysis of data. It is also preferred to previously developed systems utilizing expensive minicomputers or mainframes.

Chmielewski, A.↗