Host: The Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers
Name : [in Japanese]
Date : September 11, 2022 - September 14, 2022
In this study, we attempted to utilize solid-solid phase change material (PCM) as a new passive thermal control system to realize a low-temperature operable electric power system that can be used for micro/nanosatellites and other space applications. W-doped vanadium dioxide (VWO2) was employed and its solidification and combination with a lithium-ion cell were considered. According to the charge-discharge operation of the lithium-ion cell embedded in VO2-based solid-solid PCM (LiB-1450/VWO2+ER）in a temperature range of 40 to -20°C under vacuum, it was found that the PCM block was effective in holding the suitable temperature around 0°C, resulting stable charging-discharging of LiB-1450/VWO2+ER with relatively low internal resistance. These results reveal the promising potential of the thermal management using a VO2-based solid-solid PCM to construct a highly reliable electric power supply for spacecrafts, especially CubeSats, with minimal assistance, such as a heater.
