Spacecraft electric power supply system. RU patent 2390478.

FIELD: transport.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to spacecraft electric power-saving systems. Proposed system comprises solar and storage battery, as well as automatic control, test and storage battery equalising units. ACS allows simultaneous operation of said batteries for supply of onboard circuitry. Test and storage battery equalising unit effects element-by-element control of voltages and temperature in storage battery and leveling storage battery voltage misbalance. Said leveling is performed by charging separate storage batteries by preset algorithm by onboard computer or microprocessor incorporated with this unit. Structurally, the latter unit can be incorporated with both storage battery and automatic control unit. Charging voltage source can be incorporated with one of aforesaid units.

EFFECT: higher efficiency and longer life of storage batteries.

10 cl, 2 dwg

IPC classes for russian patent Spacecraft electric power supply system. RU patent 2390478. (RU 2390478):

H01M10/42 - Methods or arrangements for servicing or maintenance of secondary cells or secondary half-cells

B64G1/42 - Arrangements or adaptations of power supply systems (power supply systems per se, see the relevant subclasses);;

Another patents in same IPC classes:

Method of performing service life tests of space storage batteries and device to this end / 2390477
Invention relates to power supply systems of space objects, particularly incorporated with artificial Earth satellites (AES). Method consists in cycling accompanied by control over power characteristics of storage batteries (SA) connected in series in storage battery module. Tests are performed at operated AES. SA module A number is restricted by available excess power in AES power supply system. SA charge and discharge is controlled by onboard computer. SA discharge is performed by stabilised current and SA thermal state is continuously regulated in tests. Proposed method exploits device comprising solar batteries (SB) connected to load via voltage converter and storage batteries. The latter are connected to solar batteries via charge converters and, via discharge converters, to load. Load comprises onboard computer, telemetry hardware and command-and-measure radio line. Said module comprises thermal control plate with SA mounted therein, separate charge and discharge converters connected to the load of independent power supply system and onboard computer. Note here that individual discharge converter represents a current stabiliser. Thermal control plate is provided with temperature transducers and heaters while module incorporates discharge resistance. Note that said transducers and heaters are connected with onboard computer. Individual discharge converter output is additionally connected via switch with discharge resistance.

Charging controller / 2388131
Application: in the field of power engineering. Controller of high-temperature battery charging for compensator of power in power transmission line comprises sensor devices and devices of calculation that include memory, besides charging controller comprises model of virtual battery.

Computer-aided software-hardware complex for charging and aging 'prisma' storage batteries / 2387054
Invention relates to appliances intended for maintenance of storage batteries, particularly lead starter storage batteries with capacity approximating to 200 A/h. Proposed software device controlling storage battery charging/discharging consists of system controller (3) and PC (4). Software-controlled measuring adapters (10) with indication panels (11) convert the data from voltage transducers (9) and electrolyte temperature pickups (8) into digital form. Indication panels (11) display the storage battery state, i.e. connection, charging, discharging, interlocking, storage battery charge level scale, operation, availability of communication in charging/discharging control circuit. Power supplies (6) are implemented as pulsed program-controlled devices. Discharge circuits represent unit (7) of discharge resistors. Data exchange between power supplies (6), adapters (10), unit of discharge resistors (7) and control device (3, 4) is effected via interface (2).

Rack to charge and condition "prisma" storage batteries (sb) / 2371892
Proposed rack comprises table (1) with storage battery cells (2) furnished with terminals for the latter to be connected to power supply and storage batteries (4). Table (1) represents metal frame with feet and roll table (5) consisting of independent sections corresponding to the number of SBs (4). Each section of roll table (5) sets in pan (6) arranged on aforesaid frame. Cover (9) integrates rack side (7) and rear (8) walls. Side wall (7) and cover (9) are made from transparent material. Table frame is connected to earth. Air duct (10) is fastened outside rear wall (8) for it to be connected to exhaust fan. Rack incorporates appropriate means programmed control over SB charging/discharging. For this program-controlled adapters with indicating panels are incorporated with the rack. Storage battery voltage pickups and electrolyte temperature pickups are connected to aforesaid adapters. Indicating panels display SB state, i.e. cutting in, charging, discharging, interlocking, SB charge level scale, operation and availability of communication in charging/discharging control circuit.

Method of operating nickel-hydrogen storage battery incorporated with untight spacecraft with radiation cooling and spacecraft to this effect / 2371361
Inventions relates to power supply of space vehicles, mainly geostationary satellites with three-axis orientation. Proposed method comprises charging/discharging storage batteries and storing them as charged. Analog pressure and temperature pickups local heaters are fitted on storage batteries. In operation, current heat emission is determined for it to be adjusted by local heaters proceeding from its thermal balance. In compliance with this invention, spacecraft comprises instrument unit representing rectangular parallelepiped. Inner surfaces of aforesaid unit accommodate devices and instruments, including thermal control system with local heaters. Thermal control system extracts heat to radiators. There is also onboard system of power supply with stabilised voltage converter. Analog pressure and temperatures pickups are connected, via storage battery control device, in data exchange channel between aforesaid voltage converter, thermal control system and onboard computer. The latter incorporates program designed to correct local heater operation depending upon charge degree, storage battery operating conditions and temperature.

Method for operation of nickel-metal hydride buffer batteries at electric cars / 2368985
Invention is related to electric engineering, namely to sources of supply, which may be installed in various transport means: hybrid electric cars, electric cars with power plants on fuel elements, etc. According to invention, method for operation of nickel-metal hydride buffer batteries consists in execution of rapid charge, switching to floating with low current and execution of discharge to achieve minimum voltage, rapid charge with current of up to 20 C is carried out until maximum voltage is achieved in accumulator or group of accumulators, which is calculated according to the following formula Umax=UC-k×(t-t0)+R× (lC-lRC), where UC is final charge voltage of accumulator (or group of accumulators) at rated charge current lRC at temperature of t0=20°C, k is temperature coefficient of voltage, t is temperature of accumulator, lC is charge current, R is resistance of accumulator (or group of accumulators), which corresponds to achievement of 85 - 90 % of maximum charge capacity; discharge is executed until minimum voltage is achieved in accumulator or group of accumulators: Umin=Ud-k×(t-t0)-R×(Id-Ird), where Ud is final discharge voltage of accumulator (or group of accumulators) at rated current of discharge lrd at temperature of t0=20°C; discharge or rapid charge is interrupted, when maximum temperature is achieved, equal to 60 - 65°C; repeated switching to rapid charge is carried out only after at least 10% of rated capacity is spent or after storage of more than 10 days.

Method of operational reliability improvement for stationary lead-acid battery of high capacity / 2353026
Invention relates to electrical engineering and may be used for operation of stationary lead-acid batteries of high capacity (SLAB HC). Method of SLAB HC operational reliability improvement includes periodic de-energizing part of battery modules for preventive maintenance, defining temperature of operation, identifying number of modules to be isolated for preventive maintenance and parallel connection of additional modules. The number of additional modules is defined by the dependence: Nadd=Nisol+(0.2+kt)[Preq/Pm], where Nadd - number of additional modules; Misol - number of modules isolated for maintenance; kt - temperature coefficient of capacity decrease; Preq -required battery power, MWt; Pm - power of one module, MWt.

Lead battery and storage method for lead battery / 2343598
Invention is attributed to the field of electric engineering specifically to lead accumulator batteries (AB). In this invention lead AB is suggested which becomes operative by means of filling it with ionogen. AB comprises positive and negative electrode plates each one of which has grid that contains alloy on the base of Pb-Ca; separators that isolate positive electrode plates from negative electrode plates; ionogen containing sulphuric acid; and accumulator container accommodating positive and negative electrode plates, separators and ionogen. Accumulator container is sealed and part of positive and negative electrode plates is immersed into ionogen. Y0 height of positive and negative electrode plates and Y1 distance from positive and negative electrode plates bottom to ionogen level satisfy relation: 15 ≤ Y1/Y0 × 100 ≤ 60.

Method for determination of lead accumulator battery residual capacitance / 2340044
Discharge current values that are periodically measured in the process of accumulator battery (AB) discharge, voltage in following accumulators, number of conditional full charge-discharge cycle and calculated value of measured capacitance are used to determine two design values of residual capacitance with application of dependences of residual capacitance on discharge voltage and full capacitance on accumulator wear, measure of which is number of conditional full charge-discharge cycle. Parameters of dependences are determined according to auxiliary schedules, which are built in advance using values achieved as a result of approximation of dependences that are received according to data of single-type accumulators tests. In order to visualise the discharge process during AB operation, two curves are built for dependence of design values of residual capacitance on measured capacitance, which make it possible to visually control process of residual capacitance change and confirm validity of received values of residual capacitance. Resulting value of residual capacitance is determined as simple average of two design values of residual capacitance.

Method of power accumulation / 2336606
Invention relates to development of secondary chemical DC sources, particularly, to conversion of chemical power into electrical power. In compliance with this invention, the proposed method of power accumulation comprises using hydrogen as a reducer and chlorine as an oxidiser, effecting an electrolysis at a 0.56 MPa and charging-discharging the accumulator adjusted subject to the pressure value.

Spacecraft / 2377163
Invention is related to structures of space engineering and may be used in design of spacecrafts of various purposes. According to invention, spacecraft comprises truss-frame reinforced structure, body panels, target equipment and supporting systems. These systems include power supply system, which consists of solar and nickel-hydrogen accumulator batteries, and also complex of automatics and stabilisation of voltage. At the same time equipment of specified complex, or its part is installed inside bodies of nickel-hydrogen accumulator batteries.

Method of power supply of spacecraft with electrochemical generators during flight / 2360332
Invention relates to space technology and particularly to methods of power supply of spacecrafts (SC) with the power supply system based on electrochemical generators during a flight. According to the invention method includes generation of electric energy based on chemical reaction O2 and H2. Notably, that before derivation of initial chemical components O2 and H2 on a board of SC for energy generation ends, SC is joined in orbit to space energy platform with electrolytic section, water is pumped into it - reaction product of ECG SC, and after water electrolysis on the platform, SC is supplied with products of water electrolysis - chemical components O2 and H2 for further electrochemical reaction in ECG on the board of SC, thereafter SC is undocked from the platform and place into working orbit, the cycle is repeated required number of times.

Battery electric power module for spacecraft / 2339551
Module consists of accumulators integrated into battery, charging and discharging devices, automatics and control unit, module for exchange with spacecraft (SC) on-board computer and electric heater. All the mentioned assemblies are installed by their basis on common power temperature-compensative panel. Panel area is chosen in such a way that at maximum heat emission by module assemblies accumulator temperature would not exceed maximum allowable for them value. Screen-vacuum isolation is installed on all sides of module except panel outer surface. If thermoregulation system of SC is passive the optical coating with high coefficient of radiation is installed on outer surface of the said panel. Integration of battery and its service equipment into module inside which all the interface between them is realised results in reduction of SC systems mass and energy losses due to elimination of external cables, connectors, etc.

Power plant for spacecraft with electrical generator / 2323858
Suggested power plant includes electrochemical generator, the rocket propulsion and connected with it schemas of keeping and feeding by hydrocarbon fuel and oxygen. To the device it is included consequently connected the reformer of partial oxidation and gas separator with output manifold of cleaned and not cleaned hydrogen. Besides, it is added the startup hydrogen bluster, connected with electrochemical generator. The output of reformer is connected to the systems of keeping and feeding by hydrocarbon fuel and oxygen. The output manifold of cleaned and not cleaned hydrogen is connected with startup hydrogen bluster and with electrochemical generator, and the input manifold of cleaned and not cleaned hydrogen is connected with the rocket propulsion. The rocket propulsion is using not cleaned hydrogen in the mix of fuel.

Method of control of power supply systems of orbital spacecraft cluster equipped with electric jet engines / 2304070
Proposed method consists in determination of power requirements for each items of onboard using equipment for all spacecraft of cluster, electric jet engines inclusive. In case some items of onboard using equipment are not provided with electric energy at interval of dynamic mode with the aid of electric jet engines, this mode is changed-over for another permissible interval. In case of absence of permissible intervals, duplicate spacecraft of equivalent payload are selected. Items of equivalent using equipment of main spacecraft which are not provided with electric power are changed-over to duplicate spacecraft which are provided with required electric power. Spacecraft equipment items are changed-over till restoration of power supply on board main spacecraft (upon completion of dynamic modes of these spacecraft). Then control of power supply is performed for spacecraft of orbital cluster of later performance of dynamic modes. Main spacecraft are used as duplicate spacecraft.

Method of control of spacecraft power supply system / 2293690
Proposed method includes determination of charge-discharge characteristics of onboard power supply sources, transformation of energy of external power sources, maintenance of required state of charge of onboard power sources due to energy of external power sources and consumption of energy power requirements exceed transformed energy of external power sources. Intervals of flight time required for maintenance of probable and determined level of state of charge of onboard power sources are also determined. At probable level when power requirements exceed transformed energy of external power sources, amount of energy in onboard power source required for performing the program is determined. Then, intervals of time of charge and self-discharge of onboard power sources are determined; besides that, shift of beginning of charge of onboard power sources ensuring required amount of energy is determined. Required state of charge of onboard power sources is maintained at said intervals of their charge-discharge at control of power consumption in accordance with flight program. When energy transformed from external power sources exceed consumed power, onboard power source is charged and state of charge is maintained at charge-discharge intervals. Time intervals for maintenance of determined state of charge of onboard power sources when consumed power exceeds transformed power of external sources is predicted. Before beginning of these intervals, determined charge of onboard power sources is performed at said charge-discharge intervals. Then, power requirements of onboard power sources are regulated in accordance with flight program ensuring excess of discharge energy of onboard power sources by consumed energy. Upon completion of predicted interval, onboard power source is charged for subsequent maintenance of probable state of charge of onboard power sources. When necessary shift is made for above-indicated determined charge of onboard power sources after which probable and determined charge are alternated.

Method of control of spacecraft power supply system / 2291819
Proposed method includes conversion of light energy into electrical energy on board spacecraft, accumulation of electric energy by conversion into other kinds of energy and check of onboard power requirements. In addition to conversion of light energy, other kinds of energy received from outside sources are transformed into energy consumed on board aircraft. Provision is made for prediction of time intervals when consumption of electric energy exceeds amount of electrical energy converted from light energy. Kinds of consumed energy obtained from conversion of electric energy are also determined. Before beginning of passage of intervals, respective transformable kinds of energy from outside sources are accumulated. Beginning of accumulation of these kinds of energy is determined depending on consumed amount of energy and rate of accumulation of energy with change in spacecraft parameters caused by action of these kinds of energy taken into account. At predicted interval, first of all accumulated transformable kinds of energy are consumed and when necessary, energy accumulated on board spacecraft is consumed after conversion into electrical energy.

Method of control of power of spacecraft power plant and device for realization of this method / 2249546
Proposed method includes stabilization and change of power of power plant through regulation of consumption of engine working medium. When power of solar battery drops to level of maximum permissible power consumed by engine, consumption of working medium is changed in such way that power of solar battery might change in saw-tooth pattern and vertices of saw might be in contact with line of maximum probable power of solar battery. Device proposed for realization of this method includes matching voltage converter whose outputs are connected with engine electrodes and inputs are connected with solar battery busbars, current and voltage sensors showing solar battery voltage and power sensor connected with current and voltage sensors. Comparator connected with power sensor is also connected with controllable power setter and initial power setter. Outputs of controllable power setter are connected with comparator and comparison circuit whose input is connected with power sensor output. Output of comparison circuit is connected with amplifier-regulator of consumption of working medium.

Nuclear power plant for spacecraft / 2248312
Proposed nuclear plant includes nuclear reactor, radiation protection, cooler-radiator and deployment system. Plant has frame consisting of three rods located between nuclear power plant and intermediate frame; it also has three rods shifted relative above rods through angle of 60 deg. and located between this frame and spacecraft. Frame is made in form of triangular prism. Each rod consists of two beams; articulations are fitted in joint areas between beams, between beams and nuclear power plant and between intermediate frame and spacecraft. Articulations make it possible to perform angular motion of beams in longitudinal planes of nuclear power plant when it is shifted from launch position to orbital position. Electrical connecting lines are arranged on beams.